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The Stench of Honolulu: A Tropical Adventure
The legendary Deep Thoughts and New Yorker humorist Jack Handey is back with his very first novel-a hilarious, absurd, far-flung adventure tale.
The Stench of Honolulu
Are you a fan of books in which famous tourist destinations are repurposed as unlivable hellholes for no particular reason? Read on!
Jack Handey's exotic tale is full of laugh-out-loud twists and unforgettable characters whose names escape me right now. A reliably unreliable narrator and his friend, who is some other guy, need to get out of town. They have a taste for adventure, so they pay a visit to a relic of bygone days-a travel agent-and discover an old treasure map. She might have been a witch, by the way. Our heroes soon embark on a quest for the Golden Monkey, which takes them into the mysterious and stinky foreign land of Honolulu. There, they meet untold dangers, confront strange natives, kill and eat Turtle People, kill some other things and people, eat another thing, and discover the ruins of ancient civilizations.
As our narrator says, "The ruins were impressive. But like so many civilizations, they forgot the rule that might have saved Don't let vines grow all over you."
The Stench of Honolulu
Are you a fan of books in which famous tourist destinations are repurposed as unlivable hellholes for no particular reason? Read on!
Jack Handey's exotic tale is full of laugh-out-loud twists and unforgettable characters whose names escape me right now. A reliably unreliable narrator and his friend, who is some other guy, need to get out of town. They have a taste for adventure, so they pay a visit to a relic of bygone days-a travel agent-and discover an old treasure map. She might have been a witch, by the way. Our heroes soon embark on a quest for the Golden Monkey, which takes them into the mysterious and stinky foreign land of Honolulu. There, they meet untold dangers, confront strange natives, kill and eat Turtle People, kill some other things and people, eat another thing, and discover the ruins of ancient civilizations.
As our narrator says, "The ruins were impressive. But like so many civilizations, they forgot the rule that might have saved Don't let vines grow all over you."
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2013
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About the author
Jack Handey
12 books360 followersJack Handey is an American humorist. He is best known for his Deep Thoughts, a large body of surrealistic one-liner jokes, as well as his "Fuzzy Memories" and "My Big Thick Novel" shorts. Many people have the false impression that Jack Handey is not an actual person, but a character created by Saturday Night Live or a pen name used by National Lampoon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 753 reviews
August 1, 2013
When you are reading a book by Jack Handey, and you come across a sentence such as: “The sun was like a blazing ball of fire in the sky,” you know you are witnessing genius.
Because yes, the sun literally is a blazing ball of fire in the sky, so structuring the sentence as a metaphor is ironic. But the word “fire” has connotations of heat, and with “blazing” it’s an unbearable, oppressive heat. So. Despite the irony, the description is perfect. This is also ironic. And achievable only in the context of this being a Jack Handey novel.
Art is all about consistency. Yes, The Stench of Honolulu is silly, but’s consistently silly. It’s unwavering, uncompromising. Anyone can make these jokes, but every paragraph, every sentence, for 165 pages? Only Jack Handey. I am not exaggerating: pure genius.
Right now, I’m only on page 64, but this is rapidly becoming of my all-time favorite books. Reviews continues when I finish.
[A few hours later] Okay all done. I was right—easily one of my all-time favorite books. I read it on my e-reader, but I tempted to go get the hard-back edition and keep it with me and read it over and over and over. I spoke about Art before. Let me bring it up once more: you know how people will see some piece of modern art, and say “I could have done that?”
The usual reply is “but you didn't.” Well, let me be clear. I dare you to read The Stench of Honolulu and then say “I could have written that.” I guarantee you couldn't.
Because yes, the sun literally is a blazing ball of fire in the sky, so structuring the sentence as a metaphor is ironic. But the word “fire” has connotations of heat, and with “blazing” it’s an unbearable, oppressive heat. So. Despite the irony, the description is perfect. This is also ironic. And achievable only in the context of this being a Jack Handey novel.
Art is all about consistency. Yes, The Stench of Honolulu is silly, but’s consistently silly. It’s unwavering, uncompromising. Anyone can make these jokes, but every paragraph, every sentence, for 165 pages? Only Jack Handey. I am not exaggerating: pure genius.
Right now, I’m only on page 64, but this is rapidly becoming of my all-time favorite books. Reviews continues when I finish.
[A few hours later] Okay all done. I was right—easily one of my all-time favorite books. I read it on my e-reader, but I tempted to go get the hard-back edition and keep it with me and read it over and over and over. I spoke about Art before. Let me bring it up once more: you know how people will see some piece of modern art, and say “I could have done that?”
