Dave Barry is from Mars and Venus (Hardcover)

by Dave Barry (Author) "ATLANTA-There's an old saying in journalism: "Be careful of what you make fun of, because you could find yourself upside down attempting a Vertical Split..." (more)
Key Phrases: many alert readers, brain sludge, potato gun, New York, Philip Morris, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
"Booger." In case you're wondering, that's the title of a winning entry from a parody contest that Dave Barry's flagship paper, the Miami Herald, ran in 1989. There's more to Dave Barry than "boogers," of course--he's the McDonald's of American humor. One, nearly everybody likes him. Two, he's everywhere. Three--and this is the key--when you open one of his books, you know exactly what you're going to get: "Eugene is located in southwest Oregon, approximately 278 billion miles from anything." "If you're looking for a hearty entree that (1) is related to spiders; (2) is descended from a worm; and (3) has mutant baby-poopers walking around on its lips; then you definitely want a lobster." This collection of columns--sure to serve billions and billions--is called Dave Barry Is from Mars and Venus. (Strangely, it isn't a parody of John Gray's series, even though there's nobody better equipped to do one.) Inside you'll find the same genial, absurd fantasies, riffs on clippings that Barry insists he is not making up, and bizarre personal adventures that are his trademark. Do you like hamburgers? Of course--and you'll like this book, too.

From Library Journal
For readers of previous collections of Barry's syndicated columns, there are no surprises here. Enthusiasts will expect?and will find?that the author writes with ease and whimsicality on almost every subject that chances to catch his fancy. And there seems to be nothing too insignificant or casual to attract his attention. If readers dip into the book at random, they may find first his ideas?tongue-in-cheek of course?for eliminating the drug problem in the country. Next they may turn to Barry's reflections on the importance of having visible stomach muscles. Then they may find themselves reading about his views on the National Pretend Speed Limit. Barry is never uproariously funny, but he does set underway delicious trains of chuckles. At a time when so many people are in a chronic state of irritation, suspicion, and mental jaundice, the effect of the book is soothing. It cleans the palate, if not like champagne, then at least like a cool sorbet. Recommended.
-?A.J. Anderson, GSLIS, Simmons Coll., Boston
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 269 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1st edition (September 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609600664
• ISBN-13: 978-0609600665
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,855,448 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ...and he is also the best one from the Earth!, November 19, 1997

By A Customer

For starters, this could easily be the best Dave Barry's collection of columns ever.
His account on the Very First Thanksgiving, his solution to the Drug Problem (thru the use of modern packaging) and his depiction of the fears that bees inflict upon him, are just some of the bits that really make this one of his best books.

Dave Barry is the master of humor synthesis. And in "...from Venus and Mars" he demonstrates it again and again. He also goes back to the typical use of hyperboles (the closing of an article re-taking a priorly referred subject) and also is great again on his "mind" and "I.Q." level comparisons.

His keen (real keen) sense of observation it's poured easily and with grace on these pages. You cannot avoid laughter. But it's a laughter with a sense of "familiarity": I'm laughing at this, yes. But, oh, my gosh, this is also SO TRUE!.

If you don't know the works of Dave Barry you are just missing the works of (as the New York Times once put it) "the funniest man alive". Read this book. It's a great start for a great addiction. And, in the end, you'll be experiencing the same consequence than me: mainly, the need to have, read. and re-read ALL of his books.

By the way, a piece of advice on the picture that appears on page 143. The person shown on the left IS Stephen King, and it's not a fake picture. The caption in this picture is funny, as the rest of the captions in the other black and white Dave's pictures that appear randomly thru the book. It's great to see a younger Dave Barry (and to see even a photograph of his Catholic Confirmation certificate) to feel closer to the life and circumstances of one of the finest humor brains ever: the brain of the author of "...from venus AND Mars", Mr. Dave Barry.

Believe me. It's impossible (absolutely IMPOSSIBLE) not to laugh reading him! Get this book and ...enjoy!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dave Barry drops off, May 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dave Barry Is from Mars and Venus (Paperback)

Although I love Dave Barry, and his writing always cracks me up, this is by far the least funny of his books. A far better book to start with is Dave Barry's Greatest Hits, or Dave Barry's only travel guide you'll ever need.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Dave Barry, February 15, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Tempe, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dave Barry Is from Mars and Venus (Paperback)

Dave Barry Is From Mars And Venus is probably his best work yet (even displacing the hilarious Dave Barry Does Japan). All the essays touch some hidden button that makes the audience gasp while holding its sides with laughter, "Yes! I know exactly what he's talking about!" Also notable are the small handful of essays where he sheds the slapstick facade for a few seconds for a rare look at the bitterness and anger he feels towards certain institutions of America. Definitely a must-buy for any Dave Barry fan.