Book Club Read, Book of the Month, Contemporary Fiction

Melon Monsters, Money, and Mayhem

Posted by TheOkieReader on

Swamp Story

By Dave barry

Alright, alright, alright…I know that you’re probably hoping that I included a recipe match made with real alligator. Unfortunately, I like to try out my recipes before I suggest them, and I currently live in Japan. We’re fresh out of alligator over here, guys. Talk about an import item.

Instead, I wanted to suggest a classic that is easy to modify based on your decor and book club needs– Oreo Dirt Cake. Check out the recipe for “The Best Oreo Dirt Cake” from JoyFoodSunshine. Then, top your creation with either alligator gummies to match the swamp motif, snake gummies to celebrate the Python Challenge, or regular gummy worms to represent Bortle’s Bait and Beer. Haribo makes versions of each of these candies, so they are generally easy to find in grocery stores or speciality candy shops (even in Japan).

Conspiracy theorists are many things, but they are rarely boring.

Who among us can claim that they are not fascinated by the outlandish tales that true conspiracy theorists spin? I still remember the first conspiracy theory that I ever encountered: The infamous Bat Boy that graced tabloid magazines in the 1990s. Bat Boy was EVERYWHERE, and I had no reason to believe that he wasn’t real. I mean, he was on newspaper covers, right? After seeing this picture, I had nightmares for WEEKS (maybe months).

Bat Boy with pointy ears, wide eyes, and sharp teeth. Mouth is open in a screech. The headline reads, "Bat Child Found in Cave," and secondary headlines declare, "Boy captured by explorers 2 miles underground!" and "His giant eyes see in the dark and his ears are better than radar, say scientists."

Now that I am older, I just love listening to conspiracy theorists spin their tales. I live overseas on a U.S. military base, and I had one neighbor who truly believed there was a serial killer on the loose. She spent two hours explaining her theory and then predicted the day of the next death (spoiler alert: She was wrong). My husband’s secretary is proud of her conspiracy theory label, and boy, does she know how to tell a story. I can listen to her for hours. I guess it’s no surprise that one of my favorite shows is Unsolved Mysteries (both the old and new versions).

Dave Barry’s new book, Swap Story, is the embodiment of Mulder’s famous poster from the X-Files: I WANT to believe. The story begins when Ken Bortle of Bortle’s Bait and Beer convinces his brother, Brad, to drum up business for their store by creating a viral video claiming that they saw the “Everglades Melon Monster.” Ken seeks out an out-of-work marketing executive, Stu, and a recently-fired journalist, Phil, to help them. Stu and Phil recently went viral when a video of them performing as Dora the Explorer and Elsa at a four-year-old’s birthday party went horribly and hilariously wrong. The group eventually recruit a wanna-be reality TV star, Slater, and his cameraman, Kark, to help them. With Kark’s camera equipment, Phil’s Dora the Explorer head, Slater’s abs, and Ken’s terrible product placement, the group produces a truly terrible video that immediately goes viral.

Meanwhile, Slater’s girlfriend, Jesse, is questioning her life decisions. Her initial attraction to Slater produced an adorable baby daughter, Willa, but it also landed her in a cabin in the middle of the Everglades while Slater tries to film a pilot for his reality show. She desperately wants out of her life. While on a walk one day, Jesse finds a stash of gold bars. There are rumors of a Civil Ear-era treasure hidden in the Everglades, and Jesse might just have found it. However, career criminals Duck and Billy see Jesse stash the treasure and will stop at nothing to get it themselves.

The two story lines meet at a totally unrelated event– the Python Challenge. Pythons are invasive creatures, so there is a contest held each year by the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to remove them from the area. This contest is totally real– you can check it out here. Current Secretary of the Interior and presidential hopeful Whitt Chastain is hoping to connect to his constituents by getting a photo op with last year’s winner, a man by the name of Skeeter Toobs who brings his pet pig with him. His plans do not go as he hoped when the Melon Monster crew and the treasure hunters disrupt the event.

I grew up watching my parents read Dave Barry’s humor columns, so I had high hopes for Swamp Story. It did not disappoint. It was kooky, hilarious, and altogether different from most books out on the market right now. It highlighted some of the bizarre antics that people stereotypically believe about life in the Everglades while not doing so in a condescending way. This aspect of the book was really important to me because I am originally from the state of Oklahoma, but I have spent much of my adult life living on the east coast of the United States. I get really tired of people making condescending assumptions about my home state when they have never even visited. Barry’s writing definitely came across as “poking fun” rather than “tearing down.” Barry seems to be laughing at Florida in the same way that I laughed at Oklahoma when I read this story about a guy who killed his buddy on a noodling trip because he thought he going to feed him to Bigfoot. Oh, Oklahoma. If there is anything I have learned as a military spouse, it is that EVERY state has something that you can laugh about (as you are face palming at the same time). We are ALL from areas that can be both charming, kooky, and sometimes downright embarrassing (yes, even you, east coast states).

If you are looking for a light summer read that will make you laugh, Swamp Story is a solid choice. It’s a great book to take poolside this summer as you’re basking in the sun. The humor can feel a little juvenile at times, but this isn’t a reading selection you would make if you’re in the mood for something academic. It’s also a perfect book for people who are occasional readers who just want something to entertain them while they’re on vacation. So, take a break from your viral videos and conspiracy theories and try it out– just watch out for the gators.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Rating System Explained

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️:  This was an amazing book, and I can't stop thinking about it.   It impacted me emotionally or changed my perspective.  My thoughts keep flickering back to it at random times throughout the day.  I will absolutely recommend it to my friends or to one of my book clubs.

4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️:  This was a really good book.  Parts of it stuck with me, and I might mention it in a conversation.  There is a high likelihood that I will recommend it to my friends or to one of my book clubs.

3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️:  I liked this book.  It allowed me to escape from reality for a while.  While I might tell somebody about it if I think it will interest them, I will probably not suggest it to one of my book clubs.

2 Stars ⭐️⭐️:  There's something about this book that I didn't like.  I wasn't willing to go all the way down to a one-star rating, but I'm definitely not digging it.  I may recognize that this book is not for me, but it might be for other people.  I will not recommend it to my friends or one of my book clubs.

1 Star ⭐️:  My rarest rating.  I really didn't like this book.  Something in the story line upset me, and I probably "hate-read" the majority of the book.  Not only will I not recommend it, but I will actively tell people that I did not like it.

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