I have never read any of his books before but read the product description and review online before listening to the CD. It was very reliable to the description and it was a fun book. It is a book about a family that has a pet pig and lives on a top room in a hotel and has to keep their pig from management and a coworker in order to keep the mom's job and stay there and really gets into the pig's feelings. Kind of unique.

If you pick it up without expectations of pirates and the caribbean, you will enjoy it. Finding Your Costa Rica : 5 Powerful Steps to Personal, Professional and Financial Success

I had never read a Jimmy Buffett book before - and I vow to never do so again after this painful experience.

Two-dimensional characters, have seen better plots in George Corman movies. Think the movie "Dunston Checks In" done with a pig. And the pig is the main narrator.

I would never have finished this waste of paper if it had not been a book club selection. Even the woman who picked the book, a parrot-head, admitted it was bad.

I've read all of Jimmy Buffett's books. If your thinking this book "Swine Not" is going to be anything like the rest your WRONG.
Midway through the book you feel as if your reading a children's story. Not at all what I expected. Its not horrible, but I would borrow it, not buy it.

Reviewed by Sandie Kirkland for RebeccasReads (7/08)

Things are a little weird in the McBride household. Ellie has just been hired as the dessert cook at Flutbein's Hotel, a top restaurant in New York City. That's too long a commute from Vertigo, Tennessee, so the family is packing up and moving to the city, where they'll live in the hotel. Maple and Barley are Ellie's twelve-year-old twins. Maple loves to design clothes and is a devotee of the top designer Karen Wu, while Barley is a first-rate soccer player. The twins' dad, Oliver, is out of the picture; a dreamer always following a new dream and occasionally dropping into their lives.

The family makes the move, and the kids get familiar with their new surroundings. Everything is working out except for one thing. This family comes with a pet pig, a one hundred and fifty pounder named Rumpy. Rumpy is pig non grata at the hotel, which has a prohibition against exotic pets. That means she must constantly be hidden away, and is trapped in the apartment. The family is on constant pins and needles, trying to keep her hidden away.

Unfortunately, Rumpy has a personal enemy. The head chef at the restaurant, Boucher, hates animals and can only conceive of them as his next dinner creation. How can the family protect Rumpy from Boucher? How will Ellie handle working for such a disagreeable sort? Will Maple and Barley fit into the social scene in New York City and their new school? Can Rumpy find her twin brother, Lukie, who is somewhere in the city?

Buffet handles all these situations deftly, spinning a light confection that leaves the reader amused and satisfied. This would be a great book for families to read together, perhaps as a nighttime story stretched over several weeks. It's a perfect traveling book, or just a great book to while away an afternoon in the backyard or at the local pool. I highly recommend it as an interesting, fun read for all.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Bad. Bad. Bad. Bad. Painfully bad.
This is the same man that created "A Pirate Looks at Forty" and "Death of an Unpopular Poet"? Please, lock up his word processor and send him out fishing.

While I enjoyed reading about the tales of Rumpy and his family, it certainly was not the book I was expecting from the author. My wife is a parrot head and I bought the book for her, as she has read all of his other work. As she is currently out of town, I decided to read it for a change of pace. And, I enjoyed it, but, but would have checked it out of the library had I known the reading level.

While the story is well put together, is cute, and somewhat humorous, it isn't what most adults would be expecting. It would have been better labeled as a teen level novel to warn off unsuspecting buyers. If you need to spend the afternoon with a book that won't tax your brain too strongly or enjoy relatively short, easy to read stories, you will enjoy the book. Just don't expect too much.

5 stars for teens, 3 stars for adults

What a clever, fun book! This is a great book for all ages! I highly recommend it!

Having enjoyed much of his writing I bought the book without knowing anything about it. My trust was violated. This book is nothing like his earlier efforts and I found it boring. I stopped reading it about 50 pages in and will donate this book to get it away. Don't waste your time.

