Customer Reviews

Dave Barry's Bad Habits: A 100% Fact-Free Book

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

...I felt it best to keep in the spirit of Dave Barry's irreverence. The book DID keep me laughing in spite of myself, and I just couldn't put it down. So, I was laughing and sniggering on the plane (I got it for a long trip), in elevators, and at home, and any other place I could catch a few minutes to savor a bit more delicious laughter until I finally finished the last morsel of wonderfully pointed and silly humor that is Barry's trademark. I read it again in less than a year and still got much joy from it. Now, I've passed it on to my mother (yes, she can read it without tut-tutting over the gross jokes, which are pretty accurate anyway). Every time she mentions the book, she smiles, and she can't help but find something to laugh out loud about in the book each time she picks it up. So, you may not wet yourself, or want to, but it WOULD be a good idea to at LEAST put your cup of tea down before reading this book. I wouldn't want you spilling it and ruining a good guffaw...

Dave Barry has published several collections of his fine humor columns. This collection, one of the earliest, is also the best (I personally find that his material has declined with time). Taking on everything from high school English to barbecuing, Barry turns out one hilarious piece after another. Well worth-reading.

I didn't have a clue who Dave Barry was when I checked this book out of a library in 1984. I just saw the disclaimer, "A 100% Fact-Free Book," and was attracted by that kind of truth in advertising. There were three adults living in the house, and you could always tell, day or night, when somebody had picked up Bad Habits by the sounds of choking laughter. We spend two blissful weeks periodically resuscitating each other. Quintessential Dave. Read it.

For anyone who wonders what Dave Barry what like when he got started, this collection of some of his earliest columns is a must-read. Some of the columns, especially those about the government, are very out-of-date, but it doesn't make them any less funny. I really could relate to him on some of the subjects, and you will too.

Although definitely not as good as his later collections, this one is worth at least four stars. I would have given it 4 1/2 if it were possible on Amazon.com. Recommended, but if you're strapped for cash, I suggest purchasing a later work first, as you will probably enjoy it more. Also, the typeface (font) used in this edition is annoying, though quickly gotten used to.

Washington Post humor columnist Dave Barry dedicates this book "To Mom and Dad, who never made me go see Santa Claus." Perhaps he avoided that trauma, but as the book attests, he has encountered other horrors including housework, pet ownership, taxpaying time, child raising, traveling, and gift giving. My favorite is the school section, in which Barry dissects the American educational system, why we don't read (blame Dick and Jane), as well as the sections on culture and health. He may not be making these things up, but they are as hilarious as if he had.

I hardly think Dave Barry needs yet another "He rocks!" review. It's fairly clear that Dave Barry is the wittiest writer to come along in a generation (if not longer). However, Amazon will stalk me until I write this review so here it is - This book is hysterical. It's vintage Barry and a wonderful collection to have laying about the house for when you need a "hit" of Dave. I highly recommend it.

I put this one down on my Christmas list as I was looking for humor and odd fact sort of books. Prior to reading Bad Habits, I'd never heard of Dave Barry but was definitely intrigued by the "100% fact-free book" quote and it peaked my interest.

Barry looks at a plethora of issues that faced America in the 1980's and pokes fun at the Reagan Administration, the economy, government jobs, taxes, health habits, pop culture, the solution for kids to stop smoking (skip the 10th grade of course), attempts to communicate with alien life, family vacations/traveling, and of course no book is complete without commentary on our sports. Among my favorites is easily the air traffic controller dialogue :D

Pilot: This is Flight 274, requesting landing instructions
Controller: Well, if it was me, I would put the wheels down first, but don't quote me on that.
Pilot: No, I already know how to land, I was hoping you could tell me which runway I should land on.
Controller: Ah. Let me just turn on the little screen here and -- There we are. Say, is that you about to plow into the mountain?
Pilot: No.
Controller: Oh. That must be one of Bob's. (Yelling to another controller:) Bob, could you turn your screen on for a second? One of your planes is about to -- Wait, forget it.
Pilot: Um, look, we're running out of fuel here, so I'd really appreciate if you could possibly --
Controller: Hey, lighten up, will you? Do you want to make me tense and crazy so Reagen can fire me? (Yelling to other controllers.) Hey guys! I think I got a Republican here! (Laughter in background, shouts of "Steer him into the mountain!")
Pilot: Look please --
Controller: Hey, no sweat. We're just having some fun. I'll get back to you with a runway right after my break.
Pilot: But -- , Controller: (Click.)

Equally as interesting is Barry's synposis of popular classics and poems. Such as Moby Dick's central theme, "Don't mess around with large whales, because they symbolize nature and will kill you", as well as A Tale of Two Cities with "French people are crazy". I give this book four stars though because some of the parts were just too corny. Kind of I guess pg-13 humor and with my warped sense of humor, I want something a little more adult/darker I suppose :).

All in all, not a bad book and seeing as how a lot of Barry's books on here are fairly cheap, I'll definitely be looking to pick up a few more in the near future.

-Travis

I didn't have a clue who Dave Barry was when I checked this book out of a library in 1984. I just saw the disclaimer, "A 100% Fact-Free Book," and was attracted by that kind of truth in advertising. There were three adults living in the house, and you could always tell, day or night, when somebody had picked up "Bad Habits" by the sounds of choking laughter. We spend two blissful weeks periodically resuscitating each other. Quintessential Dave. Read it.

This is the first Barry book I've read, and it's still my favorite. There was something that made me laugh out loud on almost every page. I read it in a day because I couldn't put it down. More importantly, the book was still funny the second time I read it. That is not something I've experienced often in a humor book. Barry's writing has so much depth that you can miss some of the jokes the first time. The section on government truly is outdated, as mentioned. But that doesn't take away from the overall quality of the book. I may have to borrow it from the friend I gave it to the last time I gave away some books to make room on my bookshelf!!