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Mermaid Mambo
Dumped, duped, and depressed, Joni Herrschwitz has nearly given up when a serendipitous meeting with brazen, former professional mermaid Ruby Witherspoon puts her on a life-altering adventure in a yellow cab headed south. From New York to Florida, Ruby, Joni, and their mysterious cab driver, Maria Munoz, learn what really matters in life as they stop at every tacky tourist trap they pass. Their destination is Weeki Wachee, a forgotten Florida roadside attraction where mermaids have performed since the 1940s. When Ruby neglects to inform her stick-in-the-mud daughters of her travel plans, they send out an alert, and to their chagrin, the entire country gets involved in the search. And when a New York shock jock starts to tango with Ruby on the radio, things get chaotic - and dangerous. The road to Weeki Wachee is lined with laughter, romance and life. Just open your eyes and swim along for the ride. ----- Oprah introduced the world to Fawn Germer, saying how "very inspiring" her writing was. Oprah didn't know about Fawn's wild and irreverent other side, which she lets loose in her hysterically funny first novel, Mermaid Mambo. She is the author of two best-selling books, Hard Won Wisdom and Mustang Sallies. A four-time Pulitzer-nominated journalist, she was a correspondent for The Washington Post and U.S. News and World Report. She is one of the nation's most sought-after keynote speakers on leadership, risk-taking and personal empowerment."
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 8, 2023
Prepare to be entertained!!
August 15, 2016
I picked up this book at a book exchange because I loved the title and the cover, and when I saw that the author had also written a book called Mustang Sallies, I was sold (I drive a Mustang - I am a Mustang Sally). I had no idea it had anything to do with the Weeki Wachee mermaid show and it's a complete coincidence that my husband and I had gone to see said attraction last November when visiting my sister, who lives in nearby Brooksville. We thought it would be a fun, kitschy, Florida-esque thing to do. The spring was beautiful and it was interesting to see how the mermaids are able to stay underwater without obvious breathing apparatus, but on the whole, we thought it would have been more enjoyable with a child in tow.
This book added perspective on the iconic aspect of this pre-Disney retro attraction and made me look back on the experience of mermaid-watching with greater affection. It had not occurred to me that there must be generations of mermaids who have long since moved on to other phases of life. It was great fun to read about this group and especially, to see the photos of actually mermaid alumnae near the end of the book.
No, this is not great literature, and yes, it's Chick Lit, but the author has nailed it if the goal was to make the reader laugh and reflect just a little bit about life's journey without getting depressed or overly philosophical. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading it. I laughed out loud at the descriptions of the Redneck Festival, and even harder when one of Ruby's reunion mermaid troupe declares, "I got fat!," as if doing so had been one of life's great adventures. Germer has an ear for dialogue and she makes some good points in this story. The characters are flawed and loveable, and I saw this as a theme - that being flawed is a necessary element of being loveable.
I was inspired by the almost-80-years-old Ruby and encouraged by her unwillingness to conform to the conventions that typically define older Americans. I loved her. I'm not quite to her stage in life yet (although I'll admit that the Mustang is a mid-life crisis car), but when I get there, I plan to draw upon her as a role model.
In short, this book is wildly fun and unforgettable, and .I've already ordered another copy and had it sent to my sister in Florida.
This book added perspective on the iconic aspect of this pre-Disney retro attraction and made me look back on the experience of mermaid-watching with greater affection. It had not occurred to me that there must be generations of mermaids who have long since moved on to other phases of life. It was great fun to read about this group and especially, to see the photos of actually mermaid alumnae near the end of the book.
No, this is not great literature, and yes, it's Chick Lit, but the author has nailed it if the goal was to make the reader laugh and reflect just a little bit about life's journey without getting depressed or overly philosophical. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading it. I laughed out loud at the descriptions of the Redneck Festival, and even harder when one of Ruby's reunion mermaid troupe declares, "I got fat!," as if doing so had been one of life's great adventures. Germer has an ear for dialogue and she makes some good points in this story. The characters are flawed and loveable, and I saw this as a theme - that being flawed is a necessary element of being loveable.
