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Flying Soup
Flying Soup is the whacked-out story of how a simple video recording turned into an accidental empire, all courtesy of a flying can of tomato soup. When bicyclist and computer nerd Christian Trist and his fellow techno-geek roomies decide they've had enough of the rudeness that cyclists and others encounter on the road, Christian’s near-miss with a can of soup flung from a car window starts the colorful and creative trio of friends off on a mission of revenge – and profit. As their dot.com venture, Flying Soup, takes off to record popularity, they find themselves embattled by religious zealots, extremist politicians, gun-toting good 'ole boys and more, with surprising and often hilarious results.
Paperback
First published April 14, 2013
14 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Bobby Adair
71 books698 followersA bio is a weird thing to write.
Just trying to imagine presenting the highlights of ME sets off alarm bells in my head. Why would anybody want to know anything about me? What about me is remarkable enough to tell?
When I think about these questions, I recall lying on my bed back in high school, headphones muffed over my ears, heavy metal blasting through my head. As with most teens, music’s power seduced me, and as I listened, I found myself admiring the albums' cover art (yeah, I’m old enough that I used to by LP’s) and I found myself reading about the singers and guitar players and drummers in the liner notes. Why? Because those musicians had created something that was deeply personal, passionate, and wonderfully emotional, and they’d shared it with the world. They’d shared it with me.
It made me want to know them through more than just their music. So, I read.
Through the years, I found myself reading about writers I’d enjoyed, historical figures I’d admired, politicians who weren’t dipshits, and business leaders who’d built great companies. Again, why? Who the hell knows? We’re all just people. I think we find each other interesting. We like to feel connected.
And that was my answer, at least as to the WHY.
On the WHAT I can say about me, for those who feel moved by my work: I’ll give it a quick go.
I was born an Air Force brat and lived in a dozen states before I graduated high school. I’ve worked my way through a wide variety of jobs, left most on a whim, owned businesses, lived through times when I had more money than I knew what to do with, and worried my way through times when I wondered how I’d pay the rent.
Life has been boring at times, and it’s been plenty exciting, too. So far.
I’ve traveled to India, stood atop the tallest mountains around, swam with sharks, smarted-off to cops, and been arrested. I’ve tried beer and weed, but never made a thing of either one. I’ve been brushed too close by death a few times. Thankfully, doctors, EMT’s, and nurses were kind enough to put all the pieces together again. I've ridden my bike so deep into the mountains it felt like I was alone on the edge of heaven, and I've watched the red sun sinking on an evening so clear it looked like it was falling off the edge of the world.
I’ve always had a hard time being where I am, wherever that is. My daydreams forever call from just over the horizon.
I’ve been asked by a dozen bosses where I see myself in five years, and I've lied every time, always telling them what they wanted to hear. Because the only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted to be anywhere but there.
Find out more:
http://www.bobbyadair.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BobbyAdairAu...
Just trying to imagine presenting the highlights of ME sets off alarm bells in my head. Why would anybody want to know anything about me? What about me is remarkable enough to tell?
When I think about these questions, I recall lying on my bed back in high school, headphones muffed over my ears, heavy metal blasting through my head. As with most teens, music’s power seduced me, and as I listened, I found myself admiring the albums' cover art (yeah, I’m old enough that I used to by LP’s) and I found myself reading about the singers and guitar players and drummers in the liner notes. Why? Because those musicians had created something that was deeply personal, passionate, and wonderfully emotional, and they’d shared it with the world. They’d shared it with me.
It made me want to know them through more than just their music. So, I read.
Through the years, I found myself reading about writers I’d enjoyed, historical figures I’d admired, politicians who weren’t dipshits, and business leaders who’d built great companies. Again, why? Who the hell knows? We’re all just people. I think we find each other interesting. We like to feel connected.
And that was my answer, at least as to the WHY.
On the WHAT I can say about me, for those who feel moved by my work: I’ll give it a quick go.
I was born an Air Force brat and lived in a dozen states before I graduated high school. I’ve worked my way through a wide variety of jobs, left most on a whim, owned businesses, lived through times when I had more money than I knew what to do with, and worried my way through times when I wondered how I’d pay the rent.
Life has been boring at times, and it’s been plenty exciting, too. So far.
I’ve traveled to India, stood atop the tallest mountains around, swam with sharks, smarted-off to cops, and been arrested. I’ve tried beer and weed, but never made a thing of either one. I’ve been brushed too close by death a few times. Thankfully, doctors, EMT’s, and nurses were kind enough to put all the pieces together again. I've ridden my bike so deep into the mountains it felt like I was alone on the edge of heaven, and I've watched the red sun sinking on an evening so clear it looked like it was falling off the edge of the world.
