The Grasshopper Trap

Rating:
Summary: A Delight!
Review: A book filled with humorous stories, this compilation of experiences was a treat to read! The Grasshopper Trap is only the second book I've read by Patrick McManus but now I want to track down all of his stories. McManus writes humor without the obscene, offensive language that seems so common everywhere these days. It's a refreshing, fun read with stories that entertain as well as remind us of a simpler, less frantic way of life.

Rating:
Summary: A Delight!
Review: A book filled with humorous stories, this compilation of experiences was a treat to read! The Grasshopper Trap is only the second book I've read by Patrick McManus but now I want to track down all of his stories. McManus writes humor without the obscene, offensive language that seems so common everywhere these days. It's a refreshing, fun read with stories that entertain as well as remind us of a simpler, less frantic way of life.

Rating:
Summary: 'Pass out laughing' funny
Review: I have always thought that Patrick McManus is the funniest writer on the planet. I read his stories when I need to laugh or relax. Sometimes I irritate my wife by reading it in bed. I try not to laugh out loud, but I only succeed in sounding like I am trying to muffle continuous sneezes.

However, not everyone gets it. I have been shocked by watching people read McManus without so much as a smile (though most start snorting like wild pigs on acid) . My only guess is that getting McManus requires a couple things. First, it requires some understanding of his experiences. He absolutely nails all of the stupid things 'outdoors men (outdoors people)' do and think, but don't want anybody to know about. Second, you have to see the self-deprecating aspect of his humor. Third, you can't look for great literature in integrated books. Patrick McManus is an excellent writer, if you see these as independent stories simply collected in a volume. They are meant for adults who want to laugh at themselves. So, If you are willing to or already meet the above three criteria, you will love this book.

By the way, I am a professor of clinical psychology and (other than worrying a little about McManus) I sometimes recommend this and other McManus books. I do this with people who have racing thoughts and anxiety at bedtime, and when I believe they have the necessary experiences to find it funny. It often works quite well. I think of his stories as little pieces of happiness. (Oh, that even makes me sick to hear. Sorry)

Rating:
Summary: Laugh-o-rama
Review: I really like these kind of books. I had so much fun readingabout his weird shenanigans, I liked it almost as much as"Everything I Need to Know About Life I Learned in the Bush" and I liked it more than "Life is a 'Transit'-ory thing". It's really fun to read stuff like this on a rainy day, or even on a sunny day. What else can I say? I just really enjoyed this book.

Rating:
Summary: Strange Encounters of the Bird Kind
Review: The title of these comments is from one of the tales in this third collection of short stories I have read by Mr. Patrick F. McManus. The author has been writing the yarns and his versions of his childhood "true" stories for decades, and has now produced 12 collections of these essays in book form. Many of the stories are about being outdoors and failing miserably as a hunter and fisherman, but one gets the impression that to the extent he fails, he does with seeming intent. It's the outdoors he loves, not harming it or its inhabitants. When he does speak of a successful outing with his friends he complains so much about the "success" that again you can tell coming home empty handed is his real goal. A collection of stories is what he is after.

The best stories here range from his childhood when speaking of why an 8 year old is perfectly competent to own his first knife, while even one day short of the 8th anniversary would be nothing less than a felony were a knife to be given to such an infant. He goes on at length as to how men delude themselves in to their thinking they have convinced their wives how their gun collections multiply without a single purchase. And in a story entitled, "A Hunker Is Not A Squat", he explains how with the correct posture, a stick and a dirt floor, The United Nations would be unnecessary, and world conflicts would end.

Mr. McManus writes for everyone who enjoys a good laugh, uncontrived humor, and just simple observations about human nature. He does not preach about the solutions to world problems, claim a cure for the common cold, or how to get rich. He just gives the reader the gift of laughter, an invaluable gift.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome! Classic McManus
Review: This book had me laughing so hard my wife was gonna call the paramedics. Brought back memories of childhood escapades and the freedom of youth.

Thanks, Pat.

Rating:
Summary: If you don't like laughing, DON'T READ THIS BOOK!
Review: This book was my introduction to the wonderful, hilarious world of Patrick McManus. He is a gifted storyteller whose style is laced with wisdom and wit. I cannot recommend Mr. McManus highly enough. READ this book, you won't regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Great Balls of--Grasshoppers!
Review: This book was my introduction to the wonderful, hilarious world of Patrick McManus. He is a gifted storyteller whose style is laced with wisdom and wit. I cannot recommend Mr. McManus highly enough. READ this book, you won't regret it!

Rating:
Summary: If you don't like laughing, DON'T READ THIS BOOK!
Review: This is just one of those books that's great when, well, anytime

Rating:
Summary: Outdoors situations that go from bad to worse...
Review: Why would a grown man go berserk just because someone suggested fishing with balls of grasshopper paste? How does someone win the "fastest hopping in a sleeping bag" prize, and why would you hold the contest? Who would send a letter to their wife that began "Dear Dump"? Who would suggest sending a dead alligator in for the second half? What does a Deer and Elk hauler that costs $1.98 look like? Just a few of the great puzzles in life awaiting you here!