Rating: 
Summary: Written In Response to the Unauthorized Biography?
Review: Jimmy Buffett's "A Pirate Looks At Fifty" is a disappointing book because he couldn't decide whether to write an autobiography or a travel diary. His stories of his travels didn't excite me that much. To me, it was just a way to brag to the reader about his toys and his wealth. I don't fault him for these things; he's earned them, but it just got old after a while. I would have loved more of a retrospective of his life (to date) from his standpoint, since the unauthorized biography written about him a few years ago was very poorly written. I think Jimmy needs to ditch writing books (his novels/short stories aren't that great either) and lousy musicals and get back to what got him where he is today, and that is making entertaining music which tell great stories in (usually) less than four minutes.
Rating: 
Summary: Stick to the travelogue.
Review: When Jimmy writes about the Hemisphere Dancer, and where it did or did not land, he is at the top-of-his-game. Even his stories of New Orleans, and his early days on the road are funny, entertaining,and interesting. But, when he begins to write about his philosophy of life, and how we are destroying the planet then the book becomes boring, and redundant. I still enjoy Jimmy Buffet as a storyteller,and would probably buy his books in the future.If he sticks to what he does best...tells a story.
Rating:
Summary: Tres Ya Ya No
Review: This book reminds me of Jimmy's Margaritaville souvenier store/resturant in Key West--all style and no substance. I don't doubt that 25 years ago, he was sincerely a vagabond poet/pirate, but come on, how much of a vagabond can you be on a Grumann Albatross packed with family, friends, servants, gear, and people willing to fly your two kids back to Florida for a few days so you can fish? I am happy Jimmy has the sort of lifestyle than enables him to spend money foolishly, he's earned it. I just don't choose to read about his methods of doing it. I'm disappointed, it seems to be Jimmy has sold out, when he really didn't need to. What makes it even more sad, is the fact he hung in there all those years, resisted becoming a Yuppie sellout, and now that he's fifty, he's reversed everything he's accomplished in the past. The book was a nice piece of mind candy to pass a few hours with, but don't take this book on vacation with you--it will only make you feel discontented.
Rating: 
Summary: Egomaniac tells all - poorly!
Review: He really *IS* a pirate! He ripped me off for about $20. Between naming off every one of his friends and acquaintances and showing us how worthless our pitiful, ordinary lives are, I was unable to find anything to like about the book. The least he could have done was share his "Famous Dad Pancake" recipe.I thoroughly enjoyed his other two books. They seemed to have been 'written'. This one left me feeling that he and his buddies sat around one night after a few beers sketching out ideas on bar napkins, then hastily 'assembled' the result before the buzz wore off. It has almost turned me into a _former_ parrothead. The only redeeming part of the book had to do with his relation with his father. I guess there really is a little humility wrapped in all that ego.
Rating:
Summary: Had potential but fell short
Review: As a Parrothead I was excited about this book especially after Tales from Margaritaville, and Joe Merchant. I enjoyed the historical background, (what little of it there was) and the stories about his early years before he made it big. I enjoy his music but frankly I don't really care what he does on vacation.
Rating: 
Summary: This book takes you where Jimmy is
Review: This book is so descriptive that you really feel like you are flying in the Dancer with him. It is really a page turner. I finished the book in less than 3 days. Required reading for all parrotheads.
Rating:
Summary: Does Jimmy really know about flying?
Review: Jimmy's flying stories and logs have so many apparent inaccuracies and misapprehensions (that an experienced pilot wouldn't commit) that I believe either that Jimmy gets all his technical aviation thinking done by his employees, or someone else wrote the book. And the story of buzzing the parasailor is simply horrifying -- if committed in the US it would be more than enough for a license suspension.
Rating:
Summary: crass
Review: If you are looking for a real life story by a guy who has made really big bucks and spends them, this is it. If you want to read his good works, check out his two other novels.
Rating:
Summary: Although interesting to pilots, this book is disappointing.
Review: I was really looking forward to this book, but it was not what I expected. I loved his previous books - so perfectly parrothead! But this one...unless you really get off on reading about a pilot and his love for airplanes (okay, and fishing too), this book is going to be sloooooow reading. Sorry, Jimmy...I expected more.
Rating:
Summary: The story on the dust jacket is better than the book
Review: Though not a "Parrothead", I like Jimmy Buffett. I read his novels and I have a few of his albums. I bought the book thinking that the story on the dust jacket was a condenscened version of the content of the book, but it turns out that the book itself is just a rambling, lightly-entertaining recount of a vacation with his family. I gave up 3/4 of the way through the book.
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