I’ve always had a hard time being where I am, wherever that is. My daydreams forever call from just over the horizon.
I’ve been asked by a dozen bosses where I see myself in five years, and I've lied every time, always telling them what they wanted to hear. Because the only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted to be anywhere but there.
Find out more:
http://www.bobbyadair.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BobbyAdairAu...
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 3, 2013
I picked this book up as a freebie on Amazon. After all free is my favorite price :-)
As with most amazon free books that are not archives, I had to add this one to goodreads.
Going into this fairly blind was a little scary. What was I was committing to?
The book ended up being really good. I really want to give this book 4 stars. I think this book was better than perhaps some other books I rated 4 stars. What really held it back for me was the spoken language in it. The author really wants to make sure that you know you are dealing with some college boys and will go to great exaggerated lengths to remind the reader of that. Can be painful "bro."
There also a protagonist who takes on the role of the heavy handed, outspoken, fall over right mega-church preacher. Extremest would be putting it lightly. To be honest, it certainly covers the stereotypes that go along with the presented personality. I thought it played well into the category, but may have pushed it a little too far beyond reasonable belief when asking followers to commit certain deeds through a public media. I don't know.. maybe not.
This is a SOLID read and can be found on Amazon for free right now. Pick it up and read it. And please take my three star review with a grain of salt... Its probably better than that and I can be pretty harsh, and this site really needs a ten point scale.
(edit)
Who cares, it was a page turner, back to 4 stars... and did I mention it was free?
As with most amazon free books that are not archives, I had to add this one to goodreads.
Going into this fairly blind was a little scary. What was I was committing to?
The book ended up being really good. I really want to give this book 4 stars. I think this book was better than perhaps some other books I rated 4 stars. What really held it back for me was the spoken language in it. The author really wants to make sure that you know you are dealing with some college boys and will go to great exaggerated lengths to remind the reader of that. Can be painful "bro."
There also a protagonist who takes on the role of the heavy handed, outspoken, fall over right mega-church preacher. Extremest would be putting it lightly. To be honest, it certainly covers the stereotypes that go along with the presented personality. I thought it played well into the category, but may have pushed it a little too far beyond reasonable belief when asking followers to commit certain deeds through a public media. I don't know.. maybe not.
This is a SOLID read and can be found on Amazon for free right now. Pick it up and read it. And please take my three star review with a grain of salt... Its probably better than that and I can be pretty harsh, and this site really needs a ten point scale.
(edit)
Who cares, it was a page turner, back to 4 stars... and did I mention it was free?
August 23, 2013
FLYING SOUP begins with a truck driver deliberately trying to wipe out a bicyclist. Once he realized Christian had survived flying over the hood, the driver left, after running over the $5000 bike. Christian lives with two schoolmates, Mohamed, who is a Conservative black Christian and Buster, who is a gay white liberal. Christian’s friends commiserate with him and when Christian says he wouldn’t be able to identify the truck driver or vehicle, say it’s too bad he wasn’t wearing a PRD (personal recording device) so he would have the license plate number as well as the details of the incident.
They complain how too many drivers deliberately try to cause cyclists to have accidents or near misses and how drivers, who may be very nice people, change aggressively when they are behind the wheel and can act anonymously to people they would never see again. The friends get the idea that if bicycle riders and car drivers had PRDs, they could get videos of these events and post them on-line in an attempt for drivers to become more courteous.
Turns out that Buster has invented such a device for bicyclists. It has four cameras, two facing forward from the helmet and the bike and two facing the rear. He installs them on Christian’s helmet and bike and soon they get a video of two youths throwing a can of tomato soup at him. They decide that they can make money by setting up a website (SoupCan.com) posting the video, selling the PRD set, and charging a small users fee to people who are similarly incensed by rude drivers and want to share their experiences.
From the video, Buster was able to identify the car. Christian went to the house to let the boy’s parents know what happened so they could take action. He gave them the can and a copy of the video and let them know he had no interest in reporting it to the police. It turns out that Hoffman Philpot, the father of one of the boy, is a prominent minister of a megachurch.
Bob Patterson, Philpot’s superior of announced, he was going to run for the Presidency of the US because the country is turning away from God. He explains that Article III of the Bill of Rights prohibits Congress from establishing a religion or prohibiting its exercise. But, he continued, Article XII allows the States or the people from doing so. From there on, much of the story discusses hypocrisy among fundamentalist preachers and other members of their groups.
The other main plot is the growth of SoupCan.com.
Many of the observations in this satirical novel are often heard in today’s society:
“Why does he have to be a lunatic just because he’s got an unassailable faith in God and a vision for America?”
