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52 reviews for:
Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass—How I Went 77 Years Without Growing Up
Dave Barry, Dave Barry
4.06 AVERAGE
52 reviews for:
Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass—How I Went 77 Years Without Growing Up
Dave Barry, Dave Barry
4.06 AVERAGE
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
CLASS CLOWN: THE MEMOIRS OF A PROFESSIONAL WISEASS: HOW I WENT 77 YEARS WITHOUT GROWING UP* is longtime Miami Herald columnist and author Dave Barry's autobiography and it doesn't disappoint. Oh, and don't forget that 1988 Pulitzer Prize he won for commentary!
I have long been a fan of Barry's because his brand of humor fits well with my own, though I recognize that is NOT true for all people. In this memoir he recounts his life from childhood to semi-retirement with characteristic insight, ability to spot irony, and long-standing commitment to booger jokes. It's total fun!
Here's a chance to find out how Barry's quite successful career depended at least some on unexpected moments of good fortune. Like an unlikely invitation to appear on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Or longstanding membership in a not-very-good band made up of fellow writers. Or being assigned to cover a presidential campaign.(!)
There's also the story of how his 30 years writing humor columns for a newspaper morphed into writing a surprisingly long list of non-fiction, fiction and young adult books. Not to mention a TV series sort of based on his life, Dave's World (1993-97).
Amid the humor (with wonderful supporting photos) he comes across not just as a funny writer, but also as a decent guy. When he writes about more serious or painful aspects of his life, they are handled concisely and with sensitivity. Like his father's alcoholism, his mother's suicide, and his first two failed marriages.
What came as the biggest surprise to me was his final chapter, where Barry shares some of his life lessons from his nearly eight decades. There's actual wisdom to be had!
While I highly recommended CLASS CLOWN for all, it's an absolute MUST for Baby Boomers since Barry too remembers that generation's shared foundational experiences - like Howdy Doody, Lassie, and Sputnik!
I have long been a fan of Barry's because his brand of humor fits well with my own, though I recognize that is NOT true for all people. In this memoir he recounts his life from childhood to semi-retirement with characteristic insight, ability to spot irony, and long-standing commitment to booger jokes. It's total fun!
Here's a chance to find out how Barry's quite successful career depended at least some on unexpected moments of good fortune. Like an unlikely invitation to appear on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Or longstanding membership in a not-very-good band made up of fellow writers. Or being assigned to cover a presidential campaign.(!)
There's also the story of how his 30 years writing humor columns for a newspaper morphed into writing a surprisingly long list of non-fiction, fiction and young adult books. Not to mention a TV series sort of based on his life, Dave's World (1993-97).
Amid the humor (with wonderful supporting photos) he comes across not just as a funny writer, but also as a decent guy. When he writes about more serious or painful aspects of his life, they are handled concisely and with sensitivity. Like his father's alcoholism, his mother's suicide, and his first two failed marriages.
What came as the biggest surprise to me was his final chapter, where Barry shares some of his life lessons from his nearly eight decades. There's actual wisdom to be had!
While I highly recommended CLASS CLOWN for all, it's an absolute MUST for Baby Boomers since Barry too remembers that generation's shared foundational experiences - like Howdy Doody, Lassie, and Sputnik!
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced