Lunatics by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel
Publisher: Penguin (January 10, 2012)
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio
Format Read: ARC
Synopsis from Goodreads: One of them is a bestselling Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist. The other is a winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Together, they form the League of Comic Justice, battling evildoers in the name of . . . Okay, we made that line up. What they do form is a writing team of pure comic genius, and they will have you laughing like idiots.
Philip Horkman is a happy man-the owner of a pet store called The Wine Shop, and on Sundays a referee for kids’ soccer. Jeffrey Peckerman is the sole sane person in a world filled with goddamned jerks and morons, and he’s having a really bad day. The two of them are about to collide in a swiftly escalating series of events that will send them running for their lives, pursued by the police, soldiers, terrorists, subversives, bears, and a man dressed as Chuck E. Cheese.
Where that all takes them you can’t begin to guess, but the literary journey there is a masterpiece of inspiration and mayhem. But what else would you expect from the League of Comic Justice?
A funny story… I was told that this book was laugh out loud funny and I needed to read it. While it does seem like a bit of a departure from what I usually read I thought I’d give it a try. One of my goals for the last several years has been to step outside of my comfort zone a bit more and try new things. With this in mind, I had this book sitting on the table with a couple of others that I was thinking about starting.
My husband picked up the book and the next thing I know, he’s fully immersed in the story and laughing hysterically. It’s at this point I asked him if he’d be willing to review it for me. Being the fantastic husband he is, he agreed.
Please welcome my first guest reviewer, M.
M’s thoughts:
I will start by telling you that unless you believe the United States should invade Canada in order to stop the black market import of low flow toilets from the Great White North to suburban America, you may find this book too odd to handle. On the other hand, if you do get that very oblique reference to Dave Barry’s column in The Miami Herald 20 some years ago you yourself are likely too odd to handle, though that is between you and your significant other. Or for those less fortunate, your insignificant other. In any case, it is between you and whomever it is you are hoping will handle you.
As for the book Lunatics, I suppose the whole purpose of this exercise is to tell a bit about it, and the publisher and authors no doubt hope, gratuitously rain praise upon it thereby increasing sales, making them all wealthier and leaving me wondering what I’m doing handing out my time to them instead of spending it on more personally lucrative pursuits such as forensic plumbing or operating a wine shop that sells pets.
So on with the free publicity that will no doubt raise Mr. Barry’s and Mr. Zweibel to the level of guys who have really made it as writers. After all, that Pulitzer Prize, Emmy and bestseller nonsense has done nothing for them in comparison to what a few hundred words from an unknown guy in Colorado will do for their careers.
Okay, so really this time, about the book. If you have not at least smiled to this point in my little missive, this book is probably not for you. While I required two weeks to fully recover from the injuries I sustained from the rib-cracking force of my laughter, those without a penchant for the odd will simply not enjoy this book. All in all a fine work of comedic writing, though at times the Peckerman character’s over-use of f-bombs did get tedious and detract from the otherwise brilliant use of the positively insane to create gut-ripping laughter. The Book also manages some fairly sharp social and political commentary along the way though I am not sure I liked it as much as Barry’s call to invade Canada to stop the influx of illegal toilets to the USA.
Don’t come whining to me (or my wife whose blog I am a guest on) when you require surgery to repair the parts of your gut you bust laughing. If you tend to like the stuff Teresa does this one might be too odd for your tastes. Of course, if you, like Teresa, have an odd man in your life and find this review amusing then the book is probably worth your time to read. Personally I am just hoping Dave Barry reads this and sends me a personal thank you. A check for my time would also not be rejected.
© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.
This isn’t normally the kind of book I’d read either, but it sounds like I should. Thanks for the awesome review and introducing me to something new. – LWReyes, author of The Rock of Ivanore (www.laurisawhitereyes.com)
Ooh, I’ll have to grab this one with xmas gift cards! I grew up on the humor that is Dave Barry, so it’s right up my alley.
Awesome review!
I need to check this one out. Dave Barry is always so much fun.
Thanks for the review! I coach high school speech and am always on the look out for humorous books. (For some reason that is one of the hardest catagories to find speeches for.)
I miss Barry’s column in the newspaper, so maybe this will be a good fix! His middle grade novel, Science Fair, is very funny!
This does sound very funny! This might be one of those books my fiancee and I can both enjoy!
Oh my goodness. This sounds so good. I’ve got to read it.
I could use a good laugh in these dreary days of January. I’ll be sure to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!