Where Is Joe Merchant?: A Novel Tale

Rating:
Summary: The best book I have ever read!!!!!!
Review: This is a book that you can't put down. You can't wait until the end but when you do reach it you wish there was much, much more. Jimmy Buffett is and excellent writter. You actually feel like you are there. I can only hope he writes as many book as he has songs.

Rating:
Summary: It's Jimmy World, and You Have an E Ticket
Review: Perhaps I'm biased, but maybe not. I'm a parrothead, but also a literature fan. Although the style is rough in some places, Buffett takes the reader on a magical trip world so familiar to anyone who's ever been on a cruise, or listened to Buffett. The tale is interesting, not too deep, but captures your mind with its descriptions and imagination. This is a book to sit by a pool and drink a Corona with. Or sit by a fireplace and sip hot chocolate. It will absolutely take you away.

Rating:
Summary: A Most Excellent Tale
Review: Before I read this novel, I was not a Jimmy Buffett fan. Now I am. "Where is Joe Merchant" is an amazing story about adventures in the Carribbean and it brings to life more stories than you could possibly imagine as a child, as it brings them together in a well-developed, complex, yet constantly intriguing story. It is one of the best books I have ever read. The story brings out the reason people have admired Buffett for years. The main character in the story has a life that seems to parallel the author's. From flying a sea plane around the Carribean to being falsely accused for drug smuggling. It is adventures like these that bring so many people to envy Buffett and to still enjoy his artistic talents after all these years. This novel is intricately pieced together and it brings out a profound theme that we can all use in our lives: never let your life get boring. You owe it to yourself to have as many adventures as you can, and this story brings those adventures directly to the reader. Buffett's talents are amazing beyond belief. This novel holds the depth of a skillful, prolific writer, yet it stays on a level that forces us all to enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: The Adventure of a Lifetime
Review: This was a great book...I couldn't put it down! I am a true Parrothead and this book had made me even more of one! I highly recommend it to all!

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Summary: For the true parrothead
Review: Anyone that does't like this book must not like buffett's MO.

Rating:
Summary: Surprised by what he can do
Review: I must say that I hadn't really expected much of Mr. Buffett in the realm of novel writing. But I was pleasantly surprised! I loved this book. I couldn't put it down, I was so tied to the adventures of the characters. At first, I thought the story had NO ties whatsoever, but as I read on, the lives became more intertwined. It was a great read. And I will gladly recommend it to anyone!

Rating:
Summary: Witty, colorful, with great character development
Review: Jimmy once again masterfully takes us into the magical and dark world of the Caribbean. The rich characters in this book bring to life the imagination of this great storyteller and captivate the reader until the conclusion. Parrotheads and non-Parrotheads alike will finish this book satisfied and yet wanting more. One cannot help but say after reading this, "When is the sequel coming out?"

Rating:
Summary: A keeper you'll want to read and read again!!!
Review: So what's the deal with the reviewers who claim "Joe Merchant" lacks suspense, an interesting story line and colorful characters? Were we running a little short of Prozac the day we wrote our reviews? They are WAY off base, folks - "Joe" has everything required to make it tough to put down. You want action? How about Haitian voodoo, dive bombing runs on beachfront condos, explosions, daring deep sea rescues, an invasion of Cuba and the lure of a beautiful woman - how much more action and suspense could be cram-packed into one book? Just as good, if not better, is the cast of characters and they way their weird and wacky lives are woven together. You can't get any better than the combination of Blanton Meyercord (aka The Jetski Killer), Rootboy, Desdemona, Colonel Cairo, and of course, Charlie Fabian (aka as...wwll, you gotta read it to believe it). I read a LOT, and "Joe" is easily one of my all-time favorites, a book I reread at least once! a year. And to all the nay-sayers who say Buffet shamelessly self-promotes his own music, look again - there are far fewer of his own songs mentioned than those of his contemporaries (and I'm not even a big fan of Buffet's music). Critics, beware - Frank Bama may have to sic Hoagy on you, or better yet, The Jetski Killer!

Rating:
Summary: What else does he do?
Review: Jimmy Buffett is not only an outstanding song-writer, but he certainly has the pulse of the baby-boomer generation as evidenced by this book. It is full of one-line references to his songs, but you don't have to be a parrot-head to enjoy it. It is reminiscent of A Confederacy of Dunces, full of unusual characters, but with a more sympathetic hero. That hero, a thinly veiled Jimmy Buffett, looks life in the face in his late 40's, doesn't like what he sees, and changes it. Is there a lesson in this for all of us?

Rating:
Summary: God, I loved it!
Review: I am not a "Parrothead" and I don't listen to Jimmy Buffet's music. The only song I can identify with him is Margaritaville. I am, however, an avid reader and an English teacher. My husband, some friends and I were camping at an annual Cajun Festival in Escoheag, RI a few years ago and I'll just say that everyone was having more fun than I was. I was alone at the campsite and bored out of my skull. This book had been on the table since the day before and I had not previously even thought of picking it up. Once I did, though, I read until I was finished -about 4am. The book had me laughing out loud. It was the best Cajun-fest I had ever attended! I've re-read the book more times than I can count and lost more copies than I can count to people who have borrowed and never returned them. This book is a pleasure to read -you learn, you laugh and it is well written.