Class Clown - by Dave Barry (Hardcover)

About the Book

"How does the son of a Presbyterian minister wind up winning a Pulitzer Prize for writing a wildly inaccurate newspaper column read by millions of people? In Class Clown, Dave Barry takes us on a hilarious ride, starting with a childhood largely spent throwing rocks for entertainment--there was no Internet--and preparing for nuclear war by hiding under a classroom desk. After literally getting elected class clown in high school, he went to college, where, as an English major, he read snippets of great literature when he was not busy playing in a rock band (it was the sixties). ... [This] isn't just a memoir; it's a ... celebration of a life rich with humor, absurdity, joy, and sadness"--

Book Synopsis

America's most beloved wiseass finally tells his life story with all the humor you'd expect from a man who made a career out of making fun of pretty much everything.

How does the son of a Presbyterian minister wind up winning a Pulitzer Prize for writing a wildly inaccurate newspaper column read by millions of people?

In Class Clown, Dave Barry takes us on a hilarious ride, starting with a childhood largely spent throwing rocks for entertainment--there was no internet--and preparing for nuclear war by hiding under a classroom desk. After literally getting elected class clown in high school, he went to college, where, as an English major, he read snippets of great literature when he was not busy playing in a rock band (it was the sixties).

He began his journalism career at a small-town Pennsylvania newspaper where he learned the most important rule of local journalism: never confuse a goose with a duck. His journey then took a detour into the business world, where as a writing consultant he spent years trying, with limited success, to get corporate folks to, for God's sake, get the point. Somehow from there he wound up as a humor columnist for The Miami Herald, where his boss was a wild man who encouraged him to write about anything that struck him as amusing and to never worry about alienating anyone.

His columns were not popular with everyone: He managed to alienate a vast army of Neil Diamond fans, and the entire state of Indiana. But he also developed a loyal following of readers who alerted him to the threat of exploding toilets, not to mention the fire hazards posed by strawberry pop-tarts and Rollerblade Barbie, which he demonstrated to the nation on the David Letterman show. He led his readers on a crusade against telemarketers that ultimately caused the national telemarketers association to stop answering its own phones because it was getting--irony alert--too many unwanted calls. He has also run for president multiple times, although so far without success.

He became a book author and joined a literary rock band, which was not good at playing music but did once perform with Bruce Springsteen, who sang backup to Dave. As for his literary merits, Dave writes: "I'll never have the critical acclaim of, say, Marcel Proust. But was Marcel Proust ever on Carson? Did he ever steal a hotel sign for Oprah?"

Class Clown isn't just a memoir; it's a vibrant celebration of a life rich with humor, absurdity, joy, and sadness. Dave says the most important wisdom imparted by his Midwestern parents was never to take anything too seriously. This laughter-filled book is proof that he learned that lesson well.

Review Quotes

"[Barry's] prose style hasn't matured. . . . It's as ideally sophomoric as ever, if more rueful around the edges, what with civilization aflame and all that. . . . . Class Clown, as funny books go, is a home run."--Dwight Garner "The New York Times"

"[Barry] he honed his comedy with craftsmanship worthy of P.G. Wodehouse or Dorothy Parker, and he became the most popular humor columnist of his generation. . . . Barry reconstructs his life more than remembers it, stitching his story together from things he wrote at the time. Because those pieces were so wonderfully funny, sampling them again is a delight for his fans."--David von Drehle "The Washington Post"

"Class Clown is funny, and that makes some of the recollections that are darkest and probably hardest stand out."--Scott Simon ""Weekend Edition," NPR"

"Class Clown is the prolific writer's first real memoir, and it's as poignant as it is funny. . . . Barry is to humor what Stephen King is to horror."--Donald Liebenson "The Washington Post"

"Dave Barry is by far the greatest author of his generation. And I'm not just saying that because he kidnapped my dog."--Amy Tan

"Dave Barry is incapable of writing a dull sentence. But he doesn't skim over the dark parts--personal or professional--in this memoir, and his joie de vivre left me feeling more buoyant than when I set out. CLASS CLOWN is destined to become a classic."--Mary Karr, author or The Liar's Club, Cherry, Lit, and The Art of Memoir

"Dave Barry, who decades ago retired the trophy as America's funniest writer, is a great writer, period -- a master of every word. Class Clown is rib-achingly funny, but also wise and tender and piercingly honest, the story of a life dedicated to the truths that so often can only be spoken through humor."--Scott Turow

"Everyone who meets Dave Barry says 'he's the funniest guy I know.' But the story behind this funny guy is also - surprise! - funny. And heartfelt, tender, colorful, fascinating, and really, really funny. You'll love it!"--Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie

"Hilarious, laugh-out-loud, riotous, incredibly funny. I wish Dave worked for me so I could make him stand in front of me and amuse me constantly. But for now, we have this wonderful book. It's really really delightful and a great read."--Steve Martin

"Laugh-out-loud funny, and as a bonus: heartfelt and incisive."--Stephen King

About the Author

Dave Barry is the author of more bestsellers than you can count on two hands, including Swamp Story, Lessons from Lucy, Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys, Dave Barry Turns Forty, and Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up. A wildly popular syndicated columnist best known for his booger jokes, Barry won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. He lives in Miami.