5 comments about Sick Puppy.

1. I smiled as I read this book. I laughed out loud many times. I liked it.
   My review isn't much to go on, but it's my opinion and when you boil down all the crap in all reviews, whether good or bad, that's all they are...just subjective opinions. My opinion is all that matters...trust me. HA!



2. Florida's a big state -- about 16 million people and you can't mention them all in a 300-page book. So why not mention their hometowns?
   
   That's what Hiassen is up to in Sick Puppy, and it reminds me of nothing so much as a church newsletter that tries to get the congregation's attention by shoe-horning everybody's name into it. Like "personalized" junk mail, such as from Publisher's Clearing House.
   
   Sure, this is a story with a lot of motoring in it and naturally the characters have to stop for gas and stay somewhere at night, and, true, one town name is as good as another, so why not use real town names? Right. But then how come it sounds so much like he's trying to drum up business? Making sure, no matter what happens, at least the book will sell in Florida -- at least to the imbeciles that will buy it because their town's name is mentioned.
   
   Maybe all of this stuff is like this. Maybe all of those creepy New England towns Stephen King writes into his stuff really exist.
   
   Really, this Hiassen stuff is the same-old-same-old. Every character is a "character", not one of them the slightest bit believable, and, naturally, each of them either good or evil. I don't know about you, but I've long, long been weary of the my-kooky-family-ha-ha-ha threads of James Thurber and John Irving.
   
   And what's strangest of all -- for a reasonable and even-tempered person like me -- Twilly's homicidal environmentalism is treated with sympathy. I'm not sure if this is a ham-fisted attempt at moral ambiguity or I'm just so hopelessly square that I just don't get it -- that nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important than the "environment" (and I say "environment", but I mean "the whims of the idle and stupid: the Eco-kooks"). Maybe even noting that Twilly blew up a bank or killed a trash-dumper is nitpicking. This spoiled crackpot is one of the most revolting figures I've read about in fiction, and I'm hard to alienate.



3. One part distilled Floridian weirdness, one part Kurt Vonnegut simplicity and wit, and one part John Irving fringe sexuality, the story gains speed but never takes off, trapped in a house of literary echoes done much better elsewhere. A hitman who loves 911 calls put to classical music? A land developer without a conscience? A painfully ideological twentysomething in search of love via an older woman? These are familiar extremists without extreme texture, and none of them benefit from bumping into the others. The strokes are too broad for any real humanity; only those with a Florida address could find earnestness in this lukewarm survey of the state's primary players.



4. What a gift Hiaasen has given us...Florida and all the beauty of nature and corruption of man presented in a VERY funny book revolving about the real estate development of Toad Island. As others have said, the cast of characters are way over the top and the action starts when an eccentric eco-defender sees a self-centered lobbyist litter out of his car. His fury turns into stalking, dog-napping and a romance with the wife. The lobbyist is working hard on getting a bridge funded to expedite the development of the island, but, wait...not if our eco-hero, Twilly Spree has anything to do with it. The plot twists back and forth, who will win in the end, and how. Well, justice prevails, but not as expected. This is no real happy ending book, and several bad guys get their just desserts. That was a bit of a downer, since no one seemed to be redeemed. So, if you are looking for funny social commentary and like to know more about the political process and eco-system of Florida, set right up and read this one.



5. This book started so well. It grabbed me right out of the gate, it made me laugh, and it kept me turning the pages. But in the end, I felt ripped off. Not a single major character changed throughout the course of the story.
   
   When I read a book, I want to see the main character grow; or at least learn something about themselves or the world around them. 450 pages is a lot of space for an author to make that happen. But, based on where all of the primary characters in this story wound up, the book could have just as well ended after the first scene.

5 comments about Basket Case.

