Customer Reviews

Lunatics

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I'm always suspicious when people offer variations on "I couldn't put this book down," but in small doses it's often true. I picked up Lunatics late one night, after spending several hours finishing another book I'd been trying to get through for days. I expected to read a couple pages, just enough to get a flavor of it and have a head start for the following day. But each chapter led so easily into the next, and I was having so much fun, that I read eighty pages before I was finally too tired to go on. The next evening I tore through the remaining 240 pages in a few hours. Really, it's no surprise: Lunatics is a wild, frivolous novel, a rollicking adults-only ramble that practically demands to be sped through.

Philip Horkman is a nice guy: sensitive, thoughtful, reasonable, mild-mannered, maybe a little passive-aggressive. The type who says "pardon my language" before using the phrase "kick the bucket." Jeffrey Peckerman is a jerk: blunt, aggressive, bigoted, thoughtless, foul-mouthed. The type who says things I can't quote in this review without thoroughly censoring them. One day, Philip, who referees kids' soccer, rules Jeffrey's daughter was offside, making her tying goal in the championship game ineligible. There's a shouting match, but it all might have ended there, except that the next day Jeffrey's wife asks him to pick up some wine for her book club, and he stops at a business called The Wine Shop. But The Wine Shop is actually a pet shop (don't ask), and Philip is the owner. Their second meeting ends with a kidnapped lemur, which soon steals an insulin pump, and the effort to restore each to its rightful owner results in a high-speed car chase. Then the NYPD mistakes the insulin pump for a bomb... and that's where things ~really~ get complicated.

Lunatics is a comic novel, a collaboration between humorists Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel. Like Barry's previous novels, Big Trouble and Risky Business, it takes ordinary characters and puts them, via a series of implausible but not utterly impossible coincidences, in dangerous, world-shaking situations. Without revealing too much about the course of the story: Jeffrey and Philip end up doing some major traveling, and inadvertently bringing about beneficial chaos wherever they find themselves. After a while, this starts to feel repetitive, too programmatic, and the madcap absurdism wears a little thin. By the final sequence, reality has been left so far behind that it's hard to be involved enough even to appreciate the craziness of it all. But, for those who relate to this kind of humor, there are enough hilarious asides to make the overall experience a consistent pleasure.

That humor is broad, explicit, sometimes crude and a little sophomoric; if refined, subtle wit is your thing, look elsewhere. There are exaggerated observational details familiar to readers of Barry's columns ("I've used enough [whitening] strips to wallpaper my living room, and my teeth are still more or less the color of the margins of the Declaration of Independence"), satires of media hysteria (the coincidental calamities in which Philip and Jeffrey find themselves are interpreted as a cunning terrorist plot), and a certain amount of what an elementary school teacher would call bathroom humor. But a lot of the fun comes from the ongoing conflict between the two narrators, who thoroughly hate each other and have such different worldviews that they can't agree on anything, not even how best to flee the police. The book is made up of short chapters switching between their perspectives; the contrast between Jeffrey's profane rants about how everyone else is a moron and Philip's scrupulous attempts to be polite and helpful is entertaining, and the brevity of the chapters makes for a fast, easy read, as comic novels should be, especially those that depend on following ridiculous turns of plot.

The temptation when reviewing any form of comedy is to quote some of the best jokes, but I'll resist that, and instead mention some of the elements that lend the book its particular peculiar flavor: a nudist cruise, a pair of hungry bears, an awful lot of bananas, two scheming lawyers, the unspeakable fate of a rare baseball card, and Donald Trump. I would say that this kind of humor is an acquired taste, except that I've never yet met a type of humor that wasn't. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then Lunatics comes highly recommended. For myself, I laughed out loud so often that I started to get a headache. Which is pretty much what I look for in a comic novel.

It's been a long while since I've read anything as unapologetically and wonderfully silly as "Lunatics." The collaboration of Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel certainly plays as a game of one-upmanship with plot points of this comic misadventure escalating beyond all reason and rationale. Hyperactive and unrelenting, this swift and enjoyable read is not meant to be taken with any degree of seriousness. It is simply and purely outlandish nonsense, and as such, it is wildly successful. I literally read "Lunatics" in two sittings which, for me, is exceedingly rare. It is that entertaining and paced like a runaway locomotive. As it barrels forward from one improbable situation to the next even bigger catastrophe, I was simply compelled to push forward to see what would come next. This element of surprise and humor coupled with complete ridiculousness is something that I enjoy mightily. But if you aren't into slapstick comic mayhem (and really, this plays as a big adult cartoon), "Lunatics" might not be for you. In fact, to fully enjoy the craziness, it probably helps to be slightly unhinged yourself!

Not a lot should be revealed about "Lunatics." Anyone that divulges details of the comic exploits is taking away the book's strongest asset--the wonder of what will happen next. The narrative is exceedingly straightforward in concept. Two suburban fathers take an instant dislike to one another at a weekend soccer game. After the initial unpleasantness, though, the two are forced together into additional confrontations that immediately start to spiral out of control. Before long, everything that they've known will become upended as their situation goes from bad, to worse, to impossible, to worse than impossible. The alternating chapters are told from each man's vantage point, and much of the humor stems from their inherent and inescapable hatred of one another. This is an adult fairytale in which nothing remains sacred and political correctness is not a primary concern.

Again, I'm sure the frantic and subversively silly nature of "Lunatics" will not appeal to everyone. But if you set your expectations aside and sign up for the ride, the novel will take you to the most unexpected and hilarious of places. It lacks a subtlety and slyness and just bludgeons you with outrageous situations. But that's what I liked about "Lunatics." It is exactly what it intends to be. There is no moralizing or deep contemplation, just comic mischief told in a serialized cliffhanger format. And if you don't like a particular plot point or development, hold on a few pages and the story will surely shift gears into an even more ridiculous avenue. I had a lot of fun with "Lunatics." It's exceedingly lightweight, but eminently enjoyable. A quick fix of sheer entertainment. KGHarris, 12/11.

If you like Jerry Lewis you will probably enjoy "Lunatics." If you are the type of person who laughs out loud when reading funny books, you will probably like "Lunatics." If you are that type of person, do not read this while eating because you are likely to spew food all over the book and your dining companions. Getting the idea?

Without giving away any of the "plot," you can get a sense of "Lunatics" by this list of words, in no particular order, taken from the story: clothing optional cruise, compost, lawyers, scrotum, Zumba, Pez, lemur, pirates, Jeffrey Dahmer, bananas, Amway, Mary Kay, naked, diarrhea, nun, "Dildo of Doom," bears escaped from the zoo, Chuck E. Cheese, Charo, laser hair removal, Spaghetti O's, Sarah Palin, insulin pump, yodel and Donald Trump.

Hats off to authors Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel. I was really impressed that they could keep this story going for 330 pages. What a remarkable achievement!

Summary: When Philip Horkman, a mild mannered pet store owner, and Jeffrey Peckerman, an aggressive, obnoxious, and abrasive forensic plumber, get into an argument at a youth soccer game when Philip is reffing and calls offside on Jeffrey's daughter, no one could predict what would happen. Their argument escalates and keeps snowballing, eventually finding the two of them together hijacking a cruise ship and liberating oppressed people all over the world. They're also mistakenly thought of as terrorists and desperately wanted by the U.S. government who they continue to elude. Watch as these two lunatics, who hate each other passionately, get into escapades all over the globe involving a rare lemur, bananas, Donald Trump, and super secret government agencies, while fighting like madmen the whole time.

My Thoughts: Ahaha, where to start? This book is hysterical, and to all the naysayers who are complaining that it is too unrealistic, BOO on you. This book is completely absurd, and it's intended to be! Isn't that the beauty of fiction? You get to suspend belief and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

The chapters alternate between the two characters which I really liked because their voices were really unique and equally funny. Their dialogues were great, and I cracked up numerous times over stupid things said by each of the characters. Seriously - there were some GREAT one-liners and I can think of no other word to better suit these characters than to say they are total SCHMUCKS. Philip was really stiff, proper, dorky, and serious which was really funny given their situation(s). Jeffery was an obnoxious, coarse idiot, constantly swearing and being completely inappropriate. So, polar opposites resulting in a pure hatred for each other and constant bickering over stupid things despite being wanted by the U.S. government. They were constantly kidnapped and sent to different countries, where they accidentally freed people in each location, becoming worldwide heroes, and eventual presidential candidates. Everything that happens in this book is purely accidental, and the two of them are totally oblivious.

The humor in this book is NOT for everyone. It is extremely stupid and silly, vulgar, offensive, crude, etc... but mostly just stupid. I, for one, love stupid humor and laughed my ass off the whole time. Some people would just roll their eyes at it, but not me. If you appreciate that kind of humor, then you'll probably love this book. If not, then step away riiiight now. I warned you. I'd recommend reading the first couple of chapters - you'll get a feel for the comedy right away and can determine pretty quickly whether or not you'll like it.

Everything about this book is insane and ridiculous with two of the most absurd and idiotic characters of all time - in short, I freaking loved it.

My Rating: 4/5

From my blog, StephTheBookworm

I knew going in I was going to like this book. I'm a huge fan of Dave Barry's books and he's never disappointed me with his writings. Dave Barry's latest books include the successful "Peter And The Starcatchers" series written with Ridley Pearson. Those books are written for the younger set. This book definitely is not for children or people who are easily offended by bad language or bathroom humor.
This book is about two men, Philip Horkman and Jeffrey Peckerman, who, through no fault of their own, not only start several international incidents but bring peace to the middle east as well. It is absolutely understandable as to how this occurred. Who among us hasn't gotten in trouble with the U.S. Government and the Navy Seals after showing our displeasure over an unfair call in a soccer game? If I had a dime for every fight I've started at Chuck E. Cheese...
From what I've read one of the authors would write a chapter of the book, email it to the other author who would write their chapter and then send it back to the other author for another chapter. At the end of some chapters I could actually imagine one of them ending it with an attitude of, "Let's see what you do with this!" They did well in my opinion.
Both of these authors are extremely funny people. Alan Zweibel is a former Saturday Night Live writer, back when it was really funny. That is strictly my opinion but it was funnier in the 70's. He created the characters of Roseanne Roseannadana and Emily Litella for Gilda Radner when she was on SNL. He also has written for Monk, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and It's The Garry Shandling show just to mention a few. Like Dave Barry he is also a successful children's book author. Unfortunately he also wrote the book and screenplay for the movie "North" but I'd rather not talk about that.
I'm not going to outline the plot because others have already done that much better then I ever could. I will say it does have a plot and it's a good one. FYI, you may want to have some bananas on hand when you read Chapters 39-41. Someone mentioned in their review that some of the incidents in the book went beyond the realm of reality. Like this is a bad thing. I read to escape reality! If I wanted a healthy dose of reality I'd watch Jersey Shore or Cops on TV. This book will make you laugh and shake your head in certain parts. Many times. There is also an epilogue at the end of the book that tells what happened later to certain characters such as Charo, Donald, Donny Boy, Trump, NBC News anchorman Brian Williams, and Walmart.
I bought this book at a large bookstore and paid a good bit more than the price Amazon is selling it for. Next time I'll check Amazon's price but I wanted it quickly so I bit the bullet this time.
The book is 309 pages long and the text is easy to ready. If you like Carl Hiaasen's books you will enjoy this one too. It is written in the same genre of inconceivability concerning the characters and events. There are no 'feel good' serious parts in the story. It is pure fun and you will laugh. If you feel differently let me know and I'll meet you at the Chuck E. Cheese of your choice.

Though I've never read a Dave Barry book or anything by Alan Zweibel, I had a blast riding along on the adventure they create. There were actually a lot of laugh out loud moments.

This is the story of two very different men, Philip Horkman and Jeffrey Peckerman, and the result of their ill-fated argument during a girls soccer game. Told from alternating first-person narratives, this story escalates out of control, taking our two protagonists on a wild odyssey in which they encounter a series of strange situations and even stranger characters.

The first person narratives allow hilarious insight into what each is thinking in an improbable and unexpected scenario, and allows the reader to connect with the main characters. How would I react in such circumstances? I can't say, but I can definitely relate to the reactions of Horkman and Peckerman.

If you want an entertaining ride, a slapstick adventure, you will enjoy this. If you want a serious, or even realistic read, this isn't it. And really, even *I* know enough about Dave Barry to know that...

Hold onto your hat and see how far fate takes our two "heroes."

The first 50 pages of this book? I laughed until I had tears in my eyes. After the first 50 pages or so? I got tired of the fact that Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel tried too hard to keep being funny in every paragraph and in every page.

Take two completely opposite characters in a book. One is a foresnic plumber. The other owns a pet shop called "The Wine Shop." They cross paths due to an argument during one of their children's soccer games and cross paths again and again. I laughed. I was enjoying the book and the scene where they are on the cruise ship and notice something peculiar about the clothing of the people in the buffet line? Out loud hilarious. Then, however, the book got sillier and more outlandish. It was as if they tried to outwit each other in this book as far as comedy. It felt forced and not funny at times and as I neared the end of the book (yes, I read every page of this book) I just felt, well, cheated.

It's funny. It's outlandish and maybe too silly and outlandish for its own good. It's a fast read and a funny read (at times), but I really lost interest in the outlandish plots and twists and by the end of the book I was looking back and thinking that the book could have been much better and even funnier if they would have kept the zany silly plots out of this one.

I used to chuckle at Dave Barry's writing back when my hometown paper carried his syndicated column. I've always liked "Saturday Night Live" and I LOVE "Curb Your Enthusiasm", shows that Alan Zweibel has written for. So what's not to like when the two team up for a comic novel? A great deal, I'm afraid.

This book has two big problems. The first is that the characters of Philip Horkman and Jeffery Peckerman aren't characters at all but caricatures. Caricatures work really well in comedy sketches and political cartoons. Caricatures don't work well for 300 pages. There is a reason why hilarious sketches like Sandler's Opera Man and Belushi's Samurai in the deli were never made into feature films: the joke isn't sustainable. Horkman and Peckerman overstay their welcome by at least a hundred pages.

The bigger problem is that the book isn't funny. It relies on flatulence, diarrhea, dog poop, and urination for laughs. These "jokes" are very stale. We've seen and read this stuff before. I kept turning the page waiting for other worn out comedy tropes to appear like the trusty groin kick or a pie in the face.

Dave Barry wrote funny columns. Alan Zweibel wrote funny TV. Unfortunately, their combined talents resulted in a comedic book that wasn't funny.

Warning: This book should be rated "R" for language. It's not one of Dave Barry's best efforts, but it's entertaining silliness, completely implausible slapstick, leaping from one improbability to another. The characters are unlikeable, and show no improvement or development. So what's to like? It's just a funny book.

While this was not one of his best, I'm a big Dave Barry fan and found Lunatics to be good, fun "over-the-top" Barry humor. I'm not personally familiar with the prior work of his co-author, but their back-and-forth chapters, each author in turn speaking as one of the two characters, was clever and entertaining. The humor was at times forced or flat, with a bit too many "potty jokes" for my taste, but overall was funny nonetheless.

The plot sweeps us along with the zany antics of two complete and antagonistic opposites who are sucked into a vortex of unlikely events that take them accross the globe. The funniest parts include the dialogue of the two characters, each seeing events and the role of the other through their own odd personal filters.

Well worth the price, and while not a stand out, I'll happily buy and read the sequel.