The usual reply is “but you didn't.” Well, let me be clear. I dare you to read The Stench of Honolulu and then say “I could have written that.” I guarantee you couldn't.
August 24, 2013
When humor columnist Dave Barry wrote his first novel, he was caught whining, "You mean you have to have characters AND a plot?" Complain though he did, Mr. Barry actually managed to fulfill this challenge and write a pretty decent funny novel.
Jack Handey, on the other hand, didn't appear to be in the mood to work quite that hard. I suppose this book has the scaffolding of a plot, and it is upon this scaffolding that Mr. Handey hangs his relentless 1-3 line jokes.
I could forgive this lack of literary structure if Mr. Handey's jokes were actually funny. But in the dozen or so pages I read, I didn't find anything that made me crack a smile, let alone laugh. While the material may very well be original, it felt incredibly tired - cliched, trite, and just overall highly unpleasant. Though the book is so slight I could have finished it in under an hour, I couldn't bear to subject myself to it so I gave up early on.
My husband tells me that Handey's Deep Thoughts is quite brilliant, so I may still seek that out at some point. But I can't recommend this one at all.
Jack Handey, on the other hand, didn't appear to be in the mood to work quite that hard. I suppose this book has the scaffolding of a plot, and it is upon this scaffolding that Mr. Handey hangs his relentless 1-3 line jokes.
I could forgive this lack of literary structure if Mr. Handey's jokes were actually funny. But in the dozen or so pages I read, I didn't find anything that made me crack a smile, let alone laugh. While the material may very well be original, it felt incredibly tired - cliched, trite, and just overall highly unpleasant. Though the book is so slight I could have finished it in under an hour, I couldn't bear to subject myself to it so I gave up early on.
My husband tells me that Handey's Deep Thoughts is quite brilliant, so I may still seek that out at some point. But I can't recommend this one at all.
March 30, 2023
“When my friend Don suggested we go on a trip to the South Seas together, and offered to pay for the whole thing, I thought Fine, but what’s in it for me?”
This is the opening line. It is comic genius, like every sentence in this extended comedy skit.
This was absolutely ridiculous, absurd and full of crude and insanely creative humor. The audio is read by Jack Handy himself, which is clearly not his main talent, yet it is still enjoyable. The whole thing is total nonsense, in the best and worst tradition of dude humor. It reminds me of the hilarious and refreshingly ham-fisted story that one of my classmates wrote for a school competition in seventh grade, where the teacher read them out loud and we were all rolling on the floor. It was written by a boy not known for his writing, and full of boy boasts like “then I stopped the train with my knuckles” and suchlike. It was pure genius.
The audiobook is a quick listen, but now I am considering buying it because when do you find a book whose every sentence is so perfectly crafted? (He apologized to the city of Honolulu in the afterword.)
This is the opening line. It is comic genius, like every sentence in this extended comedy skit.
This was absolutely ridiculous, absurd and full of crude and insanely creative humor. The audio is read by Jack Handy himself, which is clearly not his main talent, yet it is still enjoyable. The whole thing is total nonsense, in the best and worst tradition of dude humor. It reminds me of the hilarious and refreshingly ham-fisted story that one of my classmates wrote for a school competition in seventh grade, where the teacher read them out loud and we were all rolling on the floor. It was written by a boy not known for his writing, and full of boy boasts like “then I stopped the train with my knuckles” and suchlike. It was pure genius.
The audiobook is a quick listen, but now I am considering buying it because when do you find a book whose every sentence is so perfectly crafted? (He apologized to the city of Honolulu in the afterword.)
September 6, 2016
Dry. Incoherent. Hilarious. It's basically Deep Thoughts crammed into a flimsy plot. I love his stuff, but I could only take so much at a time due to dryness desensitization. Then I'd come back to it and it was hilarious again. So a 3.5 * rounded up. His tone is hysterical, and I could definitely see re-listening to this in the future.
October 22, 2017
Downright hilarious, delightfully absurd, and pleasingly nonsensical, THE STENCH OF HONOLULU is Jack Handey at his finest.
It’s so good, it made me do my funny cowboy dance, and I wouldn’t say that in public if it weren’t absolutely true.
Buy this book. Support Handey’s drinking habit. Have some laughs.
It’s so good, it made me do my funny cowboy dance, and I wouldn’t say that in public if it weren’t absolutely true.
Buy this book. Support Handey’s drinking habit. Have some laughs.
September 1, 2013
this book was funny at least 10 times on every page.
i will put this book on my shelf right next to "The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy"
Jack Handy is a Genius
i will put this book on my shelf right next to "The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy"
Jack Handy is a Genius
July 28, 2013
The great thing about The Stench of Honolulu is that it reads just like "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey". The disappointing thing about The Stench of Honolulu is that reads just like "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey".
