Swine Not?: A Novel | 
| Author: Jimmy Buffett
Creator: Helen Bransford
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Category: Book
List Price: $21.99
Buy New: $7.99
You Save: $14.00 (64%)
New (57) Used (19) Collectible (2) from $7.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  43 reviews
Sales Rank: 1604
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 5.9 x 1.1
ISBN: 0316114022
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780316114028
ASIN: 0316114022
Publication Date: May 13, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: The book is in excellent condition. BRAND NEW (PET-FREE AND SMOKE-FREE HOME
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Product Description
Best-selling writer Jimmy Buffett weaves an irresistible new tale---filled with colorful characters, wry humor, and the pursuit of a very clever pig.
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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 38 more reviews...
 A huge disappointment July 21, 2008
I have read everything that Jimmy Buffet has written (except for the children's stuff), and am a big fan of his music. When I saw this book on the shelves, I snapped it up. All I can say is this: don't waste your money. Yes, I finished it. It was all I had to read on a pair of flights to and from the east coast. It appears to be written for fifth graders. There is almost no plot, the scenes are silly, banal, and boring. Come on Jimmy, give us another Joe Merchant.
Light Summer Read July 21, 2008
As a devoted Parrothead I was looking forward to the release of Jimmy Buffett's new novel Swine Not? but I must say that some of the negative press swayed me from getting the novel on its release day. Instead I bought the book to read on a short Mexican vacation and I'm glad I did.
The story follows the adventures of the McBride family following their move from Vertigo, Tennessee to New York City. The McBrides; single mom, Ellie; the twin siblings, Maple and Barley and their pet pig Rumpy. The family moves into the elegant Flutbein Hotel where Ellie has just gotten a job as pastry chef. The problem comes about when the hotelnstarts a "no exotic" pets policy that pits the family against the hotel's head chef Bouchor.
Written in very simple prose that seems to be aimed at the preteen and teen set, the book is a simple fast read that is perfect for a day at the beach or just lounging at home. This is a "G" rated family adventure that is miles away from the usual Buffett offerings. Take this one for what it is and enjoy. Its a great read for anyone from eight to eighty and it has that key feature that not many books have today: It will put a smile on your face.
Recommended.
Swine Not? 'Cause It Was Boring! July 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
First of all, I'm a parrot head, so I guess it was required reading. With 40+ CD's in my collection, Buffett's music is an integral part of my emotional survival kit. I have also found some of his other books enjoyable.
Having said that, this book was amazingly boring, requiring substantial will power to make it to the finish. I could possibly see some appeal to pre-teen female readers, and there's nothing in it that would be unsuitable for that age group. For adult audiences, this book offers absolutely nothing that the Jimmy Buffett aura promises to deliver.
This book should have been targeted toward a youth market. In that arena, it could have been well received, and deservingly so. Aimed at an adult market, it's only apparent purpose can be to pluck a few more dollars from his large band of devoted followers.
 Swine So July 16, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is not Buffett's normal type of novel, so don't buy it expecting mysteries in the tropics with aging pilots & sea captains. It's written from the perspective of a pig & one of her owners, and the switching between narrators can sometimes be confusing. It's a clean book, completely perfect story for children (in fact it started as a children's book). It's got a lot of adventure and the narrations from the pig really do get you into the mind of a lesser animal. It's great for adults too, a great observation of how animals observe humans. The book seems long but the text is fairly large and makes for a quick read. It's worth the purchase.
The better question is swhy? July 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This pleasant, lightweight, but non-consequential kids' fable seems to have no reason to exist other than the picking of the $21.99 retail price from the pocket of Buffett fans.
The story is not nearly as cynical as I just made it sound. Its not a bad story, and a Buffett fan can find turns of phrase that remind them of the lyrical craftsman they know Buffett to be. It may be better appreciated by the pet pigs, soccer moms, and 10- to 13-year-olds who are its main characters.
Truth in reviewing: while not a pig, soccer mom, or 10- to 13-year old, I am a Buffett fan with a vanity plate (JB A1A) on my convertible who received the book from my wife as a birthday present. So I came into this book predisposed to like it. And I didn't hate it. I just don't know why it exists. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say Buffett was doing a favor for his friend Helen Bransford, who is the source of the idea and the owner of the pig who's fictionalized tail is told in the fable.
Best bets if you fear the cynical angle of forking over $21.99 as a favor for a Friend of Buffett may sour you on Buffett or the book: read it over a Sunday-morning latte at your neighborhood Barnes and Noble (it reads fast), check it out of a library, wait for the paperback, or buy it used.
His previous novel, A Salty Piece of Land, was better, but his first was his best: Tales from Margaritaville.
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