Jimmy Buffett's wild tale of Rumpy the pig and his adventures in Manhattan are a great escape. It's a quirky view of life and your loved ones in the big city - sort of Green Acres against a backdrop of Bonfire of the Vanities. I giggled over absurdities and was touched by the real character conflicts. If you enjoy laughing at life and like an insider's view of modern cultures, I'd also suggest Silicon Valley Game.

I am a dyed-in-the-wool (or should I say, dyed-in-the feather?)Parrothead and have loved Jimmy's past endeavors in writing and was looking forward to recieving this book. Cute, but really for the younger set, not the adults. I tried hard to get into it but just couldn't muster the love for the book that I expected. Still an interesting story and if you consider that it was based off of a real pig living in NYC and the fact that they dressed the pig like a dog is a hoot. Speaking of "hoot" - this would be a cute movie like "Hoot" which my younger daughter has watched many times. That's where I'd like to see this story headed - a good, clean, fun movie for the kids that I'd watch with them.

What a FUN book. I read it all in one sitting. The characters are so alive. This would make a great "G" rated movie !!!

Once every ten years or so I start a book that is so bad that I throw it away before finishing it. Throwing it away prevents me from accidentally giving it to someone I love. This is one of those books. It is boring. It has no redeeming qualities. A previous reviewer described it with a perfect adjective "trite". The only reason this book made it to print is because the publisher knew the author's name would make it sell.

Jimmy Buffett might noteven be on my list of favorite singers; But he is a Great writer of both tunes and books. He sure has the ability to weave a story. This one is a light read - great for summer and for All ages. My 12-year old niece enjoyed the book as well.

It's a light, funny, very short read. I think it's better suited to read along with your kids, as it is not your 'serious' type of book. It's a 'kid's pig tale." That being said, it was very enjoyable and will be a proud addition to all my other 1st additions of everything he's written.

For an adult audience, this book is way off the mark. I can't review it as a child but this is the only applicable group that would find this book entertaining. The ending is so syrupy, everything good that could possibly happen to the characters does. I know that kids like happy endings but how this book closes is just ridiculous. It should have clearly been marketted as childrens book, to not is to mislead tons of Buffett fans (myself included) who think they're buying an adult book. In addition, the font is big, the space between the lines is large, it's just over 200 pages, I finished it in two and a half hours - a lengthy read it's not. Very disappointing on multiple levels.

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (6/08)

Rumpy is not your everyday pig. Besides being very opinionated and extremely eloquent, Rumpy is an outstanding goalie, and a teammate of Barley, who lives and breathes soccer. The two narrators share their living space with Ellie, Barley's divorced mom, soccer coach and an accomplished chef; and Maple, Barley's twin sister, the fashion savvy and nearly genius designer at the ripe old age of 12. Syrup the Cat completes the happy family, not saying much but being always there. At the beginning of the story the four of them are living in Tennessee, while the Dad is presently in Alaska, doing a dog commercial and working on his sixty-seventh screenplay. Dad did sell his first script many years ago, but not a single one since then; and his appearances in the children's lives are few and far apart. The four family members lead a rather quiet life until Ellie decides to take a job in a fancy four-star hotel in New York City and move the entire family there.

This is where the real fun starts. The hotel's policy prohibits Exotic Pets on the premises, so Rumpy has to go into hiding. She does not take to this too kindly, missing her outings, the soccer games and the chance to possibly find her brother Lukie, whom she believes lives in New York City as well. To make matters worse, it seems that Ellie's boss, the despicable Boucher, is suspicious and has set his sights on finding Rumpy and transforming her into a dinner or two for himself. This is how a series of hilarious events is set in motion, with escapades ranking from silly to daring, and narrated by either Rumpy or Barley.