I'd always loved the absurdist humor of the old "Deep Thoughts" bits on Saturday Night Live, so when I saw the recent New York Times profile of Handey (in which I learned - how did I miss that for 20 years? - that Handey wasn't a character but an actual writer) and mention of his new novel, I decided to take a chance on this.
On the plus side, there's plenty of Handey's dark, ironic humor on display. There are ample vignettes and one-liners that had me bursting into laughter, and plenty of passages that are straight out of the "Deep Thoughts" style, such as:
and
But, like many, many SNL sketches that overstay their welcome and keep plodding along long after the joke's been played out, The Stench of Honolulu quickly becomes tedious. The nameless narrator isn't set up to be a remotely sympathetic character, but he quickly becomes loathsome in his venality and obliviousness, to the point you're cheering for bad things to happen to him (in part because that's where some of the best humor comes out). The story itself isn't so much a story as it is the cart at a dim-sum restaurant: a simple vehicle whose only purpose is to deliver the small bites of comedy. Not that I was expecting great literature or even riveting storytelling, but it would have been nice if the skeleton had had a little meat on it.
Handey's humor is really best-suited for small doses, and even though this is an exceptionally quick read - I got through it in a little over two hours - The Stench of Honolulu sags under the weight of being too long for the material. Nevertheless, there are enough laughs here - and the humor is indeed excellent when it hits its marks - to make it a worthwhile read.
I'd always loved the absurdist humor of the old "Deep Thoughts" bits on Saturday Night Live, so when I saw the recent New York Times profile of Handey (in which I learned - how did I miss that for 20 years? - that Handey wasn't a character but an actual writer) and mention of his new novel, I decided to take a chance on this.
On the plus side, there's plenty of Handey's dark, ironic humor on display. There are ample vignettes and one-liners that had me bursting into laughter, and plenty of passages that are straight out of the "Deep Thoughts" style, such as:
The best thing about going to outer space is being able to go to a party and say, "I've been to outer space - where've you been?"
and
I gritted my teeth and said okay. "What?" he said. I ungritted my teeth and said okay.(There were many moments like this that would have been right at home in a Zucker Brothers comedy; I could almost picture Leslie Nielsen saying these lines.)
But, like many, many SNL sketches that overstay their welcome and keep plodding along long after the joke's been played out, The Stench of Honolulu quickly becomes tedious. The nameless narrator isn't set up to be a remotely sympathetic character, but he quickly becomes loathsome in his venality and obliviousness, to the point you're cheering for bad things to happen to him (in part because that's where some of the best humor comes out). The story itself isn't so much a story as it is the cart at a dim-sum restaurant: a simple vehicle whose only purpose is to deliver the small bites of comedy. Not that I was expecting great literature or even riveting storytelling, but it would have been nice if the skeleton had had a little meat on it.
Handey's humor is really best-suited for small doses, and even though this is an exceptionally quick read - I got through it in a little over two hours - The Stench of Honolulu sags under the weight of being too long for the material. Nevertheless, there are enough laughs here - and the humor is indeed excellent when it hits its marks - to make it a worthwhile read.
August 5, 2013
A word of warning – do not read this book while wearing a clay facial mask. You’ll just crack it up, rendering it useless and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.
That said, DO read this book (preferably without any substance of any sort on your face of course). If you are like me – you loved Jack Handey’s ‘DEEP THOUGHTS’ on Saturday Night Live – sometime in the past (if you are like me, you don’t remember much before yesterday – in which case that is sad and you should probably see a doctor or eat omega fatty foods or something).
This is Jack’s first novel. And he had me in the first few pages with the words; MUSCULAR ANGRY CLOWN.
This book is classic Handey – and it makes no sense whatsoever. Seriously – it is quite senseless and you find yourself wondering if it takes place in an alternate universe ( I hope it does or I’m never going to Honolulu) or if you are just completely insane (something that’s always possible I guess.).
I laughed so hard and constantly throughout this book, that I actually lost three pounds. I’m pretty sure I’m not kidding here. The book is filled with Handey’s classic ‘thoughts’ and a plot that will make you wonder how much acid you just took.
I do feel the need to add another disclaimer here. This book is expensive. Probably the most expensive I’ve reviewed. For an ebook to be more than $11 is a bit of a travesty in my mind (I blame the publisher – not Handey). Make sure you read the sample and like it before you download. Or use your local library. I like libraries.
I know, I’ve never given such a warning before. But I feel I owe it to you, my minions, to be open about this kind of thingy.
Still – it’s a HILARIOUS book. And I do think, if you’re a Handey fan, you should read it.
Leslie Langtry
That said, DO read this book (preferably without any substance of any sort on your face of course). If you are like me – you loved Jack Handey’s ‘DEEP THOUGHTS’ on Saturday Night Live – sometime in the past (if you are like me, you don’t remember much before yesterday – in which case that is sad and you should probably see a doctor or eat omega fatty foods or something).
This is Jack’s first novel. And he had me in the first few pages with the words; MUSCULAR ANGRY CLOWN.
This book is classic Handey – and it makes no sense whatsoever. Seriously – it is quite senseless and you find yourself wondering if it takes place in an alternate universe ( I hope it does or I’m never going to Honolulu) or if you are just completely insane (something that’s always possible I guess.).
I laughed so hard and constantly throughout this book, that I actually lost three pounds. I’m pretty sure I’m not kidding here. The book is filled with Handey’s classic ‘thoughts’ and a plot that will make you wonder how much acid you just took.
I do feel the need to add another disclaimer here. This book is expensive. Probably the most expensive I’ve reviewed. For an ebook to be more than $11 is a bit of a travesty in my mind (I blame the publisher – not Handey). Make sure you read the sample and like it before you download. Or use your local library. I like libraries.
I know, I’ve never given such a warning before. But I feel I owe it to you, my minions, to be open about this kind of thingy.
Still – it’s a HILARIOUS book. And I do think, if you’re a Handey fan, you should read it.
Leslie Langtry
August 10, 2024
Audioread, narrated by the author.
Chuckles were had.
Chuckles were had.
November 12, 2014
One of the silliest, most joyfully goofy books I've ever read. I laughed out loud several times reading this (not on EVERY PAGE, as the lunatic Ian Frazier says in his pull quote on the front cover. You ok, Ian?), and was pleasantly surprised at how much enjoyed a book that only has the merest semblance of a plot.
I love the dry, bold idiot of a main character Handey has created here (known only to us as "Wrong Way Slurps," a name he made up for himself) and the completely brash way he treats his well-meaning companion Don. I loved how each section basically served as a kind of episode or sketch or something, as Slurps & Don barrel their way through a Honolulu that couldn't be further from the true one. There is very little realism here, and who cares. Realism is bullshit anyway.
If you're a fan of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett, you're gonna like this. It falls in the same category of "bumbling doof stumbles from scenario to scenario, inexplicably avoiding death," making just about every single joke that could be made in the process. The whole ordeal here is ultimately kind of pointless, which in and of itself makes a joke about narrative structure that I thought was smarter than it appears to be.
All that said, the lack of structure can get a little out of control at times, with Handey just kind of spinning off into whatever direction he feels like. I guess some deep part of me does cling to structure, because I am human and need to be told what to think and feel. That little bit of missing constraint may have brought this into being one of my favorite books of all time, but as is, it's just very good. I certainly hope Handey finds the time for more of these.
I love the dry, bold idiot of a main character Handey has created here (known only to us as "Wrong Way Slurps," a name he made up for himself) and the completely brash way he treats his well-meaning companion Don. I loved how each section basically served as a kind of episode or sketch or something, as Slurps & Don barrel their way through a Honolulu that couldn't be further from the true one. There is very little realism here, and who cares. Realism is bullshit anyway.
If you're a fan of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett, you're gonna like this. It falls in the same category of "bumbling doof stumbles from scenario to scenario, inexplicably avoiding death," making just about every single joke that could be made in the process. The whole ordeal here is ultimately kind of pointless, which in and of itself makes a joke about narrative structure that I thought was smarter than it appears to be.
All that said, the lack of structure can get a little out of control at times, with Handey just kind of spinning off into whatever direction he feels like. I guess some deep part of me does cling to structure, because I am human and need to be told what to think and feel. That little bit of missing constraint may have brought this into being one of my favorite books of all time, but as is, it's just very good. I certainly hope Handey finds the time for more of these.
May 31, 2021
Finally, a book that debunks the theory of Hawaii as a paradise. As noted historian Jack Handey correctly notes :Hawaii, land of a thousand nightmares, including pirates, murderous natives, Turtlemen, mutineers and the horrible stench of almost everything. Also attack pelicans, bat bites, and spider bites. The brochures never mention any of this.
As well as not troubling us with a plot, Handey offers several helpful hints, such as how much scotch whisky to carry on a jungle trek ( spoiler alert; 4 bottles, in this case, Glenriddance, which I have been unable to find in Canada...or Scotland) and step by step instructions of how to cook a Turtleman!
Handey's descriptions of the natives is impeccable "She was like a deer,only a two-legged deer with a really nice ass".
I am going to add a history/travel shelf to my bookcase, and devote more time to finding books like this.