“No, I don’t like him because he’s a ignorant, racist, homophobe who wants to make our country into a fascist theocracy.” “The philosophy of a fascist government and the philosophy of a theocracy are almost mutually exclusive.” “When you hate everybody who’s not just like you, it doesn’t matter why you do it, you do it just the same.”
“I you place your faith in another man and rescind your critical thought processes where a human is concerned, you’re making a big mistake.”
“Justice isn’t about truth, or right or wrong. Justice is about money. How much money you’re willing to spend determines how much justice you can buy.”
“People build their opinions based on their belief system, not on the evidence.”
As is true in many satires, the characters tend to be exaggerated stereotypes. I almost made a mistake by giving up on FLYING SOUP after the first few chapters. There was too much profanity and, too a lesser degree at that point, too much technical internet website information. (None geek readers can skip most of that without losing any of the storyline or plot.) But I won the book in a Goodreads contest and felt obligated to try to finish it and write a review. In addition, the author’s cover letter began “Dear Whatever-Your-Name-Is” which was crossed out and my name was handwritten over it. And, the biographical information, summary, and recommendations on the back cover set the mood for humor and satire. I have downloaded another of Bobby Adair’s books.
I received a copy of this book as a Goodreads First Reads winner.
They complain how too many drivers deliberately try to cause cyclists to have accidents or near misses and how drivers, who may be very nice people, change aggressively when they are behind the wheel and can act anonymously to people they would never see again. The friends get the idea that if bicycle riders and car drivers had PRDs, they could get videos of these events and post them on-line in an attempt for drivers to become more courteous.
Turns out that Buster has invented such a device for bicyclists. It has four cameras, two facing forward from the helmet and the bike and two facing the rear. He installs them on Christian’s helmet and bike and soon they get a video of two youths throwing a can of tomato soup at him. They decide that they can make money by setting up a website (SoupCan.com) posting the video, selling the PRD set, and charging a small users fee to people who are similarly incensed by rude drivers and want to share their experiences.
From the video, Buster was able to identify the car. Christian went to the house to let the boy’s parents know what happened so they could take action. He gave them the can and a copy of the video and let them know he had no interest in reporting it to the police. It turns out that Hoffman Philpot, the father of one of the boy, is a prominent minister of a megachurch.
Bob Patterson, Philpot’s superior of announced, he was going to run for the Presidency of the US because the country is turning away from God. He explains that Article III of the Bill of Rights prohibits Congress from establishing a religion or prohibiting its exercise. But, he continued, Article XII allows the States or the people from doing so. From there on, much of the story discusses hypocrisy among fundamentalist preachers and other members of their groups.
The other main plot is the growth of SoupCan.com.
Many of the observations in this satirical novel are often heard in today’s society:
“Why does he have to be a lunatic just because he’s got an unassailable faith in God and a vision for America?”
“No, I don’t like him because he’s a ignorant, racist, homophobe who wants to make our country into a fascist theocracy.” “The philosophy of a fascist government and the philosophy of a theocracy are almost mutually exclusive.” “When you hate everybody who’s not just like you, it doesn’t matter why you do it, you do it just the same.”
“I you place your faith in another man and rescind your critical thought processes where a human is concerned, you’re making a big mistake.”
“Justice isn’t about truth, or right or wrong. Justice is about money. How much money you’re willing to spend determines how much justice you can buy.”
“People build their opinions based on their belief system, not on the evidence.”
As is true in many satires, the characters tend to be exaggerated stereotypes. I almost made a mistake by giving up on FLYING SOUP after the first few chapters. There was too much profanity and, too a lesser degree at that point, too much technical internet website information. (None geek readers can skip most of that without losing any of the storyline or plot.) But I won the book in a Goodreads contest and felt obligated to try to finish it and write a review. In addition, the author’s cover letter began “Dear Whatever-Your-Name-Is” which was crossed out and my name was handwritten over it. And, the biographical information, summary, and recommendations on the back cover set the mood for humor and satire. I have downloaded another of Bobby Adair’s books.
I received a copy of this book as a Goodreads First Reads winner.
