I Want Your Sex-Pootie! (Big Trouble - Dave Barry)

Member Name: MykReeve

Product:	Big Trouble - Dave Barry
Date:	27/11/00 (154 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great dialogue, gripping plot, hilarious

Disadvantages: Too short!

Dave Barry's probably best known to those of you that have heard of him as a regular columnist for the Miami Herald Tribune, who often gets reprinted in the International Herald Tribune. His columns have been collected together in numerous best-selling books, however, this is his first work of fiction, and it's a superbly entertaining comedy crime story set in Florida. There is an impressive collection of writers offering positive comments on the cover of the book, including fellow Floridian Carl Hiaasen, who has written numerous works of humorous crime fiction set in the state.

The book concerns the Arnold family, Eliot – a struggling advertisement designer and divorced father, and Matt – his teenage son; and the Herk family, Arthur – a corrupt and abusive embezzler, Anna – his long suffering wife, Jenny – their daughter, and Roger – their toad-hating dog; along with a cast of additional characters, including Russian weapons dealers, Miami police and would-be detectives!

As the book starts, Matt attempts to 'kill' Jenny using a Squirtmaster 9000 water pistol as part of a school game, unwittingly interrupting an attempt on the life of Arthur Herk by trained hitmen from his company, which has discovered his embezzling of company money. The hitmen are dangerous men, and they somehow get mixed up with a couple of no good crooks, who attempt to fleece a downtown bar, which happens to be the headquarters of Russian arms dealers, and the workplace of a down-and-out who lives in the Herk's back garden. Confused? You will be...

The story is very well written, and absolutely hilarious throughout. The pacing is superb, and this is one of those books you really won't want to put down, especially as you approach the book's fantastic climax. It's small wonder that the film rights for the book have already been picked up! A few of the characters aren't that well painted, but the spe
ech throughout is absolutely spot on.

The timing of the release of the book could also not have been better. Barry starts off by having a dig at the corruption that is rife in Floridian elections, before launching into scathing assaults on some of his favourite topics; "know it all" teenagers (who love terrible music with titles like the title of this opinion!) and bad copy in advertisements.

My only problem with the book is that it takes so little time to read – it's under 250 pages long, and has quite big print! It's also worth mentioning that there is a little bad language in there, so, as Barry points out in the foreword, the book isn't intended for as wide an audience as his non-fiction works. Here's hoping for another fiction work from Dave as soon as possible!

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