As well as not troubling us with a plot, Handey offers several helpful hints, such as how much scotch whisky to carry on a jungle trek ( spoiler alert; 4 bottles, in this case, Glenriddance, which I have been unable to find in Canada...or Scotland) and step by step instructions of how to cook a Turtleman!
Handey's descriptions of the natives is impeccable "She was like a deer,only a two-legged deer with a really nice ass".
I am going to add a history/travel shelf to my bookcase, and devote more time to finding books like this.
April 27, 2021
2.5, rounded up.
The only novel (thank the g-ds!) by Handey of SNL's 'Deep Thoughts' fame, is, like that segment, built on a very thin premise, stretched to absurd lengths. I had heard good things about the book (and hey, Judd Apatow, George Saunders and Jimmy Fallon all blurbed it), but my main impetus for reading it was because I resided in the titular city for two years, and thought it might be a fun remembrance of those days. Alas, the Honolulu depicted here, purposely, bears no resemblance to the actual place. It's really quite silly, but once you get into the groove, some of the jokes land, and since it only take a couple of hours to read (huge font and white space abound), isn't a total waste.
The only novel (thank the g-ds!) by Handey of SNL's 'Deep Thoughts' fame, is, like that segment, built on a very thin premise, stretched to absurd lengths. I had heard good things about the book (and hey, Judd Apatow, George Saunders and Jimmy Fallon all blurbed it), but my main impetus for reading it was because I resided in the titular city for two years, and thought it might be a fun remembrance of those days. Alas, the Honolulu depicted here, purposely, bears no resemblance to the actual place. It's really quite silly, but once you get into the groove, some of the jokes land, and since it only take a couple of hours to read (huge font and white space abound), isn't a total waste.
February 3, 2024
**Rating: 2/5**
I came across this book after it was mentioned by one of the hosts of a podcast I enjoy listening to. I’ve been in a slight reading slump lately and thought some light-hearted comedy might just help get me back into it.
Unfortunately this was neither light-hearted nor comedic. There were a few one-liners that elicited a smile or two, but nothing that warranted a laugh out loud. Add to this a protagonist that’s desperately unlikeable - he’s unfathomably stupid, but not in an endearing or funny way; rather he’s such a nasty person that his idiocy makes him even more unbearable. Some of the jokes in this book also carry racist and misogynistic undertones, which I’m not a fan of.
Can’t say I’d personally recommend this, I’m sure there’re other funnier books out there to enjoy.
I came across this book after it was mentioned by one of the hosts of a podcast I enjoy listening to. I’ve been in a slight reading slump lately and thought some light-hearted comedy might just help get me back into it.
Unfortunately this was neither light-hearted nor comedic. There were a few one-liners that elicited a smile or two, but nothing that warranted a laugh out loud. Add to this a protagonist that’s desperately unlikeable - he’s unfathomably stupid, but not in an endearing or funny way; rather he’s such a nasty person that his idiocy makes him even more unbearable. Some of the jokes in this book also carry racist and misogynistic undertones, which I’m not a fan of.
Can’t say I’d personally recommend this, I’m sure there’re other funnier books out there to enjoy.
August 15, 2013
Not much here in terms of plot, character development, or anything else you probably ought to look for in a good story. But if a book makes me laugh this much out loud I just can't help but give it 5 stars. Such a fun read. I was embarrassed to read it in public, because I didn't want to look like a nut constantly laughing at the adventures of Wrong Way Slurps.
In the jungle you come to realize that death is a part of life. The bat eats the moth. Then the giant moth sucks the life out of the bat. Then the monkey eats the giant moth, pulling the wings off first, because he doesn't like that part. Then the monkey gets a parasite from the moth that slowly eats his brain. It's all part of the beautiful circle of life.
In the jungle you come to realize that death is a part of life. The bat eats the moth. Then the giant moth sucks the life out of the bat. Then the monkey eats the giant moth, pulling the wings off first, because he doesn't like that part. Then the monkey gets a parasite from the moth that slowly eats his brain. It's all part of the beautiful circle of life.
did-not-finish
September 5, 2013Did not finish, so no rating.
For the longest time I thought Jack Handey was a fictional front-porch philosopher made up by the writers at Saturday Night Live. But no, he's real, and he's written a novel. The novel is composed of brief Jack Handeyish thought bubbles, arranged as paragraphs and strung together in a rough sort of order. The novel purports to tell the story of a trip to Hawaii. But all it really is is a collection of one- and two-liners meant to make the reader chuckle. That reader did indeed chuckle over the first few paragraphs. Then he chuckled once per page. Then he tossed the book aside and went looking for something worthwhile to read.