June 18, 2013
Christian Trist is a young guy who is working in the tech world. He loves to ride his bike, and he has no idea that one person’s rude action toward him during a bike ride will affect his future. An anonymous passenger in a car throws and a can of soup at him while he is riding. His friend has attached a camera he developed to his bike so the whole thing is caught on video. From here his techy friends and Christian decide to put together a website designed to expose the anonymous jerks in people’s lives. Their goal is to make lots of money, and maybe change society a little. They never realized what a website could do to their lives, and the other individual’s lives who are involved with the incident.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I first picked it out. But I knew that I really liked the name. When I started reading the book I could really relate to the three techies in this book. While my friends aren’t techies they are artists who sit around dreaming up new things, and ways to make it succeed. And even though parts of the book seem like it is attacking religion, and religious people. I didn’t take it that way. I felt like the author was trying to use a humorous approach to point out some hypocrisy that is in organized religion. While the pastor in the book loses his way religiously, I felt like his best friend the Deacon was not the stereotype of a religious fanatic. I also liked that Christian really is a good person, who is smart and honest. He knows when to walk away so that he can really enjoy his life.
Overall, this is a fun book to read, and don’t take some of what is said too seriously. It is well written, and the characters are easy to relate to.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I first picked it out. But I knew that I really liked the name. When I started reading the book I could really relate to the three techies in this book. While my friends aren’t techies they are artists who sit around dreaming up new things, and ways to make it succeed. And even though parts of the book seem like it is attacking religion, and religious people. I didn’t take it that way. I felt like the author was trying to use a humorous approach to point out some hypocrisy that is in organized religion. While the pastor in the book loses his way religiously, I felt like his best friend the Deacon was not the stereotype of a religious fanatic. I also liked that Christian really is a good person, who is smart and honest. He knows when to walk away so that he can really enjoy his life.
Overall, this is a fun book to read, and don’t take some of what is said too seriously. It is well written, and the characters are easy to relate to.
August 21, 2013
The premise of this satirical novel involves hidden cameras, turn of the millennium technology and stock markets, narrow-minded Christian fundamentalist pastors running for high-level political positions, and people acting like moronic idiots. The amusement relies heavily on many types of irony and ridiculous, seemingly over-the-top, “shock-value” characters. There were many times I found myself chuckling, but with this brand of humor, the true comedic satisfaction is in the “bigger picture” of the novel. As I mentioned, the characters can initially come across as grossly exaggerated, but I’m a firm believer in Arthur Conan Doyle’s conviction that “life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind could invent” and this can certainly be applied here. All you have to do is flip on your TV to a televangelist program (preferably a Sunday edition), peruse the internet for far right-wing fundamentalist sites, or drive to your local Mega-Church and you will quickly learn that Adair’s religious zealots are not as far-fetched as you first believed. The presumably twenty/early thirty-somethings are also not exempt from this rule. Sometimes their language sounds a bit dated (I had to keep reminding myself that the novel is set in the early 2000s) and some dialogues occasionally came across as “forced,” but overall, “the sodomite, the terrorist, and the peeper” ended up being realistic, likeable characters. As for the writing style and pace, it is an easy, quick read with a calculated plot that at many times sucks you into the unfolding events. I liked the book more than I anticipated, and I would most likely recommend it to all my “spiritual, but not religious,” middle-of-the-political-road, good-humored friends and acquaintances.
October 7, 2018
Flying Soup has a fairly simple story line; three young men working in the tech world suddenly become multi-millionaires from a viral video shot of a reverend's son throwing a soup can at the book's main character Christian Trist. However, this book holds a deep message that reveals the hypocrisy and corruption in men of faith who begin to seek more than just God's guidance and pursue a life of power and greed. Honestly, I found this book to be more terrifying than funny because of how Adair depicts the darker side of faith in God, and how faith mixed with one's own personal agenda can be as deadly and evil as Satan himself. I won't lie, reading this book was not as easy as I expected because I felt as if the beginning dragged on too much. I didn't really like the long and boring dialogue in the first half, but once the story started to pick up, it became more bearable. Overall, I think that this story has a great meaning and true but terrifying message, and it's definitely a great reminder that church and state should never mix!!
*A copy of this novel was generously provided by the publisher through a Goodreads giveaway for reviewing purposes.
*A copy of this novel was generously provided by the publisher through a Goodreads giveaway for reviewing purposes.
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August 14, 2013I received this book from the Goodreads First reads giveaway program.
Flying Soup by Bobby Adair is about three buddies Christian Mohamed and Buster. Christian is a bike rider who seems to find the people that don't like bike riders sharing the road. After a truck deliberately hits him and destroys his bike his buddies feel he should be using a PRD (personal recording device). He starts recording his rides to try and catch the jerks that go out of their way to hurt someone anonymously. Another incident happens where someone throws a can of tomato soup at him. The incident is caught on the prd and they go to the perps house (the son of a religious leader). They end up starting a website FlyingSoup where people can buy the device and post their videos to shame the offenders ... the website takes off.
While I love humor and I am very sarcastic myself, this novel was not really something I could enjoy. I didn't care for the offensive language or dialogue at times.
Flying Soup by Bobby Adair is about three buddies Christian Mohamed and Buster. Christian is a bike rider who seems to find the people that don't like bike riders sharing the road. After a truck deliberately hits him and destroys his bike his buddies feel he should be using a PRD (personal recording device). He starts recording his rides to try and catch the jerks that go out of their way to hurt someone anonymously. Another incident happens where someone throws a can of tomato soup at him. The incident is caught on the prd and they go to the perps house (the son of a religious leader). They end up starting a website FlyingSoup where people can buy the device and post their videos to shame the offenders ... the website takes off.
While I love humor and I am very sarcastic myself, this novel was not really something I could enjoy. I didn't care for the offensive language or dialogue at times.
June 18, 2013
This is a very funny fictional take on the tech explosion of the very late 1990s. Imagine, if you will, three tech geeks that decide to set up a movie clip website to shame people that have annoyed them (and others). What would happen if the very first clip they post goes viral... and just happens to identify the culprit as the son of a conservative televangelist (with political leanings)? Basically, the story covers a lot of ground, some serious some not. The writing flows well, the characters are as developed as (I think) they have to be. There are some voyerism issues and a lot of basic crudeness that I suspect will turn some people off, but in a way I felt they added to the story. The really disturbing thing is that it all rings so very true. The world in the internet age really has gone this mad.
July 8, 2013
Excellent Book!
Bobby Adair’s writing style is witty and fluid. His plot is intricate and interesting as he weaves the story around Christian, Mohammed and Buster, three lifelong friends that discover a device to exact karma back on people that prey on others. This is a must read because his dialogue is funny and profound simultaneously. The characters are fully fleshed out three dimensional characters with real strengths and flaws that are intertwined with hypocritical religious and political elements. I find this book poignantly up to date to what is going on in the world around us. A true satirical blend of technology, religion and politics combined with the dreams of three men just trying to get ahead.
Bravo Mr. Adair. A splendid book well worth the read!
Bobby Adair’s writing style is witty and fluid. His plot is intricate and interesting as he weaves the story around Christian, Mohammed and Buster, three lifelong friends that discover a device to exact karma back on people that prey on others. This is a must read because his dialogue is funny and profound simultaneously. The characters are fully fleshed out three dimensional characters with real strengths and flaws that are intertwined with hypocritical religious and political elements. I find this book poignantly up to date to what is going on in the world around us. A true satirical blend of technology, religion and politics combined with the dreams of three men just trying to get ahead.
Bravo Mr. Adair. A splendid book well worth the read!
July 31, 2013
Thank God for a stand-alone, satirical novel that I immensely enjoyed. I received this book as part of a GoodReads giveaway and it made me damn happy.
Flying Soup is one of those books that you should know the plot line before reading it, all the while expecting not to take yourself or Adair's humor too seriously. If you do that, it's fan-freaking-tastic and hilarious.
My father, who is the grumpiest man in the world, will be receiving this book for his birthday. Not my copy, though; I don't like sharing.
"The Bobby" did a great job.
Flying Soup is one of those books that you should know the plot line before reading it, all the while expecting not to take yourself or Adair's humor too seriously. If you do that, it's fan-freaking-tastic and hilarious.
My father, who is the grumpiest man in the world, will be receiving this book for his birthday. Not my copy, though; I don't like sharing.
"The Bobby" did a great job.
February 5, 2014
This book is a hoot. It has no pretensions other than to entertain, and that it does as events are set in motion. A guy starts out riding his bicycle and is nearly ran over. This leads to a chain of events that quickly escalate out of any of the characters' control. The intention to expose jerky behavior takes a political turn as well as launches a new wildly successful dot.com and well...things just get out of hand. Besides really over the top character names (and name calling), the story moves well with some unexpected twists and turns. I thought this was a lot of fun to read.
June 19, 2013
Wow... This book was definitely a worth while read for me. If you like to read great novels with twist and turns in the story you need to check out Flying Soup. The story alone will keep you in suspense and wondering what will happen next..
Check it out.
Check it out.
August 2, 2013
Flying Soup by Bobby Adair
Goodreads Author
I enjoyed following the 3 characters, Christian, Buster and Mohamed. The story has twist and turns
that amuse you. Religion, politics, and humor are sprinkled throughout the story. Very entertaining read.
Goodreads Author
I enjoyed following the 3 characters, Christian, Buster and Mohamed. The story has twist and turns
that amuse you. Religion, politics, and humor are sprinkled throughout the story. Very entertaining read.
July 17, 2013
This is a very funny book. As someone has previously stated, the "bro" talk is a bit irritating.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews