Customer Reviews

Dave Barry Does Japan

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a Japanese citizen, living in the US, I thought I might be offended by this book, but after reading it I decided that this is the funniest book ever written. But it is not just funny and hilarious, Dave Barry sees Japan through very human eyes and all his observations are true. The way he describes Japanese culture and behavior is right on. Japanese culture and traditions may seem quite strange and foreign to many people but reading this book with its many discussions on everyday- life in Japan, will help to see Japan for what it is and not for what it use to be. Dave Barry does not make fun of Japan, he brings it to us in a very amusing and comical way.

I believe this to be one of the funniest books Dave Barry has ever written. I have a paperback version of it, but I've read it so many times, it's starting to fall apart, and I'm thinking it might be time to replace it with a more permanent hardcover version.

Best parts of "Dave Barry Does Japan": Dave trying, and failing, to learn Japanese on the plane...Dave and his family getting completely lost in Tokyo...Dave trying to blend in at a traditional Japanese resort. I also really enjoyed the chapter about Hiroshima, even though it wasn't funny. This guy can write serious stuff too, it appears--not only that, but he can write it well.

Dave manages to make a journey into an extremely foreign culture incredibly funny without being racist or offensive in any way. And believe it or not, I actually learned a lot about Japan by reading this book. Of course, you have to take everything said in any Dave Barry book with a grain of salt, but one of my favorite things about his writing is his ability to point out the absurdities of everyday life, which I would imagine become even more apparent when one is watching them from an entirely different cultural perspective. Plus, you gotta love the booger jokes.

I have found myself on a recent binge of amazon.com review writing that stems from days where I don't have to teach class. So to occupy myself when I should be teaching English, I write reviews. Today, I finished Dave Barry Does Japan, and I decided to add my two cents to the other 50 reviews.

I started off enjoying this book a great deal. And I finished the book enjoying it a great deal. And I highly suggest it for anyone living in Japan or anyone who's remotely interested in travel. Its hilarious. The best moment for me was Chapter 2. I shared this chapter with the English Club I teach once a week and it was refreshing to find that the Japanese are also befuddled by the "Elevator Ladies."

3 Weeks in a place where you've suddenly stepped off of the plane and become illiterate can be extremely alienating, and Dave Barry has done the best to exemplify that alienation. I have read enough complaints from people living in Japan; Barry was refreshingly funny. Definitely a good read if you want to wallow in a spirit of I-Hate-Japan.

I was nearly in tears while reading about becoming accustomed to bowing. And his assesment of Japanese driving is right on the money.

In a country where you shouldn't stick out, I got quite the number of stares from my coworkers as I laughed out loud.

Then there's the Hiroshima chapter, which is definitely a step into a different book. I paid particular attention to it as I am taking a trip to Hiroshima this weekend. I agree with his assessment of August 5 becoming like Memorial Day, though other reviewers have made comments about his rant about "WHY" so I will leave that alone. It definitely ruined what was shaping up to be a five-star review.

In a nutshell, I really enjoyed the book and will probably find myself reading it repeatedly, though there were moments when I felt like, "Geeze broaden your horizons a little" Though if the entire book were about how much he loved Japanese culture and couldn't get enough squid, octopus and raw fish complete with eyes, then the book wouldn't be nearly as entertaining.

His final assessment is an astute one. Nobody's perfect. We have a lot to learn and centuries of improvement to affect in the US, but Japan has some wacky hangups too.

I hope you can tell from this review whether or not you'd enjoy the book. It has its gems, but if you're like me, you will find yourself getting tired of his demeanor at certain points. Overall, its worth it.

Had to go to Tokyo on a group business trip (technical training...Yuck!) Naturally picked up "Frommers" (or "Fodors" - whatever)so I would know what was going on. Never EVER figured I'd have to go to Japan on business (or pleasure, for that matter.) One of the lines in the introduction to THAT tourist guide went something like this, "If you have a unique sense of humor and really want to get a feel for everyday life in Tokyo... Pick up "Dave Barry Does Japan"" FROM ANOTHER TRAVEL GUIDE, NO LESS! I read it on the plane flight over, my boss read it on the way back. We laughed our behinds off because everything - EVERYTHING - in the book that specifically happens in Tokyo city happened in some way to us. These 'warnings', if you will, allowed me to relax about the people, the language, the food, the prices.... and just enjoy the undeniable humor in a situation where two very different cultures invariably collide. THE BEST book for a Tokyo traveler who is not necessarily into reverential worship or study of the Japanese culture - Just wants to enjoy the people, the trip, the total experience!