For the longest time I thought Jack Handey was a fictional front-porch philosopher made up by the writers at Saturday Night Live. But no, he's real, and he's written a novel. The novel is composed of brief Jack Handeyish thought bubbles, arranged as paragraphs and strung together in a rough sort of order. The novel purports to tell the story of a trip to Hawaii. But all it really is is a collection of one- and two-liners meant to make the reader chuckle. That reader did indeed chuckle over the first few paragraphs. Then he chuckled once per page. Then he tossed the book aside and went looking for something worthwhile to read.
July 15, 2015
(1 1/2) Maybe I was in a grumpy mood, maybe I was just not into abjectly silly material, I certainly know I will never trust Judd Apatow's recommendations for the funniest books on the planet ever again. I smiled once or twice at a few references in this very short read, but laugh out loud? Not even close. Ridiculous the whole way through (absolutely on purpose). I am glad that Handey was so entertaining on SNL but this is a farce. Luckily it only wasted an hour or so of my time. On to better things.
January 29, 2018
I've decided to read only funny books on planes.
This is what you'd expect from Jack Handey. I laughed outloud a lot. It somehow manages to be slapstick in writing, but at the same time it's slightly dark.
I expected it to actually be set in Hawaii though, but the Honolulu in this book is fictional - it's a foreign country with a different currency and everything. The main character's internal monologue is basically ongoing deep thoughts-esque comments with their weird totally out-of-the-blue punchlines, which are pretty entertaining, and it kind of builds on itself as it goes along.
Kind of like Hana in the English Patient, you can basically start and stop reading from anywhere and it's still funny without needing to know what's going on, so it's nice for reading aloud. Partially read it aloud with a friend who was in the hospital and we laughed a lot.
This is what you'd expect from Jack Handey. I laughed outloud a lot. It somehow manages to be slapstick in writing, but at the same time it's slightly dark.
I expected it to actually be set in Hawaii though, but the Honolulu in this book is fictional - it's a foreign country with a different currency and everything. The main character's internal monologue is basically ongoing deep thoughts-esque comments with their weird totally out-of-the-blue punchlines, which are pretty entertaining, and it kind of builds on itself as it goes along.
Kind of like Hana in the English Patient, you can basically start and stop reading from anywhere and it's still funny without needing to know what's going on, so it's nice for reading aloud. Partially read it aloud with a friend who was in the hospital and we laughed a lot.
October 23, 2013
This book was absolutely perfect: a completely unsympathetic and totally unreliable narrator. No real plot, no pathos. Just dumb joke after dumb joke, one after another, ceaselessly.
When I read the excerpt on Amazon, I was laughing so hard I was crying. And then I realized that I was just crying - which made me laugh again but also terrified me.
I can't give any higher recommendation than that.
When I read the excerpt on Amazon, I was laughing so hard I was crying. And then I realized that I was just crying - which made me laugh again but also terrified me.
I can't give any higher recommendation than that.
January 4, 2014
Oh my. I can’t remember reading a book like this in a long, long time. Completely and totally silly book for grownups. Not that the plot is important in this silly book, but I suppose I must at least tell you a little. Let’s see. Our main character and his friend need to get out of town, visit a travel agent, and learn of a mysterious treasure map. Soon they are off in search of the Golden Monkey.
It’s quite silly, more silly than I can really say, and that’s the charm of it. Don’t go looking for Deep Thoughts or Wisdom of Life or even a plot in this book. Delight in its silliness or leave it on the shelf.
It’s quite silly, more silly than I can really say, and that’s the charm of it. Don’t go looking for Deep Thoughts or Wisdom of Life or even a plot in this book. Delight in its silliness or leave it on the shelf.
December 11, 2020
3.5 stars—a quick and funny read. It’s sort of the same joke over and over, but it’s such a good one that you don’t mind. The plot (even the font!) reminded me of corny choose-your-own-adventure novels I read as a kid, only here shot through with a dark satirical (and surrealist) sensibility. Think “Caltiki, The Immortal Monster” (1959) only set in Hawaii, not Central America; and the protagonist is an idiot, not an archaeologist; and also there’s no immortal monster; but both involve jungles, is my point.
July 31, 2013
This isn't a novel so much as a 200 page running joke. It's a truly singular accomplishment by one of the greatest comedy writers in history. You'll laugh. Then shake your head in awe. Then laugh. Then shake your head in awe. And then you'll probably watch some TV.
September 7, 2013
If it's been a while since you've laughed hard enough to need to check your underwear, please, please, read this book. If you need to smile more, giggle more, snort, bray, or make other assorted animal noises, by all means, do yourself a favor.
August 23, 2023
DNF at ~21%.
Just too pointless for me. The writing was too over-the-top ridiculous, the characters were unlikeable, and the writing felt like every sentence was trying too hard to be funny. Plus, there was misogyny and transphobia used as comedy and the alternate version of Hawaii was just awful.
Just too pointless for me. The writing was too over-the-top ridiculous, the characters were unlikeable, and the writing felt like every sentence was trying too hard to be funny. Plus, there was misogyny and transphobia used as comedy and the alternate version of Hawaii was just awful.
February 13, 2014
Fantastic book! It was hard to read at parts trying to see through the tears! Clever wordplay, zingers and punchlines, this novel is a must for my bookshelf.
February 4, 2022
Mercifully, a quick read. Little more than a loosely interconnected series of dad jokes, one-liners, and clumsy situational humor.
July 28, 2013
I didn't like Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves. It's neat, but it worked too hard to be neat, you know? House of Leaves is like those kids in high school who clomp around with black lipstick or capes or tails sewn into their pants. "Deal with my weirdness," they scream with their outfits, made up of pieces hijacked from one trip to an anime convention or a Google image search of "David Bowie hot." These kids (and House of Leaves) desperately want to be appreciated for their uniqueness; they're terrified that just being themselves won't get them the attention they deserve. So they pretend to be vampires or grow a huge mohawk or, in Danielewski's case, add a bunch of mumbo jumbo footnotes and--get this--print some of the words all topsy turvy, the literary equivalent of "Dad, watch me dive! Dad! Dad! Watch me dive! Dad! Everybody, love me!"
Which brings me to Jack Handey, who is actually, truly, not-trying-hard-at-all weird, and The Stench of Honolulu might be the most bizarre book I've ever read. But it's not a wad of nontraditional literary devices or head-scratching gimmicks; it's weird because Jack Handey is weird, and this is the funny weird stuff that comes out of him.
The book's super short. Don't be fooled by the page count; the extremely heavy font and very short chapters stretch a 100-page novella into a respectably sized book that you could feel good about loaning to your grandma whose eyes aren't so good anymore.
It's also really really funny. I won't spoil the jokes, but the oblivious/terrible/cowardly narrator lets Handey stop along the way to deliver some Deep Thoughts-esque ruminations. That isn't to say those breaks in the action are the only points I was laughing--the plot is equally ridiculous, and Handey turns Hawaiii into a goofy nightmare land, like something out of a racist black and white cartoon.
Even knowing it was Jack Handey and what his whole deal is, I still marvel at how odd this book is. As a high school teacher, I can't wait to toss it into the hands of some teenagers, and watch their cute little heads explode.
Which brings me to Jack Handey, who is actually, truly, not-trying-hard-at-all weird, and The Stench of Honolulu might be the most bizarre book I've ever read. But it's not a wad of nontraditional literary devices or head-scratching gimmicks; it's weird because Jack Handey is weird, and this is the funny weird stuff that comes out of him.
The book's super short. Don't be fooled by the page count; the extremely heavy font and very short chapters stretch a 100-page novella into a respectably sized book that you could feel good about loaning to your grandma whose eyes aren't so good anymore.
It's also really really funny. I won't spoil the jokes, but the oblivious/terrible/cowardly narrator lets Handey stop along the way to deliver some Deep Thoughts-esque ruminations. That isn't to say those breaks in the action are the only points I was laughing--the plot is equally ridiculous, and Handey turns Hawaiii into a goofy nightmare land, like something out of a racist black and white cartoon.
Even knowing it was Jack Handey and what his whole deal is, I still marvel at how odd this book is. As a high school teacher, I can't wait to toss it into the hands of some teenagers, and watch their cute little heads explode.
October 2, 2016
One of the best things about Saturday Night Live in the late 80s was the Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey in between skits.
I never realized that Jack Handey was an actual person!
I also didn't realize that he'd written a couple of novels. I forget how I stumbled across this one but was tickled pink to see how his wit would translate into a novel.
The answer: In many ways, many of his "deep thoughts" strung together into a full story. Having a story context allowed for more "thoughts" that wouldn't otherwise stand alone.
I'll cite some of my favorite ones but first, I have to admit, the story was interesting but the character's narcissism and rather moronic thinking got tired at times.
"I was on a crashing airplane. The old man next to me was praying. Down and down we went. I started hitting the old man with a rolled-up magazine, yelling, "Pray harder, old man!"
"There's no denying reality. I did once, and I wound up running across a field with my pants on fire, with an old man with a shotgun chasing me."
"I became a mummy, driving a car. And I thought, Why am I driving a car? Then I understood: I was plowing down pedestrians."
A giggle fest indeed.
Recommended for any fans of Jack Handey. If you've not read any of his thoughts before, this is for you if you like the zany and downright absurd.
