beccaandthegingercat's review against another edition
5.0
This book is Dave Barry's hilarious account of his trip to Japan. He runs into so many cultural things that any foreigner runs into. He repeatedly accounts that he doesn't really know anything about Japanese culture/language, but he shares his experiences - from sqatty potties (according to Dave, "a hole in the ground where they forgot to put the toilet) to food to places.
Having lived in Japan for just over a year now I found the book hilarious. I did listen to it in the car on audio book. I really appreciated the audio author, but found his miss pronunciation of major Japanese words (including cities, Kyoto and Hiroshima) really annoying. Don't study pronunciation of Japanese city names from the audio book and you'll be alright.
Regardless, Dave had me in tears a few times because I was laughing so hard as I, too, had experienced exactly what he was talking about. The book is quite ethnocentric to the US and is likely a bit out of date about American relations to Japan and some unknowns about Japan. Regardless, it's one I'd love to own so I could share it with friends and family.
Having lived in Japan for just over a year now I found the book hilarious. I did listen to it in the car on audio book. I really appreciated the audio author, but found his miss pronunciation of major Japanese words (including cities, Kyoto and Hiroshima) really annoying. Don't study pronunciation of Japanese city names from the audio book and you'll be alright.
Regardless, Dave had me in tears a few times because I was laughing so hard as I, too, had experienced exactly what he was talking about. The book is quite ethnocentric to the US and is likely a bit out of date about American relations to Japan and some unknowns about Japan. Regardless, it's one I'd love to own so I could share it with friends and family.
sharonfalduto's review against another edition
Back in 1992 when we thought we were losing the technology battle to Japan and that they would soon surpass as a superpower (remember that?), Random House sent Dave Barry and his family to the country to report on it, and its similarities and differences from the United States. Funny as always.
ashwinn's review against another edition
5.0
This review is crossposted from my blog here: https://daariga.wordpress.com/2016/12/26/dave-barry-does-japan/
A year that has been mentally and physically demanding, having to learn to live with a tiny human, is drawing to a close. Not surprisingly, I turned to humor to lighten my mind by picking up Dave Barry Does Japan.
Barry visited Japan with his wife and son for a few weeks way back in 1991, the Bush Senior years, if that helps jog your memory. This book is an observation of the differences between American and Japanese cultures from his point of view. Almost everything imaginable is covered from language to food to sports to society. I was snickering and laughing on every page, with the chapter on Kabuki theater having me in the biggest splits.
Barry is the funniest contemporary writer I have come across and this book does not disappoint. I am amazed how he can see what we see and yet give that examination such a fun innovative spin and generate such excellent wordplay that leaves one chuckling and laughing. In my book, that is just as impressive a skill as the serious writing that wins those serious literature awards. I can easily recommend this book to lighten your spirits anytime. If there is one complaint, it is that this book is way too short compared to his other books and he could have covered way more Japanese idiosyncrasies in far more detail. If this year is any indicator of how 2017 will be, I will surely be hitting the humor shelves more often in the coming months.
A year that has been mentally and physically demanding, having to learn to live with a tiny human, is drawing to a close. Not surprisingly, I turned to humor to lighten my mind by picking up Dave Barry Does Japan.
Barry visited Japan with his wife and son for a few weeks way back in 1991, the Bush Senior years, if that helps jog your memory. This book is an observation of the differences between American and Japanese cultures from his point of view. Almost everything imaginable is covered from language to food to sports to society. I was snickering and laughing on every page, with the chapter on Kabuki theater having me in the biggest splits.
Barry is the funniest contemporary writer I have come across and this book does not disappoint. I am amazed how he can see what we see and yet give that examination such a fun innovative spin and generate such excellent wordplay that leaves one chuckling and laughing. In my book, that is just as impressive a skill as the serious writing that wins those serious literature awards. I can easily recommend this book to lighten your spirits anytime. If there is one complaint, it is that this book is way too short compared to his other books and he could have covered way more Japanese idiosyncrasies in far more detail. If this year is any indicator of how 2017 will be, I will surely be hitting the humor shelves more often in the coming months.
djinn_n_juice's review against another edition
3.0
This Dave Barry book, titled "Dave Barry Does Japan" was quite funny. I very much enjoyed the booger joke on page 37. Numerous parts, including the cantaloupe bit, were especially funny! I laughed aloud! Haha!
At the end of the book I was left with the sense that, although I'd just been entertained for an hour and a half, that I'd basically been doing the literary equivalent of shoving peeps up my nose. Peeps the candy, not the slang word for acquaintances.
Dave Barry is almost as funny here as he was in Dave Barry Turns 40, which means quite a riot! Haha!
You're right, I haven't read this one since I was about 15. How did you know?
At the end of the book I was left with the sense that, although I'd just been entertained for an hour and a half, that I'd basically been doing the literary equivalent of shoving peeps up my nose. Peeps the candy, not the slang word for acquaintances.
Dave Barry is almost as funny here as he was in Dave Barry Turns 40, which means quite a riot! Haha!
You're right, I haven't read this one since I was about 15. How did you know?
nikomuth's review against another edition
4.0
Outdated at this point, having been written in like the early 1990s, and not exactly PC, but the things Barry does get right he absolutely nails. Despite a few jokes that fall flat and a couple that overstayed their welcome, it’s very funny overall, and I found myself laughing out loud at points.
monkie's review against another edition
2.0
Up until now I've always really liked Dave Barry, and this one did have its funny moments, but the narration was just... so horrible. The constant caricature accent a la Mickey Rooney started out cringey and went downhill from there. I could have dealt with it being a little offensive, but this was worse - it was grating and obnoxious and just so unfunny. Besides this, it was about how you'd expect, Dave Barry going to Japan, experiencing culture shock, acting very American, and then mostly just poking fun at his own ignorance. A couple transphobic statements thrown out randomly, nothing particularly clever, an unhealthy obsession with tentacles. Definitely not his best, but probably tolerable in written form.
emsong's review against another edition
5.0
LOVED it! I was constantly laughing every 2 paragraphs and loved reading about a foreigner's view of Japan.
tekchic's review against another edition
3.0
This book didn't age well. Written in 1992, it's very much, "bumbling typical American family embarrasses themselves while doing tourist things in Japan".
Some of the essays were funny, but a lot of it just made me cringe, especially the disdain for Japanese food and complaining that they couldn't find pizza anywhere (and when they did it had corn on it).
Some of the essays were funny, but a lot of it just made me cringe, especially the disdain for Japanese food and complaining that they couldn't find pizza anywhere (and when they did it had corn on it).