Rating: 
Summary: Laugh out loud ~ you have to
Review: Dave Barry's humour column is very spotty, in my opinion. Sometimes he is enormously funny; other times he writes as though he is straining, and unable to pass anything. That made this book all the more pleasurable, because there was nothing strained about it. Strange, yes; the characters, the plot, the whole thing. But strained? No way. It flowed like olive oil through pasta: easy, fast, smooth, and fragrant. The plot is reminiscent of Elmore Leonard more than anything else, with twists and turns, coincidences and surprises, and lots and lots of bad guys with varying levels of brutality. The writing, however, reminded me more of Kurt Vonnegut than any other author ~ and that is a definite compliment. Barry is completely deadpan the whole way through; like Vonnegut, he never lets on that he is hilariously funny. The writing is deceptively simple, as is Vonnegut's; though in Barry's case he doesn't have quite the same underlying gloomy philosophy portrayed with simplicity. There are a ggod number of elements of humour here: The characters ~ several of whom have to be among the most silly you've read about for a long time; the violence ~ absurd, over the top, unbelievable; the plot ~ twisted, and bizarre; the gratuitous and out of place sex ~ including an unbearable farting beauty; and the use of language, which is more under Barry's control than he often has it. Altogether, this is perhaps the funniest book i've read since "Final Arrangements", which is, again, no mean compliment.
Rating: 
Summary: Could not put it down!
Review: There are very few books that I can honestly say I have read cover to cover in one day without stopping. This second offering from Dave Barry's venture into the world of novels counts as one of them. Dave brings his wit and satire from his columns and numerous non-fictions and collected works to the table in his second shot in the novel genre. He paints a vivid picture with many colorful and amusing characters each with their own quirks and back stories. The humor is typical Barry and it is often and poignant. He pulls no punches and somehow still manages to tell a very compelling story in the action/gangster genre. At times, it is violent, others simply droll. No matter what, though, it is enticing, gripping, and well worth the read. A disclaimer, though. There is a good deal of foul language, adult situations, and some violence thrown into the mix, so parents might want to be careful before letting their children read. Teens have no doubt heard all the words and seen all the offensive parts in other movies and on cable. The book is surely rated R, but if that is not a bother, this one is totally worth the read and should be added to any collector of satirical fiction and Dave Barry fan's as well. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: This book is excrement
Review: Let me preface this by saying I have enjoyed just about everything I have ever read by Dave Barry.
However, this is the first novel of his I read, and it was a huge disappointment. If I were a recycler, I would hold back this book in fear of overburdening the system with toxins.
Dave precedes Tricky Business with an essay explaining the vulgarities and making excuses for them. If the vulgarities actually accomplished anything, there may be some room for them. But the vileness riddled throughout the book is gratuitous and meaningless. I had the distinct displeasure of sensing that Dave Barry was simply getting his jollies by writing with delight about the lascivious elements of his mind.
The story is weak and uninteresting with little if anything meaningful, and the sympathetic characters are so flat, I wouldn't be able to see them even if I cared about them. Barry's humor in Tricky Business is also completely lame, which was probably the biggest surprise for me.
Life is too short to spend time filling your mind with this excrement.
Rating: 
Summary: not funny at all
Review: I was severely disappointed by this book. With the ratings it was given here, I thought it would be a funny read. I didn't laugh once, I didn't find it witty or worth while. There was nothing to anticipate and nothing to look forward to. It was just not a book I would recommend to anyone.
The book had an entire chapter devoted to projectile vomiting. Which I guess if you were 13 would be funny.
Rating:
Summary: Not My Favorite Barry
Review: The other books by Dave Barry that I've read are among my favorite reading experiences: "Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs," "Complete Guide to Guys," "Dave Barry Does Japan," "Dave Barry Turns 50," "Dave Barry is Not Making This Up" ...
Like many readers, I regard Dave Barry as a national treasure and a wonder of nature, like the redwoods. How could one man be so consistently funny and so smart and so appealing, all at the same time?
"Tricky Business" is the first Barry book to disappoint me.
I didn't find it funny, and I didn't like it.
I can see why other readers may like it, though. They may just have different senses of humor than I.
Old men making fart and prune jokes in a nursing home, a mafioso physically menacing a sleazy businessman, repeated "jokes" about women with breast implants, just didn't work for me.
In place of laughs, I didn't find much else I wanted to read about. The characters, the plot, and the writing style didn't compel.
Rating:
Summary: Dave Barry, Master Writer
Review: I have literally finished the book Tricky Business no more than an hour ago, and I must say it is one of the best books I have ever read. Smart, funny, exciting, and hell everything is sexy nowadays look at all the otehr reviews for everything, it's everything one could want in a book. I'm a huge fan of Mr. Barry's books I own several and they all make me laugh hysterically, and sometimes make me cry, see the article about his son getting hit by a car or the next to last chapter and the epilogue in Dave Barry in Cyberspace and you'll see what I mean. He is a very skilled writer who does not get enough credit. Kudos to you Mr. Barry and Kudos again.
Rating:
Summary: Not as funny as Big Trouble, but few things in life are
Review: If you don't like to read books with swearing, sex, graphic violence and/or an endless reminder of just how stupid, stupid people can be, don't read this book.
The story is absurd, and I loved every minute of it.
Rating:
Summary: Another wacky novel by Dave Barry
Review: Known for his silly and witty commentaries on everyday life, Dave Barry has truly gone off the deep end with his two novels: "Big Trouble" and now "Tricky Business."
"Tricky Business" is filled with bizarre and quirky characters who find themselves fatefully caught on a casino ship well off-shore during a hurricane when a large drug and money transaction goes horribly wrong.
Perhaps even more bizarre than the characters (a man dressed as a giant pink Conch, for example), or even the setting (a hurricane ravages Miami causing 9 deaths - all of which are ironically dedicated reporters covering the "dangerous" hurricane), is Barry's twisted way of tying both violence and humor in an ever-escalating plot. As the laughter-factor grows, so does the body count.
Be forewarned: There is bad language in this novel. There is also excessive flatulence, excessive vomitting, and the graphic (and I do mean GRAPHIC) portrayal of violence.
But darn it all if it isn't funny! Barry's talent at identifying THE MOST bizarre, THE MOST quirky, THE MOST hysterical point of any situation is not lost... in fact his talents are heightend when given full reign to create his very own made-up and messed up world! I love it... I love it all!
Rating:
Summary: When is the movie coming out?
Review: _Big Trouble,_ the columnist's first novel was a whacked-out cops and robbers escapade filled with his trademark off-the-wall sense of humor. This second novel may lose him some of his readership -- those who expect him to write only silly stuff. Because this caper yarn, while funny in places (especially the ongoing jokes concerning the suicidal TV newsroom and the Hawaiian infomercials), is also somewhat darker and more grown-up. It all revolves around an oceangoing South Florida casino and the nefarious uses to which its owners put it. Spiraling in to the climactic events on the EXTRAVAGANZA OF THE SEAS are the members of a band of low expectations (especially Wally, the lead guitar), two elderly refugees from a retirement home, a stressed-out bar hostess, a tall blonde with digestive problems, a ship's captain trying to live down his past, a guy in a pink conch costume, a psychopathic drug-runner, and an assortment of professional heavies, many of whom won't be returning to Miami. If Barry continues developing in this direction, he'll be giving Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen a serious run for their money.
Rating:
Summary: Big Trouble II
Review: Basically, if you liked Barry's first novel, "Big Trouble", you'll enjoy this one. It's very similar, with a good-hearted, less-than-successful male protagonist thrown into a chaotic, only-in-Miami situation.
More smart writing, especially the dialog. Great pacing -- this book is a quick read because there aren't any slow, expository moments where you think "Yeah, I'll just stop here for now." I finished it at 1 this morning, because I kept wanting to read more.
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