1. Forty-six-year-old Jack Tagger has been consigned to writing the obituary column for the past six years after publicly challenging the qualifications of Race Maggad, the new owner of the South Florida newspaper where he works. When he discovers that a former favorite singer, Jimmy Stoma of the Slut Puppies, has died in a diving accident, he decides to investigate--secretly--to keep the Metro department from stealing his potential story. The wild ride that follows takes the reader into the realm of pop music, where Jimmy's less-than-mournful widow Cleo Rio plans her own second CD, aided by an assortment of sleazy characters. As Jimmy's former bandmates also begin to die, Jack Tagger searches for a motive and focuses on Cleo and her producers.
   
   As the resourceful Jack is investigating Jimmy Stoma's death, he is also being pressured to write an early obituary of the former owner of the newspaper--Old Man Polk, who is perennially close to death. Polk, during a hospital interview with Jimmy, confesses that he, too, is appalled by the direction in which Race Maggad has taken the paper, and he has a plan of action to keep things from getting worse. If all this "excitement" were not enough, Jack falls in lust, is victimized by a break-in, gets beaten more than once, and discovers that two women involved with the case have disappeared. His use of a frozen lizard as a weapon reminds the Hiassen fan of Mick Stranahan's use of a stuffed marlin for similar purposes in Skin Tight, and his unbridled libido keeps the action high on more than one level.
   
   Told in the first person, the story gets some life as the reader empathizes with Jack and his self-created predicaments, but the story line follows a traditional mystery story line. Not as tight as some of Hiaasen's earlier stories, the plot wanders and the humor is not as mordant. Well before the end of the story, the reader knows what the outcome is and who the murderer is, but many pages elapse after that in which the author ties up loose ends, explains what happens later, brings closure to a number of issues that have been raised throughout the story, and gives an epilogue to "conclude" a story which could have been concluded at several earlier points in the novel.
   
   Though the novel is fun to read, as are all Hiaasen novels, it is not so off-the-wall, edgy, and sometimes bizarre as the novels which made Hiaasen's reputation. The humor here is more traditional--not so quirky, unexpected, and sexy as some other Hiaasen offerings--and Jack himself, while an iconoclast, is not the free spirit we have come to expect of Hiaasen's heroes. Several years after challenging Race Maggad, he has continued to work for the same paper--writing obituaries--with no apparent plans to assert himself. Filled with pointed satire of the newspaper business, the result, obviously, of Hiaasen's own experience in that business in South Florida, this enjoyable Hiaasen "lite" offering, while not on the "best list," is still great fun to read. Mary Whipple
   
   Skin Tight
   Tourist Season
   Native Tongue



2. I'll simply say that I think this is my favorite Hiassen book to date. That says a bunch!



3. I have read nearly all of Carl Hiaasen's books and I have found that he is becoming less humourous as time goes on. His first few books were brilliant black comedy but since then they have taken a decided turn for the worse.
   
   I found Sick Puppy was terrible and unreadable.
   
   Fortunately, Basket Case is a superior product. Not much humour in it and more mystery but at least it was readable.
   
   I miss the old Hiaasen books.......



4. This was my first Hiaasen novel, and I'm debating if it will be my last. Hiaasen certainly has a rich reputation, but based on this book I'm not sure why, except to think that AT BEST he had an off-day when he wrote this.
   
   First off, the plot was painfully predictable: I called it within 100 pages, and partly kept reading hoping that I was wrong. Nope: Stevie Wonder could've seen this one coming. Then again, maybe the "plot" is secondary, and you're not supposed to wonder who-done-it (or why) and just enjoy the ride. Without giving too much away, it's telling that even the main character seems perplexed at how silly the motive is.
   
   Second, Hiaasen has a reputation for humor and quirky characters, but both were lacking in this. I was unempathic towards anyone in this. Indeed, the characters all struck me as cliche, thus **especially** uninteresting.
   
   Lastly, Hiaasen commits one of my greatest pet peeves in writing: first person present tense. That's a personal issue, though, and others quite likely won't have a problem with it.
   
   This novel wore out its welcome about half way, and as I said I finished it mostly in hopes that I was wrong and there was "more". Nope. Curiously, the novel is essentially resolved 100 pages from the end, and thus drudges on in the final quarter.
   
