Swine not?

Synopsis:

 

When Southern belle Ellie McBride moves her twins from Vertigo, Tennessee to New York City, they wouldn't dream of leaving behind the family pig Rumpy. But the posh hotel where Ellie has found work (and living space) has "No Pets" writ large on its portal. So hiding Rumpy from the hotel staff—especially the ultra-carnivorous hotel chef, who would like nothing better than to transform their pet into pork roast—becomes imperative.

 

Can a talented, sensitive pig survive the claustrophobic, neurotic stresses of life in the Big Apple? Can the McBride twins keep their precious pet from becoming the chef's favorite entree?

 

Get ready for a wonderful ride as master storyteller Jimmy Buffett takes readers on a brilliantly funny romp through Manhattan and beyond. From spoiled rock stars to highly caffeinated football coaches, Buffett's satirical view of American culture never ceases to bite and delight.

 

Click Here to head over to the official site for SWINE NOT?

Go to the Official Site for more info on Jimmy Buffett

 

Jimmy Buffett

 

Our Review of Swine Not?

 

Coming into this review I had never read any of Buffett's books.  However, I had heard very good things about them.  I was expecting something that, like the books, correlated to his music and the Margaritaville lifestyle.  However, in his latest book, Swine Not? Buffett explores into a more urban environment than I would have expected -- New York City.  The main character is not some exocentric personality, nor that of a party animal of any sort -- just an animal.  Yes, that is what I said, the main character in this story is a pig.

 

After reading the first few chapters I began to wonder who the audience was for this book.  Although the preface makes it seem that the story is for the adult reader, I am sorry to say that I am inclined to disagree and that it is more for a young adults due to its theme, characters.  Because I am a big fan of Buffett's music, instead of slamming this as a book for adults, I will lavish it as a book for children and one, as I told my wife, I think would be great for my daughter to read.

 

The story is about a country pig and her family that gets transported to a swanky New York hotel.  The mother of the family is a pastry chef and works at the hotel. The family, which includes mom and her two twin pre-teens (one boy and one girl) lives in a greenhouse type structure on the roof of the hotel with their cat and pet pig named Rumpy. The two main plots of this story are that they must hide the pig from hotel management, which does not not allow exotic pets to be housed in the hotel and of Rumpy trying to find her long lost brother that lives somewhere in New York City.  Of course, there is a mean head chef that plays the villain in the story and is continuously trying to catch the pig. The twins and the pig go on mini-adventures and are introduced to a number of minor characters and troubles throughout the book.  By the end all of their troubles are resolved in a nice gift-wrapped box -- red ribbon and all.

 

The story was written in the first person of two main characters -- Barley, the male twin (the sisters name is Maple) and believe it or not, Rumpy, the pig.  This use of first person or first-animal writing did show imagination on the part of Buffett and provided for a unique insight into the thoughts of this fascinating creature.  The writing did provide life to some of the main characters and their surroundings, and I would not hesitate to ponder whether this was written more as a screenplay for an animated movie than as a novel.

 

I honestly cannot say that the book or story were terrible, however, I would not recommend it for other adults.  However, it would be perfect for your pre-teen or early teenage reader since it is fun to read and does provide some useful lessons in life for that age group. [Reviewed by LED 6/08]

Contest Rules:

1) Only one submission per person.

2) Prizes can only be shipped to mailing addresses within the USA and Canada (No PO Boxes).

3) There will be ONE winner picked at random and the winner will receive one copy the book Swine Not? by Jimmy Buffett

4) If you are under 18, please ask an adult before entering.

5) The contest shall end at midnight on July 15, 2008.

6) If a winner does not respond within 7 days after notification, they will forfeit the prize and another winner will be picked at random.

7) The website management reserves the right to make changes to these rules without prior notification.

Submission Form:

Fill out the form below:

Contest: Swine Not? Contest

First Name:

Email: