Dave Barry's Greatest Hits

WHEN DAVE BARRY IS ON THE LOOSE, NO ONE IS SAFE!

What Dave Barry did for the men's movement in his Complete Guide to Guys and for foreign relations when he did Japan he now does for . . . everything in America. The rapacious observer of Tupperware ladies and leisure concept salesmen sounds off on:

Football--Football is more than just a game. It is a potential opportunity to see a live person lying on the ground with a bone sticking out of his leg, while the fans, to show their appreciation, perform "the wave."

Sailing--There's nothing quite like getting out on the open sea, where you can forget about the hassles and worries of life on land, and concentrate on the hassles and worries of life on the sea, such as death by squid.

Gambling--Off-Track Betting parlors are the kinds of places where you never see signs that say, "Thank You for Not Smoking." The best you can hope for is, "Thank You for Not Spitting Pieces of Your Cigar on My Neck."

A Greatest Hits package to die for, in which the inimitable, Pulitzer-packing humorist applies himself to taxes, toilets, airbags, baseball, beer commercials, and numerous other American artifacts. A typical bit, from a piece on legalized gambling: "Off-Track Betting parlors are the kinds of places where you never see signs that say, 'Thank You for Not Smoking.' The best you could hope for is, 'Thank You for Not Spitting Pieces of Your Cigar on My Neck.'" Happy? There's plenty more where that came from.

I reread this book about once a year, and it is laugh-out-loud funny! My husband and I are currently reading a few pages each night, and we are enjoying every minute of it! Dave Barry's word choice, topics, and his ability to take everything to the extreme make each article great.

This is one of those timeless humor books that holds up just as well today as it did when it was initially released 15 years ago! Dave Barry's mastery of the written word is at peak performance with this collection of columns. When they stuck the words "GREATEST HITS" on the cover, they were absolutely not lying.

Sure, some of the events and people discussed within these pages may be dated, but if you were alive for those times (or took a history class in school) then you'll still appreciate a fresh and hilarious perspective.

This book contains my all time favorite Barry column titled "Molecular Homicide" which tells the tell of the author having the flu and what happens when he is unable to get out of bed to monitor his young son's activities. This column alone is worth the price of the book. If you enjoy that column then there are plenty more that will tickle your funny bone.

This is a good starting point for anyone getting into Barry for the first time. It's a book that's easy to pick up whenever you have a few minutes and since each column is only 2-3 pages in length you can always come back to it later without having to worry about remembering what you read previously. Though don't be surprised if you find yourself reading some columns numerous times! It's a perfect book to keep in the bathroom for those quick visits, or in the kitchen for when you're microwaving some food.

If you make it through his "Greatest Hits" then I highly recommend "Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need," followed by "Dave Barry is Not Making This Up."

You can't go wrong with any of his books, but I found the 3 mentioned to be the funniest.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a big fan of Dave Barry, although I think he is much funnier in person.

Dave Barry isn't always funny, and I find he's better in small doses than in ... er... large buckets, but when he's good, he's good. Dave Barry's Greatest Hits is something to take to the beach and have a look at after one or two rum cocktails. It's light, jokey entertainment; the intellectual equivalent of watching, say, David Letterman. If you like Barry's Miami Herald column and are looking to read more, where better to begin than with the Greatest Hits?

Troy Parfitt, author

As an Irish person, living in a small town in rainy Ireland, it is unusual to find a book by Dave Barry..(hooray for Amazon). I don't know anyone who has any idea who he is, and why should they.. he is or was(?) a journalist for the Miami Herald, and is a well known funny man in the States, and no singular Irishman or woman has any reason to know of him.. and isn't it a shame. I love funny books. I have some great ones...but Dave is one of the funniest guys I've never met. This book is full of anecdotal ravings and mad perceptions but, you know he is really so funny, you don't care if he talks of giant carnivorous fleas somewhere in the mid-west, or helping his son with a science project waiting for the ants to bite. (ME thinks him an entomologist at heart).. but he has such a funny way of putting things, that no matter what the subject matter, you will read it and enjoy it. Let's face it, in this violent, crime filled world, isn't it still nice that you can have a smile put on your face!