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Title: Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland
Author: Dave Barry
Genre: Humor, Travel, Nonfiction, Southern Literature
Audience: Adult
Format: E-book
My Review:
My husband is a travel nurse who largely grew up in Miami and in winter months we often find ourselves back in Florida as he works at different hospitals around the state. Even before we started traveling, we visited my in-laws, who live in Naples now, at least once a year. Needless to say, I’ve spent a lot of time in the state. And I still ask my husband what the heck is going on in Florida! I read a theory somewhere that it’s because of “sunshine laws” that make details of arrests public that are kept hidden in other states. But whatever the cause, don’t we all settle in for a good read when we see any headline that includes the words “Florida Man”?
I laughed so hard as I read this! I practically read the first half out loud to my husband before I finally just told him he needs to read it himself. It’s short so there’s no reason not to. Dave Barry has some interesting theories about what makes Florida the way that it is and they are all hilarious. The introduction is the best part as he details his theories and shares some true only-in-Florida stories. After that he travels around different parts of the state and reports on what he finds. We’ve visited several of the same places so that added to my enjoyment.
If you need a quick, entertaining read, probably made funnier if you have any connection at all to Florida, pick this up.
Synopsis from GoodReads:
A brilliantly funny exploration of the Sunshine State from the man who knows it Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times–bestselling author Dave Barry.
We never know what will happen next in Florida. We know only that, any minute now, something will.
Every few months, Dave Barry gets a call from some media person wanting to know, “What the hell is wrong with Florida?” Somehow, the state’s acquired an image as a subtropical festival of stupid, and as a loyal Floridian, Dave begs to differ. Sure, there was the 2000 election. And people seem to take their pants off for no good reason. And it has flying insects the size of LeBron James. But it is a great state, and Dave is going to tell you why. Join him as he celebrates Florida from Key West at the bottom to whatever it is that’s at the top, from the Sunshine State’s earliest history to the fun-fair of weirdness and gunfire (“Our ‘Come back! We weren’t firing at you!’”) that it is today.
It’s the most hilarious book yet from “the funniest damn writer in the whole country” (Carl Hiaasen, and he should know). By the end, you’ll have to admit that whatever else you might think about Florida—you can never say it’s boring.
Similar Books:
If you liked Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland, you might also like my reviews of
- Mama Makes Up Her Mind and Other Dangers of Southern Living by Bailey White
- The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, written and read by Issa Rae
Reading Challenge:
5 Comments
This one is going on the TBR list. I recently read a Dave Barry fiction novel, Big Trouble! It was hysterical. Florida Man on steroids. I can definitely recommend it.
I once read everything Dave Berry wrote. He is such a good writer, I think.
And so funny! It can be hard to get humor down on paper, I think.
Gosh, I haven’t read any Dave Berry for a long time, but remember that I found him funny.
I do appreciate his humor.