The Taming of the Screw [Paperback]

Dave Barry (Author), Jerry O'Brien (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 27, 2000

Barry concentrates on the popular topic of home repair.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you belong to the purple thumb brigade and agree that a tool is an object that enables you to take advantage of the laws of physics and mechanics in such a way that you can seriously injure yourself, you will find a kindred spirit in Dave Barry, the author of the hilarious book The Taming of the Screw."--Family Handyman magazine

About the Author

Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Miami Herald journalist whose articles appear in hundreds of newspapers each week. He is the author of more than 20 books and lives in Miami, Florida.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (April 27, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878574840
• ISBN-13: 978-0878574841
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 7.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #814,614 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The New York Times has pronounced Dave Barry "the funniest man in America." But of course that could have been on a slow news day when there wasn't much else fit to print. True, his bestselling collections of columns are legendary, but it is his wholly original books that reveal him as an American icon. Dave Barry Slept Here was his version of American history. Dave Barry Does Japan was a contribution to international peace and understanding from which Japan has not yet fully recovered. Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys is among the best-read volumes in rehab centers and prisons. Raised in a suburb of New York, educated in a suburb of Philadelphia, he lives now in a suburb of Miami. He is not, as he often puts it so poetically, making this up.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Build Your Own House, On Second Thought, Don't", February 23, 2001

By 

Chad Spivak (North Miami Beach, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Taming of the Screw (Paperback)

Yes, the title of my review (and the the title of the last chapter in the book) pretty much sums up this book. The Time-Life series on home repair has absolutely nothing on this book.

Dave Barry is easily one of the top humor writers in the world, and this hilarious book surely shows why. In this book, he explains how to avoid the pitfalls of everyday home-maintenance tasks. His helpful tips, such as flushing a lit cherry bomb to clear up those tougher toilet clogs, are outright hysterical, and somewhat useful in the most extreme situations.

Jerry O'Brien, once again, is the perfect compliment to Barry's book with his remarkably funny illustrations. The illustrations in the chapter on Walls are beyond hilarious.

On the whole, this book is tremendous. Dave Barry makes the most difficult task seem easy, mainly because it is physically impossible to perform them, but it still makes for great reading. This book is a can't miss, and sure to make you laugh.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A DIY book that will have you rolling in laughter which is far better than home improvement, January 19, 2006

By 

F. Orion Pozo "Orion Pozo" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Taming of the Screw (Paperback)

In 15 hilarious chapters Dave Barry takes on the DIY topics of Tools, Wood, Electricity, Plumbing, Walls, Heating and Cooling, Insulation and Weatherproofing, Masonry, Easy Projects, Impossible Projects, Household Pests, The Lawn and Garden, Car Repair, Home Redecoration, and Building Your Own House.

He defines a tool as "an object that enables you to take advantage of the laws of physics and mechanics in such a way that you can seriously injure yourself."

Barry has the following to say about wood. "Wood has been the preferred building material for thousands of years, because it is one of the few materials that will rot as well as burn."

On electricity, Barry defines alternating current as "electricity [that] goes in one direction for a while, then goes the other direction. This prevents harmful buildup in the wires."

Mr. Barry says the first step in fixing a broken pipe is to "go down to the dankest corner of the basement and locate the valve that turns off all the water in the house. This will be the valve that is covered with slime and a spiderweb containing a spider and the festering bodies of dead insects."

According to Barry, walls "keep the roof from falling down and damaging your television set."

Barry on solar energy: "The easiest way to heat your house with solar energy is to move it to Central America, which is located directly under the sun."

Barry on Masonry: "Any kind of building material that can fall on you and kill you."

Barry on cockroaches: "The only surefire way to get rid of roaches is to remove all the liquor from your house. Roaches can mate only when drunk. Can you blame them? Would you mate with a roach if you were sober?"

Finally, a DIY book for people who don't know anything about the subject and don't want to learn. You can read this book and it's totally frivolous Index without learning anything about home repairs. You will have a good laugh and never be tempted to do any home projects. So relax and enjoy the outlandish humor of Dave Barry safe in the knowledge that this book has no socially redeeming value.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is golden!, September 30, 2005

By 

Nirmal Dil Manvinder "Khalistani Jugni" (With mere bahut mithe pyaar, Bilungra Mukhra Singh Ji;)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Taming of the Screw (Paperback)

I remember getting he original version of this book in the 80's, with the fanged screw on the cover. This book screamed 'read me', and this is for a woman yet! I found it quite funny. The play on words, and the hilarious depiction of tools was just precious. It's a book with a certain amount of toilet humor, but not overly done, and is still one of the finest humor books for its uniqueness. It also hits a nerve for many homeowners - anyone who has done home repairs themselves can instantly identify with it, and with a good laugh. This will always be one of my favourite books. It's great to read when you're having a bad day, a really bored day, and need laughs for whatever reason.