A Salty Piece of Land
by Jimmy Buffett
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 619)
Read in February, 2008
I hate giving up on a book once I've started reading it, but this is one I just have to stop reading. I should have known better than to even try after having read Where In The World Is Joe Merchant? about five years ago. I had tired of that book about half-way through but slogged through to the end. That one was a waste of time, too, but I just wouldn't give it up.
This book is more of the same. As a fiction writer, Jimmy Buffett is a huge yawn. He's good at storytelling via his wonde...more
This book is more of the same. As a fiction writer, Jimmy Buffett is a huge yawn. He's good at storytelling via his wonde...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
Jimmy Buffett fans, lovers of all things tropic
A story that takes place everywhere from Wyoming to Mexico to Key West to the fictional island of Cayo Loco in the Bahamas. It's about how Tully Mars, a cowboy from Wyoming, ends up working for 101-year-old Cleopatra Highbourne, restoring the Cayo Loco lighthouse.
Get ready for a good ramble. Do not read this book if you want a story that goes from point A to point B in a hurry. The narrator will often pause in recounting the story at hand to backtrack and tell you a different story for a ...more
Get ready for a good ramble. Do not read this book if you want a story that goes from point A to point B in a hurry. The narrator will often pause in recounting the story at hand to backtrack and tell you a different story for a ...more
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Read in April, 2008
For a book that took a year and a half to read, this is surpisingly good. Slow paced, but with a nice happy, but wistful ending, Jimmy Buffet catches the feelings he's done so well with his music which is painting a different life away from mass-media, mass-marketing, consumerism, etc that we all profess we wish we were away from while at the same time eating fast food, taking packaged vacations and staying on the interstates (literally and figuratively).
Interestingly enough, Buffet manages ...more
Interestingly enough, Buffet manages ...more
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A salty piece of land
Jimmy Buffet should stick to songwriting and stop insulting readers with his moronic and drab novels. Psychologists have shown through studies that red wine can bring out artistic ingenuity and creative writing talents; well I did a study with this particular piece of trash and found that the same conclusions don't apply to margherritas. Buffet lacks any amount of plot development and character depth in the shamefully boring work of never-ending garbage. He introduces too ...more
Jimmy Buffet should stick to songwriting and stop insulting readers with his moronic and drab novels. Psychologists have shown through studies that red wine can bring out artistic ingenuity and creative writing talents; well I did a study with this particular piece of trash and found that the same conclusions don't apply to margherritas. Buffet lacks any amount of plot development and character depth in the shamefully boring work of never-ending garbage. He introduces too ...more
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
parrotheads
everyone's submissions are far too serious and overly reflective for me. so, this is my attempt to rebel. jimmy buffett: drunken debauchery, cheeseburgers and flip flops flood your thoughts, yes? preposterous to *actually* consider the jimbo a bona fide author. he's no vonnegut. twain does circles around him i'm sure. but i challenge you to read his lyrics. what's more, open up this book. it's not a masterpiece. rather, it documents the life of a wayward wanna be cowboy-sailor. who car...more
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Read in May, 2008
Surprisingly (at least to me), Jimmy Buffett is quite the storyteller. I didn't expect a celebrity novelist to be quite so entertaining, or so good at crafting a genuinely interesting tale. Granted, Buffett's songs are stories in themselves and he has written quite a few novels in his day, but still I didn't expect much from this book; I picked it up because my dad said it was alright and I wanted something to read that wasn't academic....more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
NOBODY
I learned that Jimmy Buffett is a much better singer/songwriter than he is an author. Oh, my. I wonder if Homer Hickam knows that Buffett sort of "borrowed" some of his stuff from <u> The Ambassador's Son<u>? I wonder if he cares? I wonder if it matters, because I doubt they have many overlapping readers.... I wasn't going to put anything into goodreads about this book, but then I saw that the average rating for the book was 3.54, and I decided that couldn't be allowed to...more
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone!
The story of this book follows Tully Mars on an adventure of a lifetime. A cowboy who made his home in Wyoming, when an act of vandalism forces him to leave town with a price on his head, and into an adventure to find home and where he really belongs. With a gecko around his neck & a Conch shell in his hand Tully’s life story will leave you feeling as if you were right along with him sailing the high seas feeling the sand in your hair. Jimmy Buffett shows us that taking us away to Marga...more
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I am a huge Jimmy Buffett fan and love his music. But, as a novel writer, he has writer's ADD. Just when I thought the book was going to start coming to an end and tying up loose ends, it would go off in some other direction! It was an enjoyable book and definitley a good beach read. I would recommend reading it at one time, versus splitting it up into like 2 months, as I did! It will take you to the Carribean and will easily remind you of times spent there, if you've been lucky enough to g...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Don by:
Buffet fanhood
I am a big fan of Jimmy Buffet's music. As for this book, well let's just say that he shouldn't give up his day job as a troubadour. The story was pleasantly engaging but slight. However, the thing I found irritating was his chronic use of lines from the lyrics of his songs. It was as if he has used up all his lyrical abilities in his songs so he has to jam lots of them into his book. This tendency may cause other Buffet fans to smile (or like me, to grimace) in recognition and non-Buffet fa...more
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Read in August, 2007
Tully Mars is a Wyoming cowboy who has taken his pony to the shore of the Caribbean. There's much thinking required to follow the (semi-outrageous) plot and the characters are definitely "characters". Some interesting history (tho not sure how much was fictionalized for the novel) of the Caribbean and Pacific Islands, as well as lighthouses got sprinkled in along the way.