I was inspired by the almost-80-years-old Ruby and encouraged by her unwillingness to conform to the conventions that typically define older Americans. I loved her. I'm not quite to her stage in life yet (although I'll admit that the Mustang is a mid-life crisis car), but when I get there, I plan to draw upon her as a role model.
In short, this book is wildly fun and unforgettable, and .I've already ordered another copy and had it sent to my sister in Florida.
January 19, 2008
This book was cute. I picked it up in the gift shop at Weeki Wachee Springs, when we went a couple of weeks ago. One of the main character is a former Weeki Wachee mermaid, taking a zany road trip back to the park for the mermaid reunion, which actually took place last year. So the verisimillitude was kind of cool. And since I had just been to the park, I could really picture it in the scenes that took place there.
That said, it was an enjoyable book, but nothing outstanding. I'm not familiar with the publishing house, but the design just looks like something self-published or from a very very small house. A fair amount of typos (but hey, those are in books from big houses too - no one seems to employ copy editors these days) and inconsistencies (a website that features large in the book changes URLs). And while the story was fairly well-plotted and decently told, it just didn't have that spark that made the characters real. Maybe the story went too quickly from Point A to Point B, and didn't take the time to let us get to know the people telling the story.
That said, I enjoyed it anyway. If only because they spent some time at Weeki Wachee, and made a pit stop at South of the Border, where I've stopped on many a trip up and down I-95. The author has a great eye for detail. She needed to use it more.
That said, it was an enjoyable book, but nothing outstanding. I'm not familiar with the publishing house, but the design just looks like something self-published or from a very very small house. A fair amount of typos (but hey, those are in books from big houses too - no one seems to employ copy editors these days) and inconsistencies (a website that features large in the book changes URLs). And while the story was fairly well-plotted and decently told, it just didn't have that spark that made the characters real. Maybe the story went too quickly from Point A to Point B, and didn't take the time to let us get to know the people telling the story.
That said, I enjoyed it anyway. If only because they spent some time at Weeki Wachee, and made a pit stop at South of the Border, where I've stopped on many a trip up and down I-95. The author has a great eye for detail. She needed to use it more.
July 7, 2010
This book was rescued off of the library for sale rack for 50 cents. I started reading the book and loved it except for the ending. Started it one day and finished it the next day. This is a super easy read and lots of fun but definitely a Chic-lit type book.
The ending was to quick and did not resolve a couple of plot lines... maybe a sequel.?
The story was a hoot. Its about a 78 year old woman who convinces a NY taxi driver to drive her to Weeki Wachee for her 60 year mermaid reunion. The main character, Ruby, was a mermaid at the Florida resort, Weeki Wachee many years ago. She is desperate to get to the reunion to swim with the other mermaids despite her daughters insistence that she move to an assisted living facility. Along the many road stops, she picks up an assortment of crazy characters,and I laughed out loud on this one. Can't give the ending away, but a bit disappointed in the plot resolution. Some open questions on what happened to a couple of people.
This might make a good movie.. if they do it right. Maybe Betty White as Ruby?
The ending was to quick and did not resolve a couple of plot lines... maybe a sequel.?
The story was a hoot. Its about a 78 year old woman who convinces a NY taxi driver to drive her to Weeki Wachee for her 60 year mermaid reunion. The main character, Ruby, was a mermaid at the Florida resort, Weeki Wachee many years ago. She is desperate to get to the reunion to swim with the other mermaids despite her daughters insistence that she move to an assisted living facility. Along the many road stops, she picks up an assortment of crazy characters,and I laughed out loud on this one. Can't give the ending away, but a bit disappointed in the plot resolution. Some open questions on what happened to a couple of people.
This might make a good movie.. if they do it right. Maybe Betty White as Ruby?
October 6, 2010
taxi, stalker, last hooray, and love.the best blender of chics laughter and driving
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews