You Can Date Boys When You're Forty

My advice?  Don't read a Dave Barry book while drinking liquids; the results could be quite unattractive when you laugh.  And you will.  Frequently.  His writing always has that effect on me.  His latest outing is a book of new essays entitled You Can Date Boys When You're Forty;  Dave Barry on Parenting and Other Topics He Knows Very Little About (#370).  But don't worry, only one of the essays is specifically about parenting, and when you blend that with attendance at a Justin Bieber concert, you can tell that this book has a little something for everyone.  Besides, Dave Barry tells you so in his Introduction.

Yes, the humor can be a little sophomoric, but after all, Dave Barry IS a guy, so what else would you expect?  He's also spot on with a number of his observations.  We also happen to live in South Florida, and what he tells the reader in his essay on Death about the number of solicitation letters he receives from crematorium operators is one hundred percent accurate.  His riff on the trip to Israel he takes with his wife and daughter's Temple is delightful.  The day before I started reading You Can Date Boys When You're Forty was the first time I had had a chance to speak with one of my friends who had just returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  It's remarkable how some of her experiences dovetailed with Dave's, but I can guarantee you that she did not rappel backwards off a cliff!  (I am not making this up; there is photographic proof that Dave Barry participated in this activity.)  But I think that maybe my favorite essay was How To Become A Professional Writer.  There will be universal wailing and gnashing of teeth from anyone who reads this who has the faintest grasp of the rules of English grammar and spelling.  Again, Dave Barry hits the nail on the head.  Oy!

I was lucky enough to get a pre-publication copy of You Can Date Boys When You're Forty from a GoodReads giveaway, but if I were you, I'd be pre-ordering a copy of this book now!  You only go around once, so you might as well enjoy the ride...