This novel is a semi-follow up on a part of Tales from Margaritaville. If yo...more
This novel is a semi-follow up on a part of Tales from Margaritaville. If yo...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
coral reefer fans, sailors, flyfishers, caribbean lovers
Listened to this as an audiobook.
Sigh. Let's just say it's a great escapist fluff summer novel for those who like sailing, fly-fishing, spring break, lighthouses, and wanna-be neo-pirate lifestyle. Totally contrived. Kind of fun at times. Makes me feel like I'm wasting my time, and want to read some non-fiction again REAL SOON. The 'afterward' story about how Jimmy came to write this book was more interesting than the book itself (to me). Nuff said.
Sigh. Let's just say it's a great escapist fluff summer novel for those who like sailing, fly-fishing, spring break, lighthouses, and wanna-be neo-pirate lifestyle. Totally contrived. Kind of fun at times. Makes me feel like I'm wasting my time, and want to read some non-fiction again REAL SOON. The 'afterward' story about how Jimmy came to write this book was more interesting than the book itself (to me). Nuff said.
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Read in September, 2005
"But I believe in the aboriginal line of thinking that life's adventures are the verses and chorus of your unique song, and when it is over, you are dead. So far, I am still singing, but I would point out that adventures don't come calling like unexpected cousins from out of town. You have to go looking for them." p. 3
"Finally the old man looked up. 'You lost?" he asked Willie.
'You got that right."
'Most people are,' the old man said." p. 97
"Finally the old man looked up. 'You lost?" he asked Willie.
'You got that right."
'Most people are,' the old man said." p. 97
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Jimmy Buffett is a great story teller through song, but I was very shocked by his talent at writing a novel that was engaging and so vivid. Some of the language is a little saucy, but you should expect that knowing that seafaring is involved.
I did get bogged down by the text a few times, but it may have resulted from envy as I read about the life of the main character and his ability to just get up and go. *sigh* Ahh, the life.
I did get bogged down by the text a few times, but it may have resulted from envy as I read about the life of the main character and his ability to just get up and go. *sigh* Ahh, the life.
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Everybody knows Buffett can interject humor into a song. Everybody knows he's a storyteller. I really didn't believe I'd enjoy his humor or his storytelling in prose as much as I enjoyed this book. Great characters, unique settings, unforeseeable plot twists, rowdy sex, twisted assassins... holy CRAP is this book fun! And a lightning quick read, too. Great stuff for the plane, especially if you're headed for the beach.
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It seems that many of the folks that read this were looking for high literature. It certainly isn't that so if that is all you want to read, then don't bother to pick this one up. If however, you are a reasonably relaxed human, this is one that is great while at the beach or the poolside. Also, I highly recommend it for anyone who considers themselves a true Parrothead...it will satisfy the margaritaville need!
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone
I absolutely loved this story. I am a traveller as well and I would love to have the experiences that Tully has in this book. It was an amazing read and I hope everyone takes the time out to check it out.
Up next on Reading Rainbow...
Up next on Reading Rainbow...
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Read in October, 2007
Jimmy tells a good story, evident in his songs and his books. I think this is better than Tales from Margaritaville, but I haven't finished either (flopping back and forth between 5-6 books at a time), so that's not really fair to say.
I'd recommend this for anyone who's looking for a good, lighthearted story of adventure and chance.
I'd recommend this for anyone who's looking for a good, lighthearted story of adventure and chance.
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Read in June, 2008
recommended to Alicia by:
Bought at Borders for 2.99, what a steal!recommends it for: Buffett fans, Sailors, Lighthouse Enthusiasts, Beach Bums
Quite a tale! I felt very overwhelmed at times by the abundance of details. Many times I was tempted to put the book down to read something a little easier; however, now that I have finished, I realize that all the details were essential. Definitely worth the read! Don't get frustrated, the story IS going somewhere.
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There is nothing deep and meaningful coming out of this book. If you need an escape from your reality and want an adventure of beaches, cocktails, and travel then pick this up. It is a good bedside book (yes, I am that person that has a stack of books on my nightstand) that you turn to when you need a little lift.
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