"Swine Not?" Why Not?

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capnbobby
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"Swine Not?" Why Not?

Post by capnbobby »

Each year at Christmas, Margret gives me a gag gift from the dogs. This Christmas the gag was Jimmy Buffett's book "Swine Not?" I had read "Joe Merchant," which I thought was a mess of a book; from a literary standpoint, I would give it a "D." I had no interest in reading "Swine Not?" In fact, I think my exact words were, when I opened the present, "Oh, no!" However, up in Maryland for Christmas, visiting my family, not much to do, I decided to read the book. I want you to know that I absolutely loved "Swine Not?"

In order to enjoy this book, there is a premise that readers must accept: There is a pig who lives in a luxury hotel in New York City (based on a true story) and who writes and plays goalie in soccer and loves to tango. If the reader accepts that premise, he/she might really enjoy this book. If the reader does not accept that premise, there is no way the story can work. I would like to point out that there is a genre of literature in which premises such as this are accepted, stories such as "Animal Farm," "Charlotte's Web," and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," for instance. I would not classify "Swine Not?" as a children's story (too long). And I'm not sure I would classify it as a young adult book, though it is written on that grade level. I would classify it as a book for the child in adults. And if you think about it, isn't that what so much of Buffett's works are about?

As I said, I loved the book. I found it heart warming. I found myself rooting for the pig, Rumpy. It reminded me of a Disney story. In fact, I wish Disney would take it and turn it into a film. For me, it's a story about forgiveness and about accepting flaws in the people we admire or love.

There is a moment in the story when Barley, a young boy, questions his hero's decision to leave Real Madrid to go play professional soccer for a team in California. In short, Barley wonders if his hero, Darryl Meacham, has sold out. Explaining his decision to the boy, Meacham says, "I thought a lot about this California move, whether it was the right thing to do and how p*** off the fans in Europe might be. But I can tell you two things, Barley McBride . . . It's true, I did it partially for the money. You know these legs won't always be as strong as they are now, and I think I have earned the right to secure my future. But I mostly did it for the adventure. I grew up a poor kid in Liverpool, and I still can't believe my lucky stars that all this has come my way. Would you turn down an opportunity to star in a movie?" (231-232). In so many ways, I feel that Buffett is reflecting on his own career here. Some people criticize Buffett for being too commercial, the restaurants expanding like Starbucks, the Concoction Makers, the T-shirts, the Adirondack chairs. You know what I'm talking about. Faced with the same decisions of bettering the quality of our lives and the quality of life of those we love and who count on us, how many of us would have chosen differently? As I said, it's a story about accepting flaws in our heros.

And I recommend it to you highly.

Fins Up!
Cap'n Bobby
dnw
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Re: "Swine Not?" Why Not?

Post by dnw »

Great review. I enjoyed reading it also.
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Debbie
ScarletB
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Re: "Swine Not?" Why Not?

Post by ScarletB »

I didn't read it as I thought it was "just" a kids book. But your take on it is interesting and it would strike me the same way too. I did enjoy all his other books though, especially A Pirate Looks at Fifty.
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