   As the title of my review suggests, I have a hunch this is not representative of what the author is capable of, and I suspect that it will put off novices such as myself AND his hard-core fans.



5. I am a big fan of Mr. Hiaasen. That being said I was pretty disappointed in Basket Case. It took me over two years to read this book, simply because I didn't care. It turned into the book I picked up and read a few pages in between the next thing I would read. The characters weren't as interesting as in Hiaasen's previous stories. The humor, which usually has me laugh out loud, was weak. Basket Case also lacked the pro-environmental undertones that he has become known for.
   
   This is the first novel that I've read in which Hiaasen uses the 1st person point of view, which is the hardest, and I'm not sure if that is what caused this one to be so mundane.
   
   Skinny Dip is next in line and I look forward to it, just not as much as I used to look forward to the next Hiaasen since reading Basket Case.
   
   James A. Forrest - Eye of the Storm

5 comments about Skin Tight (Price-Less Audio).

1. Of the two Hiaasen books I've read so far, I rate this a slight notch below Stormy Weather. This book is still very funny and highly entertaining, but Stormy Weather brings the level of wackiness to even more extreme heights. For some reason, the character I found most memorable here is Chemo, the guy with the messed up face and somewhat of a penchant for violence. Mick Stranahan, as a man's man, is also a cool cat. The plastic surgery theme of the book is an appropriate backdrop for the wackiness and corruptive aspects of the story. Overall, a highly entertaining read. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.



2. Mick Stranahan and his crazy antics keep this novel moving along in a "laugh out loud" kind of way. The basis of the plot is a plastic surgeon gone Hollywood and a murder cover-up/nose job gone bad. The antics start from the very first page and Mick and his friends are out to expose one Dr. Rudy Graveline along with his hit man Chemo. The list of comical characters goes on from pretty boy Reynaldo Flemm, TV investigative reporter, his assistant, Christine Marks, who turns out to befriend Mick, and Mick's own, brother-in-law, attorney for all occasions, Kipper Garth. Carl Hiaasen does it again and if you are into the satirical writing of this author and the Abbot and Costello type of comedy, then Skin Tight is your book. I enjoy Mr. Hiaasen, but need a break in between his books. The over-the-top shenanigans become a little too much for me as a steady diet.



3. Interesting and fun, as with others Hiassen has written. I read "Skinny Dip" first, so "Skin Tight" was interesting to enjoy more of Stranahan's personality and character, but from before the time period of "Skinny Dip". This character is really a work of art. Recommended.



4. Another of his books to entertain you with his vivid and outlandish characters. Always enough of the norm to make it plausible.....Highly recommend this book.



5. There are some books you re-read or return to and Skin Tight is one of those books; it was as good as the 1st time and still holds up-- remember this was pre-Botox ( just imagine what a field day Hiaasen would've had with that). The premise is hilarious and the hitmen are inept, much like Elmore Leonard's style. Re-reading this book also brings back memories of Air Jordans, Run DMC and Robin Leach. Quirky characters, dark humor and brilliant setups. Writers like Carl Hiaasen and Elmore Leonard inspired me to write. I'm still a fan.
   
   My only question is: With all this great material, what happened with the movie?

5 comments about Lucky You: A Novel.

1. First, let me say that after reading two of Carl Hiaasen's books (Skinny Dip and Lucky You) I am now a fan and am currently reading "Sick Puppy". His style seems to introduce the "who-dunnit" first and leaves you itching to know why the bad guy did what he did and how he gets what he deserves... and they get it in the most unique and unexpected ways! They tend to get what's coming to them through their own screw-ups, stupidity, fate or maybe all three...but it's always funny and leaves you thinking, "Well, the idiot had it coming." The good guys are interesting with pasts of their own. Beware...buying and reading one of Mr. Hiaasen's books may result in the urge to read more. Money saving tip: Buy one of Amazon's used books...I've had great experience with this. The books have been in excellent condition...leaving me with the means to buy more!



2. JoLayne Lucks ironically, with a surname like that, has just won a half share ($14 million dollars) in the Florida state lottery. So far, so good. What JoLayne doesn't know is that the other winning ticket is held by two paranoid, white supremacist survivalists who want to steal her ticket and claim the entire $28M prize in order to finance their fledgling survivalist organisation, the White Clarion Aryans. The supremacists track JoLayne down, rough her up, and take off with her winning ticket. Enter Tom Krome, cynical feature writer for "The Register", who teams up with JoLayne to track aforementioned white supremacists down in order to retrieve the winning ticket. What follows is a very enjoyable romp ranging from Grange, Florida (a hotbed of eccentrics and dodgy Christian "miracle" shrines) to an uninhabited island in the Florida Keys. The book could have done with better editing, as there are too many tangential characters who take momentum away from the main plot of the tracking of the thieving white supremacists. Hiaasen's berserk sense of humour shines through, however, and the chief subplot satirising the Christian "miracle" industry is quite a hoot! Another good novel by Hiaasen, sure to be enjoyed by just about all who read it.



3. Grange, Florida is a small, out-of-the-way community known for its religious miracles, from the weeping Madonna to the stigmata man with holes in his palms that do not heal. Not to mention the road stain in the form of Jesus and the woman who visits every day in her wedding dress. And now, one of their own, JoLayne Lucks, has won one-half of the state's lottery of $28 million. JoLayne works part-time as a veterinarian's assistant and plans to use her lottery winnings to buy and maintain wooded acreage in danger of being developed into a shopping mall.
   
   The other half of the lottery winnings belong to Bode Grazzer, a short man convinced NATO forces are lining up in the Bahamas ready to invade America, and his sidekick Chub, a paint-sniffing mercenary wannabe. Chub and Bode, needing money to begin their own supremacist organization so they can defend the white man when America is invaded, decide to steal the other lottery ticket. They break into JoLayne's home, beat her up and take off with the ticket. On the way to the lottery office, they recruit a convenience store clerk known for his lack of cognitive abilities and take hostage a Hooters waitress Chub has fallen in love with.
   
   To JoLayne's aid comes Tom Krome, an embittered former investigative reporter now working for a small newspaper covering social events. Tom's editor sends him to Grange to write a story about the lottery winner, but before he even pulls out his notepad, Tom finds himself in cahoots with JoLayne and hot on the trail of Bode and Chub. All six end up on a small island in Florida Bay, where a confrontation develops over the two lottery tickets and where two will remain behind forever.
   
   Carl Hiaasen is a master at developing wacky characters and zany plots and dialogue that will leave the reader in stitches throughout the entire book. This is a book all readers will enjoy as they follow the madcap antics of these screwball characters.



4. After reading a few other Hiaasen novels I must rate this as my least favorite. It's readable but I prefer Overboard and Tourist Season.



5. Characters with issues, that's what makes the folks that populate this novel intriguing--because they may just be the very people you walk passed in the street, you never know...
   
   Screwballish, nutty. Anyway, it's entertaining in a disturbing way.

5 comments about Native Tongue.

1. This is one of the author's earlier novels, and has the anti-development theme found in some other novels. It has the usual cast of characters found in Hiaasen's novels, a little off the wall. An entertainment park claims to have the last pair of a rare species of animal, or are they? The story starts with a theft, and events go forward from there. The owner (with a shady psst) will destroy the environment for profit. Various people oppose him, including one of his PR writers, a save-the-environment group composed of older retirees, and a strange man who lives in the woods. Some people on both sides seem willing to steal, burn, and kill.
   
   The action takes place over a relatively short period of time as various people become involved, are battered, shot, killed, etc. The novel contains violence, language, and some sexual content (not graphic) with some scenes that are obscene (but funny), e.g., the incident with the porpoise and the chief of security (be very careful swimming with a male porpoise). The novel is for adults only.



2. Mickey Rat that is. Carl Hiaasen does it again with an imaginative poke at the big boys in Orlando with Native Tongue. As you can expect there are environmental undertones to the story, but that's what makes this one so lovable with an ensemble of screwball characters that are all too believable. Hiaasen does a fantastic job of painting a picture that reveals more of Florida's odd residents as well as its fragile beauty.
   
   James A. Forrest - Eye of the Storm



3. The amusement theme park "Amazing Kingdom" in Florida houses the last living species of blue-tongued mango voles. Their robbery and their tragic death is the beginning of a series of murder and mayhem. Former newspaper reporter Joe Winder works as a PR man in the park. When he starts digging for the truth he soon finds himself entangled with a group of eco-terrorists, former criminals and all kinds of strange characters.
   
   As usual Hiaasen gathers a strange bunch of characters unparalleled to other authors. Be prepared to meet...
   - third class thieves Bud Schwartz and Danny Pogue
   - retiree and radical environmentalist Molly McNamara
   - theme park owner Francis X. Kingsbury and his manager Charles Chelsea
   - former reporter and now Kindom's PR man Joe Winder
   - chief of security and bodybuilding fanatic Pedro Luz
   - former world class golfer Jake Harp
   - Skink - hermit in the woods and former Senator
   - theme park character Robbie Racoon aka Carrie Lanier
   - probably the best trooper in all over Florida Jim Tile
   (I think that Tile and Skink featured in "Double Whammy" as well.)
   
   Form the plot side you can expect the following: kidnapped mango voles, a dead scientist, a dead orca, a nearly dead golf pro, flaming bulldozers, phony snake invasions, exploding cement trucks - an irresistible convergence of violence, mayhem and mortality. And that probably only covers half of what you have to be ready for.
   
   As usual it is crazy, gruesome and you will have your share of laughs - even if some of the fun is pretty violent. Readers not acquainted with Hiaasen might be in for an unpleasant surprise. (Sometimes a bit like laughing in zombie movies.)
   
   The basic subject of tourists invading Florida and they being the reason for its demise is something I read in "Tourist Season" already. (And the book was pretty good.) Therefore the story in this book could not really grip me that much and was a bit boring sometimes.
   The book is nice to read but not among the best Hiaasen wrote so far. I liked "Double Whammy" and "Striptease" a lot better.
   
   I was not sure if I should rate the book with 2 or 3 stars. I decided to rate it with 3 because Hiaasen's writing skills can always improve my English. And of course you will find no other author who will come up with such crazy characters, twists and freakish ideas.



4. I love all Carl Hiaasen's books but this one is one of my favorites. Each one of Hiaasen's books about Florida have one native that is fighting to try to save some of Florida's natural habitat/animals. Native Tongue is about 'saving the endangered Blue-tongued Voles'. As the story unfolds we discover - there aren't any Blue-tongued Voles -- only regular Voles with their tongues dyed blue with food coloring! Just another scam to lure clueless tourists to Florida.
   
   In the end, the good guys win, and the bad guys meet an uncomfortable end. If you need a laugh - pick up Native Tongue.



5. When I retire from a life of journalism, I aspire to write books as silly, as environmental, and with plots as catchy as Hiaasen's--assuming there will still be books 10 years from now and that I actually have the chance to retire, oh, and that there will still be an environment.

5 comments about Strip Tease (Price-Less Audios).

1. This amusing book about political slime, sex, lies and big industry scum starts with a bachelor party at a strip club. A perverted congressional representative (incognito of course) is also enjoying the dancers that same evening. The bachelor and the politician end up sharing the spotlight for a spell that evening and that clash drives the wild events that adequately move this story along. One of the dancers at the strip club, along with her ex-husband and their daughter, a bouncer, the bachelor and his fiancé, a lawyer, a cop, the congressman and his entourage, and a patron of the club, among others get caught up in this distorted, yet comical tale.
   
   Although I enjoyed this book enough, and can appreciate its humor for sure, I can also guess that men support it most of all. As Carl Hiaasen says through his stripper character, Erin, "men are easily dazzled!" It's like a manly romantic comedy. Really, all it takes are a few choice words (use your imagination) used repeatedly throughout the book and this author - I'm sure - has the undivided and loyal attention of at least ½ the population of adult readers. That irony in itself is funny!



2. Strip Tease, Skin Tight and Stormy Weather make up my A-list of Hiaasen reads. Though every single Hiaasen novel I've read has been a delight, these three stand out. Skin Tight for the best villains (pock-faced thug Chemo and journalist 'Flemm") and the best hero (Mike Stranahan is at his ironic unflappable best here, topping even his Skinny Dip appearance). Stormy Weather's got the best "bad girl" (Edie). Strip Tease stands out in some novel ways however.
   The main one is Hiaasen's choice of a woman as main character, in what I (in contrast to some) thought was a very convincing 3-D way (better even than Skinny Dip's Joey, and Honey in Nature Girl) This book's heroine is Erin, an ex-FBI worker turned stripper, and also the unofficial "leader" of the 'harem' of dancers employed at the 'Eager Beaver'. Some reviewers express dismay at what they saw as the novel's 'stereotyped' portrayal of 'exploited' women in the sex business. But in fact, Hiaasen's heroines emerge as anything but female doormats. Erin and her friends may start out somewhat downtrodden (in spite of their gutsiness), but emerge victorious in the end over a veritable army of male sleazeballs: perverts, politicians, unscrupulous lawyers, and murderers (with many overlaps among these!) So this is a "David vs. Goliath" story with a modern Florida twist, and with classic Hiaasen satirical flair. Other gems were the villainous wheelchair thief (Erin's ex hubby Darryl), and his adventures while strung out on painkillers, and his trailer-dwelling sister and her wolf-dogs (Hiaasen sets these beasts most satisfyingly on one villain). Finally, this story's climax (pun-intended) is another example of plot-wizard Hiaasen at his best!



3. Following four superb high-paced capers, this is the book which marked the start of Hiaasen's slide from excellence. All the usual ingredients are there - mayhem, bizarre criminals, comedy, snappy dialogue and good south Florida scene setting, but it lacks the joyous energy of his previous works.
   
   At times, Hiaasen seems to be connecting the dots, filling up the work with techniques he's used in the past rather than striving to be genuinely different, as if he's getting tired of his own genre. The unlikely coincidences begin to build, the characters are starkly split into Good Guys and Bad Guys, without the richness and nuances of his earlier work, and there is less moral ambiguity in the characters to absorb the reader. This is also the first of his novels where the diatribe about the destruction of Florida's environment is placed front and centre, and this violates a standard rule of good writing, that "the artist and the polemicist need to be separated if both are to thrive."
   
   Strip Tease is still funny and a good read, but only because Hiaasen being a bit off-form is better than most novelists at their best.



4. The movie wasn't good, we all know that. The book rises far above the over-inflated breasts seen in the film. Not to say it's uppity high art--it's funny. It's quirky. It's odd in all the best ways. I bought it in italy and read it in between strolling through museums and stuffing my craw with fresh pasta. A perfect travel book!



5. Mr. Hiaasen has created a cast of characters here which are all pretty much pretty quirky & believable. His description of them takes them to a position where they almost come to life for the reader. The cast is rather large, but you won't have trouble remembering whose who.
   The sleazy joints where the novel evolves are also described clearly. You almost become a part of these people & their surroundings. You have your strippers, club owners. bouncer, cops, extortion, crooked lawyer, crooked congressman & his henchmen. A strung out ex-husband, a little girl, & more. They all gel together very well in a story that keeps moving without wasting words.
   Don't stop at the end. Read the epilogue as well. The epilogue ties all the characters in their present day lives.
   Unlike many, I really didn't find the book funny. Quirky, but not funny. I still loved it. I recommend you not pass it up

5 comments about Hoot.

1. Carl Hiaasen never disappoints when it comes to witty stories and charming characters. In this first attempt at fiction for young readers he lives up to his reputation. Roy has just started middle school in Florida after moving from Montana with his family - against his wishes. He is being beaten up by the school bully and is having a hard time fitting in. But he becomes entangled in an environmental battle when a chain pancake restaurant wants to build a new pancake house on a location that houses unique and rare owls. Roy and his tenuous friends take on a battle that may be bigger than they realize. Roy must find a way to follow his heart without breaking the law in protest.
   
   Hiaasen has a real way with his characters. They are people you love and get to know through the pages of the story. There is almost always some sort of environmental twist and, in some ways, it is like beating a dead horse. But the writing is always hilarious and entertaining until the last page. Readers, both young and old, will enjoy this effort.



2. The story is divided into three main parts. This gives the reader different points of view from each character. The main part is about Roy Eberhardt and his friends "Mullet Fingers", and his stepsister Beatrice. The main part focuses on their efforts to try and save the owls' homes from getting bulldozed to make way for a construction. The second is about Officer David Delinko, who is one of the Officers investigating the sabotage acts on the construction site. He was caught sleeping during his early morning patrol once and was nearly fired. Now, with his job on the line he basically thought about nothing else but getting his job done. But when he sees the Burrowing Owls and slowly thinks about what will happen to them, he slowly has a change of heart towards the end of the book. The third part is of the construction Foreman Leroy "Curly" Branitt who also has his job on the line now that the construction was two weeks late. Despite his efforts to guard the construction site, the site is continually sabotaged and gets fired in the end. In the last part he doesn't join Roy and the rest of the crowd to protect the owls, but refuses to take any orders from his boss.
   
   Overall I'd say this is a great book with its unpredictable and hilarious characters. Aside from being funny you could learn something too. I noticed that Hiaasen writes mostly about environmental problems. This book illustrates how animals are affected when we destroy their home for the sake of money. Nobody likes seeing their home destroyed. How would we feel if someone showed up on our homes and told us that our house was going to get bulldozed? In the words of Calvin and Hobbes: "How would humans feel if animals bulldozed a suburb and put in new TREES?"



3. For the legion of Hiaasen fans out there, 'Hoot' is pure Hiaasen but without the raunchiness and ribald humor. It is more whimsical than funny, its plot rather obvious and ultra-wholesome, but it's a very enjoyable read nonetheless. Hiaasen transforms himself into a young teen who, with other rascals his age, fight corporate America from building upon land where nesting ground owls call home. These kids pull all sorts of tricks to defeat the wicked and inept adults. Although this book is clearly targeted to the junior high school set, and I think it makes a wonderful read for boys and girls, it's the sort of read adults can enjoy especially if they don't want to think too hard. You will never confuse 'Hoot' with works by Leo Tolstoy or Henry James.
   
   
   Bottom line: lighthearted and politically correct.



4. Hoot is an exceptional book with a respectable message. While I was reading it I was thinking it's okay, that's interesting, hmmm, aha, oh, ect. But what I never thought was wow!, cool, haha, weird, oh no! and so on. I felt like the author lacked passion, the comedy was juvenile, and the drama unrealistic. When I was done reading I was actually a little relieved it was over! That has never happened to me before. So read the book if you are a great Hiaasen fan, or 8 and under, but otherwise set the book down; walk away with your hands raised; and forget about the whole crazy idea of reading it. Cause honestly, it just ain't too special.



5. . . . and he is not an avid reader. He turns his nose up to almost everything we suggest for him to read - or he gets through a chapter or two before quitting. Until Hoot, the only books he showed an interest in were the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. But he zipped through this book, and said he really liked it. He now wants to rent the movie, so it must've really had an effect on him.

No comments about Basket Case.

No comments about Sick Puppy.

1 comments about A Carl Hiaasen Collection.

1. If you've never read (or heard) a Carl Hiassen book, you're in for a treat. In this case, several. Ed Asner's raspy, world-weary voice is the perfect medium for Hiassen's skewed view on life (specifically life in Florida) as he knows it. You'll laugh, you'll wince, you'll wonder what fools these mortals be. Don't worry, Hiassen and Asner will be glad to tell you.