Is Harry on the Boat?

by Colin Butts

You arrive at the airport to be greeted by a sun-tanned clipboard bearer, there to make your dream holiday come true. But behind the smiles, the badge and the suspect command of the native lingo, what really goes on? Are they a happy, celibate team working for the benefit of their clients, or are they at each other's throats to get their share of backhanders, drugs and sleeping with holidaymakers (or each other!)? Exactly how low is resort manager Alison prepared to go to maximise her cash gains in her last season, and how low is first-year rep and none-too-bright former male model Mario prepared to go to win the infamous 'Competition'? Which reps will Alison get rid of? Shy Lorraine? Mickey, the first ever black rep? The clubbing-mad and girl-crazy Scouse Greg? Or will it be Brad, as we follow him from bedroom to beach, stumbling across company 'business' that he shouldn't?

Genres: Fiction, Humor

324 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Colin Butts was an English novelist, screenwriter and Ibiza nightclub impresario. His life in Ibiza was the inspiration for his literary work.

Reviews

[Mrscams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read this book several times over many years and I love it each time!

[R.L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Βασισμένο στην πραγματικότητα, αλλά δεν έχει λόγο ύπαρξης...

I'm in two minds about this book. It's strongly rooted to the reality of many holiday companies and destinations that apply to a specific crowd (actually I have seen worse and crazier incidences and situations than the book describes), but if you aren't a person who enjoys this kind of holidays/work, this book doesn't apply. If you are a person who does enjoy or has experienced all this jazz, how can reading a book compete with the actual experience?

Furthermore, I found the book repetitive and the plot nearly non-existent. The way some decisions are made and Head Office operates is sometimes too stretched for reality while the characters are very formulaic and the perspective of the author too biased. The romance part and some plot twists are ridiculous to be honest, while I would expect touching on some harder realities and issues, but then I guess the book wouldn't be so fun anymore, huh? I think the characters should have some more variety. Different people draw the line differently. For example not everyone is drug-crazy even on a trashy holiday revolving on booze and sex. (and how Greg after several seasons rejecting drugs, suddenly tries and gets crazy for them out of nowhere? Things sometimes happen like that, but often not. Then while there is lots of drinking games and free sex and stuff, and sometimes there are scenes like those described on the book and more, not all women are so submissive as the author describes. They want their decent pleasure too and demand it-Women in the book are crazy for threesomes or eager to simply please a man by been wank-crazy or blowjob- crazy or eager to be showered by sperm, often getting nothing in return. And what a silly myth women falling for a large dick!- The author takes a very trashy, sexist approach to everything, without giving the other side of the story.
Also, he touches very lightly or not at all on what happens when things are borderline or go wrong. Deaths from too much drinking or drugs, car accidents, rapes etc. There seems to be a scene when a nearly inconsious girl is gang-raped, she is nearly dead next morning and an ambulance is called, she suddenly wakes up and says everything was consesual and she short of knew what she was doing. And on top of that the reps only have a mind to get sexual benefit from her too, which she happily does. But what when these situations or worse happen and it turns out it wasn't consesual at all? What life is for reps and victims and family members when they have to face a death or a rape or other situations? And even if one is such a bitch such as Alison in the book, how this gives a right to people to behave as bastards too, airing her personal moments etc and the author never letting even a doubt that that's alright?
I'm not trying to be preachy or a spoil-sport here, let's just say that I had my fair share of craziness when working in such resorts. As I said this book is strongly rooted to reality and there are many crazy things happening on such resorts and people get away with them or consequences are not always grave. But what when they are? I feel these issues are important and should be explored.

All in all, I don't think there is much reason for this book to exist and there are many flaws even when taking it lightly!

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a good book. Repetitive. Basically the story is )obviously) a look behind the scenes amongst the Ibiza holiday Reps during the 1990s in San Antonio. It’s chapters are shallowly written, there’s nothing to particularly admire and most of the pages revolve around “the competition” between the Male reps to see what sexual activity “points” they can amass. “Harry on the boat” rhyming slang is explained quite early and it’s not particularly edifying.

The “plot” such as it is, is the reps sleeping around, drinking and doing drugs and trying to work out how the boss Alison is lining her pockets.

That’s it. No big plot devices, not much in the way of prose, but a few amusing derogatory similes. It’s written from a very male standpoint; the women - the conquests - actually all the women, are written as two dimensional entities, usually the dimensions of a bra size.

Along the lines of reality TV that is lowest common denominator entertainment, this book is trash, substance-less and quite pathetic. I don’t recommend this book. The reason it’s two not one star is morbid curiosity as to how the story finishes. It was a fast read, and I only read it because I am on holiday in Ibiza as I write.

[Daisy White · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written, and deserving of the cult status, but I couldn't really get into it. In fact I think by the middle of the book, I was bored by the amount of mind-numbing sex and drugs. An amusing look at the lives of some Ibiza holiday reps.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Веселая книга.

[Lynne Foster-Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old one but an easy read (it is set when Spain still had pesetas!)

[Janine Hargreaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun easy to read to book. Finished it while on holiday in Spain :)

[Mr M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably dated now, but when I read this as a late teen, I loved it. Funny, outrageous and just a great straightforward read.

Not for kids!!

[Tania Lukyniuk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sex, drugs, rock'n'roll or in this case - electro music. Very brutal male view of Ibiza vacations. So graphic almost from the very beginning, that you become soon numb to even more atrocities as you proceed with book. Beyond sex & drugs - nothing really, except good belief of an author that every generation has virtue even if it seems to be well hidden behind vices.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I should've known not to expect wonders from this book! It offers a rather hilarious (and at times explicit) story of what goes on behind the scenes of a sunny holiday rep scene. I can see why it's a 'cult classic' but I wouldn't bother reading it again!

[Emma G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic. And apparently very accurate!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book although it was quite crude (in many ways!) A very blokey book. However I read it in a few days as it was very entertaining!

[Johnny Bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this essential reading

[Luna · Rating 2 out of 5]

absolute rubbish, yet I still continued to read it

[Wayne Shutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

as an ex holiday rep, this is the closest book there is to explaining life overseas, love it

[erjan avid reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

great read

[Susan Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book, a real in sight to Hoilday Rep's and what they get upto!!

[audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

So terrible. That said, I did stay up til 3am last night finishing it.

[Missee · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's no plot in this book. At least, I'm quite sure there isn't any. After wading through 350-odd pages I came across a hint of suspense, which rapidly faded back into the steaming cesspool of woman hatred, macho posturing, That-Happened style locker room anecdotes and pointless dialogue that never advances the characters or their 'story' one iota.

I find it hard to believe anyone has actually read this, much less that they liked it. If I could give is negative stars I would. All I can really do is warn other unsuspecting readers who are looking for a holiday read to give this a miss, yes, even if it's on sale for a buck. You'll still feel ripped off, I promise.