"Swine Not?" by Jimmy Buffett is based on the true story of a friend who actually did have a pig while living in Manhattan. This heartwarming tale of an adventurous pig, a bunch of tough New York pigeons and some more-or-less clueless humans will bring lots of smiles and many a chuckle to readers of all ages. Illustrations and photographs by Helen Bransford, Jimmy Buffett's friend who brought him her original pot-bellied pig story, complete the charming, if sometimes slightly lightweight tale. Silly enough for children, zany enough for the adults who admit to still having a child deep within, this book is nice summer reading for anybody who's not in the mood for something overly challenging and deep.

I was excited about another Jimmy Buffett novel, but Swine Not? was a total disappointment! I don't know what audience this book was intended for, but it had absolutely nothing for me.

I was expecting a little more - I honestly couldn't get in to the book.

I just read Jimmy's new novel and though I like a salty piece of land alot more, This is a great book and I strongly urge you to read it.

Glenn Marlow

This book came very fast and was in perefct shape. It's another great read by Jimmy!!

I have enjoyed Jimmy's other books. They were fun, interesting reads, great escapism, and entertaining. "Swine Not" is, at best, a kid's book and not a particularly good one. I'm amazed by the reviewers that gave it a 4 or 5. It just isn't funny. I hope Jimmy keeps writing but sticks to what he does best. I know you can't knock it out of the park every time but I wouldn't have put my name on this book. Glad I bought it at a discounted price. It's going to Goodwill.

Just some advice: Jimmy...don't quit you singing career!! My wife gave me this book for my BD...I was skeptical at first and grew even more so as I got into the book. Whew...what a waste of my time...and yours, too! Maybe, and it's a BIG "maybe" this story might lend itself to one of those very colorful and largely illustrated children's book, but a novel, it ain't!! Reduce the type face to a "normal" size and reduce the spacing between the lines and you have a short story that is very dumbed- down and boring....cutesy would also be an applicable word. As you can see, I am not a fan of this book. Another bit of advice...this time to you: Spend your hard earned money on something else! This book should be butchered for bacon! Enough said...Oink! :-)

easy read.........Jimmy is a great story teller and this tale was fun....New Yorkers will love the setting and maybe, just maybe, this could really happen!

I've always a fan of the man's books since I was a kid looking for Joe Merchant. This book has the same fun feeling and wonderment at the world you would expect from Jimmy Buffett, but I confess that I do miss the island hopping adventures that make his books so unique.

This would be a GREAT book to read with your kids. A modern day Charlotte's Web written by the biggest kid there ever was. Parakeets enjoy!

This one is definitely not up to standard with the others. While it was semi-alright, I would not have read this if it did not have Jimmy Buffett's name on it.

I really, really wanted to love this book, as I, too, am a Jimmy Buffett fan. But, I can't love it; can barely like it. As others have pointed out, it's a kid's book (barely) disguised as an adult's novel. Plus, I can't get past some of the continuity issues (blizzards in New York City before Halloween? Huh???). Kind of sloppy, really. Adults should probably avoid this and leave it for the kiddies. Re-read Where is Joe Merchant?, A Salty Piece of Land, and Tales From Margaritaville instead, if you want fiction from Jimmy. I'll wait for his next book and hope it's better than this.

Rumpy's life as a pig has been pretty easy until now. His family is loving and ensures every bit of attention is lavished on him. But now his family has moved him to New York City where they have to keep him hidden from a cleaver wielding chef appropriately named Boucher. Rumpy wants to keep his family happy but he dreams of finding his brother, Lukie. What's a pig to do?

SWINE NOT? is a fun loving tale that perfectly captures the joy and imagination of youth. Told alternately through the eyes of Rumpy and his boy owner, Barley, the storyline is a masterpiece of humor and love. While geared more towards young adults, SWINE NOT? is a tale that transcends age.

Rumpy adds a voice to an unusual pet, a pot bellied pig. Anyone who has ever had a pet knows just how much emotions animals have and Rumpy epitomizes this. I must admit that I've never really understood having a pig as a pet but Jimmy Buffett conveys such a heartfelt character in Rumpy's case that it is hard not to find Rumpy lovable.

SWINE NOT? is loosely based on the real life tales of illustrator Helen Bransford. Accompanying the story are illustrations that only further the realism of Rumpy and his experiences. I'll never look at soccer in the same way again! This zany but oh so wonderful tale is simply a joy to read as the quirky characters show the strength of a family in the most unusual of circumstances.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

I decided to read this book for the obvious reason - it is written my Jimmy Buffett, of whom which I am a loyal fan. It was no where near as long as his past books, and the chapters were very short. The story was easy to follow and almost reminded me of a young adults book (not that that is a bad thing, it was just an easy read, 256 pages). I am an animal lover, so I understand how the family in the book feels like it must go to great lengths to protect their hoofed family member. This book is an easy read for anyone, and would be a great story to read to kids, since the chapters are short, the tale is fun, and the characters are easy to relate with. It is not your typical Jimmy book however with drunk sailors/cowboys, tropical places, and lyric references dropped in random places. Still a good read however.

Okay, I'm an old Parrothead from way back, too...I have read his other books, and have to say that they are well-written, have quirky plots, and appeal to his fan base. That said, I expected more of the same. I was wrong. This book should be marketed as a 8-10 year old's "novel" at best...at worst, he took an idea that someone else brought to him, and claimed it for himself, which he readily admits in the prologue. Oh, he gave the original author credit for the illustrations, but really!!! Shame on you, Jimmy!! Maybe life is stranger than fiction, and maybe this tale is part truth and mostly fiction, but for an adult expecting a true novel, this is a poor excuse and a disappointment. I'll be wary before I buy another book by this author....he is better than this, and his earlier books prove it. Sorry, but this is the truth as I see it.

I'm a huge Buffett fan and pre-ordered this book just because Jimmy wrote it, but I have to say I'm a little disappointed. This has to be his poorest literature offering to date. I'm not sure what I expected and I didn't totally dislike the book, it's just not what I have come to expect from Jimmy. Perhaps that's why he wrote it, but I really enjoyed his past books and would have liked something more along those lines. It is definitly a kids book and a pretty good one when taken soley as such. I however miss the Joe Merchant characters and ocean adventures which this is far from. I would recommend it to kids to read and loyal Buffett fans just because it's a JB book. Other than that...it was an ok read for me, entertaining enough to hold your attention, but predictable and not really worth reading again in my opinion.

Jimmy Buffett can really write! I bought what I thought was going to be a children's book and read it cover to cover in one sitting. I can't wait for the movie! I like this book so much, I might become a Parrothead. The illustrations were especially creative. Give us more!

As this is a review, I will preface my bias by sharing I am one of Jimmy Buffett's billions of fans and consider him to be a personal hero as a result of his uncanny ability to balance success with family, music, charity, and time to fish, surf, compose and write. As much as I would like to go into a discussion of how I see Mr. Buffett in the same light as the likes of Mark Twain, I did click onto this for the purpose of reviewing Swine Not, which I finished in one day and will now get into my thoughts on the book.
The book opens with Mr. Buffett's dedication to his wife Jane, "Who knows how to put people and pigs together in the same pen."
We are then treated to a Winston Churchill quote, "Always remember, a cat looks down on a man, a dog looks up to a man, but a pig will look a man straight in the eye and see his equal."
Next Mr. Buffett explains how this story found him and, then includes an apology letter to him from Rumpy the pig, who big him during a photo shoot. I suspect we'll be hearing a song about this experience soon.
The book opens with Rumpy the pig speaking to us as she is stuck on a Manhattan rooftop about how she got into this predicament. This serves as a spring board to launch into the back story, which was written in such a way that as I read it, I could visualize the story in my head as if I was watching a fun family movie with sufficient drama, action and humor to keep everybody entertained. The characters in the book are easy to identify with and well developed. Mr. Buffett's imagination does not disappoint as this pig tale stitches together a plot line filled with hope, love, and loyalty. Pick up a copy of Swine Not when you get a chance and you too will be Snorting with Delight.

I have a love and hate relationship with Swine Not! I love it and hate that I read it in one sitting! It's a clever read... one that deserves your attention.

As a Parrot Head from the early days I naturally bought the book because I was curious to see what Mr. Buffett was going to do with the story. He hasn't disappointed me yet... well sans Cheeseburger in Paradise... better known to concert goers as the "potty break song"! Like with his attempt at the movie HOOT from a few years ago I knew not to expect the next Pulitzer Prize winner... Jimmy Buffett and the brand he has created are about Fun and Escapism. Margaritaville is not serious subject matter. Do we really want it to be?

However I must admit I was really surprised that I not only enjoyed Swine Not I couldn't put it down! I NEEDED to know "what happened" to that pig!!!

A "phan" will recognize real life dribbles of familiarities from Mr. Buffett's real life interwoven into the characters of the story. Very nice touch!

Was it far fetched? Yes. Was is just plain fun? Yes. The beauty of a storyteller is that he or she can actually tell a story... based on fact, fiction or both. As is the case with Swine Not. Thanks once again Jimmy.... For all the years! It's been a lovely cruise!

Read "A Pirate Looks At Fifty" and "A Salty Piece of Land" and liked them both. That said, I can't believe Jimmy Buffet put his name on a stupid book like this.

Heart-warming, witty and hilarious, Jimmy Buffett's tale will appeal to animal lovers and anyone wanting to see a little bit of fun and unabashed innocent joy in their reading. When divorce uproots the McBride family from Vertigo, Tennessee to an upscale hotel in Manhattan with a ban on exotic pets, there is no way this family can leave their pot-bellied pig Rumpy, not their beloved soccer-playing pig! In their new fish tank city home, everyone joins in to hide Rumpy from the hotel staff, especially the chef determined to ferret out the strange happenings surrounding his new pastry chef and her family. One escapade upon another ensues as the family adjusts to their new life in New York City and Barton Academy. Soccer-loving Barley adjusts to his new team while his twin sister Maple sets about her Karen Wu designer dreams with a new fervor. Even Syrup the cat seems to adapt to city life. Rumpy has one mission, to find her twin brother Lukie but when it comes to pig sense, Rumpy has completely different tools, obstacles and sources than a private detective to track down a missing family member! Can Rumpy achieve her goal without exposing herself and her family to a heap of trouble?

Inspired by the true life pig tales from illustrator Helen Bransford, Jimmy Buffett's fictional imagination creates a pig tale that will appeal to all ages. Told through the alternating voices of the son Barley and Rumpy, the reader feels the affection and love between the McBride Family and their pet pig Rumpy. Through Barley, the reader hears the voice of a son who seeks to play a protective role over his family and yet a voice that has not lost its wonder and delight in the world before him. Rumpy's story endears the reader with a humorous voice that transforms the familiar and mundane aspects of life into a pig's eye view. With a voice that is cute, sweet, enthusiastic, eclectic and even wise, Rumpy's narrates her odyssey in a manner that brings a bit of magic to the reader's heart. One riotous escapade after another will have readers laughing at the sheer craziness of these pig adventures, cheering on Rumpy and her entourage. Just as quickly, a word of pig wisdom or a glimpse into emotion will touch a tender place in the heart.

Helen Bransford's photo-illustrations complement this book perfectly! The imagery inspires the imagination, allowing the reader to visualize Rumpy's personality in all its shades: soccer goalie, listlessness, poetic musing, humor and generosity, mischief-maker, adventuress extraordinaire to feminine sow-like beauty. With humorous, playful images, she helps the reader enter the world Jimmy Buffett creates in words. Mixing realistic photographic details with drawings, the reader sees Rumpy and his animal friends and adventures from a viewpoint that never just slavishly mirrors the narrative in a staged scene but rather captures the spirit itself of Jimmy Buffett's narrative.

