Smoke Jumpers [Hardcover]

Paul Freeman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1992

By the 21st century, smokers lucky enought to escape the quiche-stained vigilantes who call themselves the Air Police have been pushed into colonies. A spirited satire that turns a personal issue into a national silliness.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A hoot, a satire both hilarious and provocative. -- Mike Cochran, Associated Press

Product Details

• Hardcover: 258 pages
• Publisher: Baskerville Publishers Inc.; First edition (March 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962750913
• ISBN-13: 978-0962750915
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,754,080 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truth in Laughter, February 20, 2000

By 

KA Tieszen (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Smoke Jumpers (Hardcover)

I read this book when it originally came out. Now, with a few of my friends trying to come off the smoking wagon, I am sending copies of this for them to read in hilarity, and to kill time when they would otherwise be puffing. I truly enjoy Paul's books, and anxiously await "Kill Spike".

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prescient Satire for the 90's, June 28, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Smoke Jumpers (Hardcover)

There are two reasons for reading any book. The first, and most obvious, is because someone else tells us we have to. The second reason, perhaps the best reason, is because it is fun to do so. Smoke Jumpers is one of those rare books that qualifies on both points. You SHOULD read this book because it is a remarkable treatise on freedom. But more importantly, you will WANT to read this book because it is fun to do so!

I first became acquainted with Smoke Jumpers several years ago. At that time, I was very impressed and time has not diminished my opinion. Smoke Jumpers is Satire. As most of you know, Satire is the most difficult type of writing to pursue. The main reason for this is that satire must, by definition, be offensive. If the satire does not offend you, it is not making you think. If you are not thinking, you should not be reading satire. Yet, even though writing satire is difficult, Paul Freeman does it admirably.

Smoke Jumpers details a future society that has outlawed smoking. Smoking has not only become illegal, it has become the most deadly of all crimes. Special units of government police (The Smoke Jumpers) pursue and arrest all guilty parties. If you are caught for smoking you are punished severely. Smokers are routinely taken from society and banished.

In a world where difficult problems are routinely ignored, smoking is conquered. Is it so far from the reality we are now seeing? Isn't Winston DeWeerd - the President in Smoke Jumpers - a good substitute for Bill Clinton? Of course he is!

Five years ago Smoke Jumpers told of a future, with frightening clarity, that is now coming to pass . The only thing left is for the tobacco companies to move off-shore to protect their assets. (And that may happen yet.)

I don't want to give you the impression that reading Smoke Jumpers will be painful. Even after all of these years some of the ideas (and jokes) still find resonance. "Not all people who drive pick-up trucks are idiots, but all idiots eventually drive pick-up trucks." "I am not saying the lady wasn't bright, but periodically she had to sit by the fan to get her brain recharged." I cannot drive by a "Dairy Queen" without thinking of Mr. Freeman's making them change their name because they offended the homosexual community. Or banning the use of "Tight End" in football because it too was offensive.(In his wisdom, Mr. Freeman changes the tight end to a "Close cather."

If you value freedom and if you desire a good time reading AND thinking; by all means pick up a copy of Smoke Jumpers. It will meet and exceed your expectations. <BR

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fiction becoming Reality, October 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Smoke Jumpers (Hardcover)

Smoke Jumpers should be REQUIRED reading. It is an educational insight of just what the people of the United States are doing to themselves. Mr. Freeman's knowledge, intertwined with common sense, and insight has in a sense become the New Nostradamus. The Catch-22 is THIS Nostradamus will be proven correct if we keep on the track we are now riding.

Smoke Jumpers is NOT Politically Correct (thank god), but it IS the truth. Elected officials and corporate heads should read it, they might learn something. Smoke Jumpers should be read by everyone who has ever had a question, in other words, all of us. We may learn something also. There is nothing between the lines, it is right there in front of you.

Reality! What a concept.

My compliments to Mr. Freeman on an excellent work of fiction, that may soon pass to Non-fiction.