I never realized that Jack Handey was an actual person!
I also didn't realize that he'd written a couple of novels. I forget how I stumbled across this one but was tickled pink to see how his wit would translate into a novel.
The answer: In many ways, many of his "deep thoughts" strung together into a full story. Having a story context allowed for more "thoughts" that wouldn't otherwise stand alone.
I'll cite some of my favorite ones but first, I have to admit, the story was interesting but the character's narcissism and rather moronic thinking got tired at times.
"I was on a crashing airplane. The old man next to me was praying. Down and down we went. I started hitting the old man with a rolled-up magazine, yelling, "Pray harder, old man!"
"There's no denying reality. I did once, and I wound up running across a field with my pants on fire, with an old man with a shotgun chasing me."
"I became a mummy, driving a car. And I thought, Why am I driving a car? Then I understood: I was plowing down pedestrians."
A giggle fest indeed.
Recommended for any fans of Jack Handey. If you've not read any of his thoughts before, this is for you if you like the zany and downright absurd.
May 8, 2021
Probably one of the worst books I have ever read. The cover was catchy. The fact I lived in Honolulu made me "small kine" curious.
The story seems like a futuristic, dystopian O‘ahu. However, knowing the animals that were brought to the islands versus native to the islands, reading about monkeys, gophers, pelicans, gators, and parakeets made me wonder if Mr. Handey had ever been there or if he ever researched Honolulu. All the faux Hawaiian language as well as the faux pidgin was kind of insulting. The way Leilani speaks sounds like the horrible depictions of Native Americans in old films, or maybe the racist stereotypes of Asians in movies. All his fake Hawaiian language had started with Ps (paleeka, paloonga, pekoocha, pakakka, etc). FYI, they don't have double consonants in the language.
Every so often, I thought he might be funny, but the story was all over the place and the constant joking got old, quickly.
The best part of the book was getting to the end, because I thought I was done, and then I saw he wrote, "Apologies to the people of Honolulu" at the end. Even that seemed a bit sarcastic.
It makes me not want to read another of his books. I found it disturbing, to put it mildly.
The story seems like a futuristic, dystopian O‘ahu. However, knowing the animals that were brought to the islands versus native to the islands, reading about monkeys, gophers, pelicans, gators, and parakeets made me wonder if Mr. Handey had ever been there or if he ever researched Honolulu. All the faux Hawaiian language as well as the faux pidgin was kind of insulting. The way Leilani speaks sounds like the horrible depictions of Native Americans in old films, or maybe the racist stereotypes of Asians in movies. All his fake Hawaiian language had started with Ps (paleeka, paloonga, pekoocha, pakakka, etc). FYI, they don't have double consonants in the language.
Every so often, I thought he might be funny, but the story was all over the place and the constant joking got old, quickly.
The best part of the book was getting to the end, because I thought I was done, and then I saw he wrote, "Apologies to the people of Honolulu" at the end. Even that seemed a bit sarcastic.
It makes me not want to read another of his books. I found it disturbing, to put it mildly.
January 1, 2018
You have to be in the right mood to enjoy this book. I used to get a big kick out of "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey" on Saturday Night Live in the 90s. Here Jack Handey - a real person! - tries his hand at a longer form narrative (albeit in bold typeface with wide margins like your high school essays). The results are at times hilarious and laugh out loud funny. Still, it took some determination to power through and finish it.
This book is aggressively silly, featuring an unreliable narrator who nicknames himself "Wrong Way Slurps" and wears underwear on his head as a beret. I'm laughing while writing that; it's just so ridiculous. This story is Deep Thoughts mixed with a feature length Three Stooges movie. Very silly, very funny. If you like Deep Thoughts and that kind of absurd humor you'll like this too.
This book is aggressively silly, featuring an unreliable narrator who nicknames himself "Wrong Way Slurps" and wears underwear on his head as a beret. I'm laughing while writing that; it's just so ridiculous. This story is Deep Thoughts mixed with a feature length Three Stooges movie. Very silly, very funny. If you like Deep Thoughts and that kind of absurd humor you'll like this too.
July 22, 2013
Jack Handey helped shape my sense of humor as a young teenager- he has a way of distilling the absurd and grotesque in the world into brilliant little comic nuggets and hypothetical situations. In The Stench of Honolulu, he demonstrates the entertainment value of a protagonist who is high on self-importance and low on self-awareness (or any sort of reasonable perspective, really). The story is loose, but that's kind of the point. It's a forum for one liners and ridiculous set-ups starring the insufferable jerk Handey created to narrate his "Deep Thoughts" sketches and musings. It's funny. It is very very funny.
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