Dave Barry is, as far as I am concerned, a certified genius, and this book is a perfect example of said trait. In this book, he talks about going to Japan with his wife and son, and his various viewpoints on the Japanese culture. Not only is the book hilarious, but it is also interesting, and generally speaking, it's usually nice to hear what Dave Barry has to say on any subject anyway.

In this book, he comments on such things as Kabuki, sumo wrestling, singing in a karaoke bar, cosmetic products made of nightingale excrement, and staying in a traditional Japanese inn (which in turn leads to a little discussion about cicadas; you'll just have to read it). I won't give away much of anything because you just HAVE to read it. A mere review cannot do this book nearly enough justice.

In conclusion, one of my very favorite parts of the book is--and don't ask me why--the part where he talks about attempting to order ketchup at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. For some reason it made me laugh really hard.

I have a lot of Dave Barry books, and Dave Barry Does Japan is one of his best actual books (as opposed to collections of columns). There aren't as many outright jokes as in his other books, but this is because the situations he gets into are funny enough without them. My favorite part is his never ending quest to find food that is dead, safe, and doesn't have corn on it. Of course, nearly everything he finds doesn't match at least one of these requirments. Also great are the chapters about being lost in Tokyo and attempting to learn Japanese on the plane. Dave also shows his talent for serious writing with a chapter about Hiroshima. If you like Dave Barry, this book is a must buy!

I just spent a year in Japan, and Berry's book is dead on. He obviously knows nothing about the culture going into it, and that's the beauty of the work. His observations are from a fresh perspective, and to those of us who have studied the culture for so long, it's an eye opening "yeah, they do do that..." experience.

This is the first (and only) book by Dave Barry that I've read. It was funny--I laughed out loud several times more than one would expect for such a short book--but I would definitely not recommended as one's sole diversion during a plane trip to Japan from the U.S. You'd be done before Hawaii.

It's also in a somewhat awkward position in the post-Made in America/Rising Sun/Japan That Can Say No era, as any American who still has more than a passing interest in Japan will no doubt know most if not all the cultural tidbits upon which Mr. Barry's anecdotes are based, thus negating some of the humor/shock value that the book might otherwise provide.

This book kept popping up on my recommendations, and I finally gave in and bought it. I have recently been wading through a series of Japan-orientated intercultural texts, and this book was a breath of fresh air. It is equal parts funny and insightful.

The book takes an irreverent, realistic look at Japan. This is the point of view of the tourist. Some things, like plastic squid and Sumo, really are strange to us. Dave Barry is not afraid to call a spade a spade. He does not attempt to cross-examine his own cultural biases, but just is happy to say "Look at that. Weird." Also, he is a very funny writer. I have not read any Dave Barry books before this one. The chapter on Hiroshima shows that he can be respectful as well as silly. That chapter really made the book for me.

My only real complaint with the book is that it is "thin." It is a short book, with a large font. Unlike humorous travelogues by Bill Bryson, this book has very little depth and is no more than a "surface glance" at a small part (Tokyo and Kyoto) of Japan. However, Dave Barry is honest about this and says so straight out. Still, it is lots of fun.

Dave Barry spent 3 weeks in Japan. The end result is this book. I did like it very much though. The experiences he writes about are indicative of what those who live here have to deal with each and every day.

He takes the view, as most middle aged Americans do, of ignorance. And it is this ignorance that drives the humor. It could be said to be the complete opposite to Alex Kerr's Lost Japan. He readily admits to the ignorance, and tries to understand.

I did feel that a little more research, or perhaps any research could have made the stories a lot funnier. But for those who haven't been to Japan, or have recently arrived it is a good start at taking everything you see with a dose of humour.