Jimmy Buffett's SWINE NOT? is a fun, fun book for adults as well as all ages. I read this book aloud to my husband. I just could not resist! The humor and gentle yet insightful vision of this book captivates. Swine Not is a book to be shared, with family, friends and anyone who wants to see the fun and goodness in a world seen through a pig's eye and the boy who loves her. SWINE NOT? just brings cheer to a reader, making this book a perfect gift. If you know anyone in the hospital, forget the flowers and give them this book --- or better yet, read it to them. SWINE NOT? is a book that brings inner smiles, laughter and a quiet joy to readers.

Well, not at all what I hoped it would be -- sadly. The book is based on the illustrator's real-life experiences trying to keep a pig hidden in a NY Hotel for four years.

The general synopsis is a southern woman with twins, a pig and cat move to a fancy NY hotel near Central Park to be the new pastry chef and the differing viewpoints regarding the trouble one must go through to hide a pig in the Big Apple.

Each chapter is told in either the pig's voice (surprise) or the twin boy's voice. You'll enjoy the inner life of the pig and all the shenanigans that ensue...disguises...speaking with other animals...the pigeon patrol (yeah, they talk too)...searching for a long-lost twin pig brother -- oh, and did I mention the pig is a mean soccer goalie? Of course there is an "evil" chef who wants to catch the hidden pig -- pork chops anyone?

The main downfall is that this could be restructured into a prize-winning children's book (or a whole series of books)-- it is NOT an adult book; and frankly you will be ticked-off that you weren't told and paid the price. Ugh.

"Charlotte's Web," Wilbur the talking pig and the other barnyard animals are much better (anyone remember "Babe") - for more of a Pig-edge, read "Animal Farm."

I could not put it down. Very fun book and as I discovered, a great book for children to read.
I love Buffett and his music but I did not think this book was going to be so fun.
I encourage all to read it because it tells a tale about a pig in a very different way than I had expected.
Way to go Jimmy!!!!

I'm an old Parrot Head. There isn't much that Old Bubba can do that I don't like. That said, this book was a huge disappointment. I've read all of his previous books and enjoyed them. This one was written at a 3rd grade level. It's trite. Beyond that, it isn't even a good kiddie book. It's syruppy sweet and ultimately predictable.

The only way I can put this. Is this book is awful. I wish they would have listed somewhere that this was a children's book. Even that being said. It was even pretty bad for a kids book. I'm a fan of Buffett's music and I liked Tales from Margaritaville & Joe Merchant. I think Jimmy must have gotten rid of his ghost writer after these books and tried to go about it by him self, with disastrous results. I work in a middle school, and have read better works from school age kids. Stick to the beach ,Mr. Buffett

A must read for old and young alike , I am a Buffett fan very much enjoyed the book, easy read, great story for kids also, it was really nice to sit back and relax with such a great book. Keep up the good work Jimmy.

Being "ParrotHeads" from way back "Swine Not" seemed to be the perfect 23rd anniversary gift for my wife, and true to the "Jimmy Buffett" writing style "Swine Not" did not let us down. When I first asked my wife if there was anything special she wanted for her anniversary, she replied "Not Really". About an hour later she asked for 3 hours of uninterupted time so I could read "Swine Not". I had heard her laughing earlier and then moments of silence, then more laughter. To say the least I was intrigued. So I granted her wish.
I read the book cover to cover, I could not put it down. The way Jimmy presented the story kept me on the edge of my seat, always leading me to the next adventure. He shows the goodness of the twins and also their devilish side, but all in good taste. He also shows that all true life adventures can have very humorous side trips and that is what makes life exciting. Although "Swine Not" is a fictional account of a true story there is a lesson to be learned at every turn of the page. I highly recomend this book to all readers.