Skinny Dip

Chaz is a man who has numerous shortcomings.

He is not adept at marriage, his job, being honest, or even murder. However, he does possess a certain skill in fraud, although it's only for a limited time.

He commits a heinous act by throwing his wife off a cruise ship, but miraculously, she survives. At this point, Chaz finds himself in a world of trouble, which is entirely his own doing.

The author, Carl Hiaasen, has masterfully infused this story with humor, ensuring that the good guys ultimately prevail.

Surprisingly, he even manages to redeem a bad guy through an unconventional relationship.

This engaging read takes you on a quirky journey through the swampy expanse of the Everglades, populated by equally eccentric characters who are certain to keep you entertained from start to finish.

It's a unique and enjoyable literary experience that combines elements of mystery, humor, and redemption in a truly captivating way.

Lầy lội, hề hước, tục tĩu, châm biếm. These are all negative and unethical behaviors that can cause harm to others.

Lying is when someone tells an untruth with the intention to deceive. It can damage trust and relationships.

Cheating is another form of dishonesty, often involving breaking rules or taking shortcuts to gain an advantage. It undermines fairness and hard work.

Stealing is the act of taking something that does not belong to you without permission. It is a violation of someone else's property rights.

Insulting is when someone uses words or actions to disrespect or belittle another person. It can cause emotional pain and humiliation.

We should always strive to be honest, fair, respectful, and law-abiding in our interactions with others. By doing so, we can build stronger and more positive relationships, and contribute to a more harmonious and just society.

I had an interesting book trade with my assistant principal. We both love reading, and when we found out, we decided to swap some books. She said hers were trashy but good, and since I usually get my trashy books from the library, I gave her some literary fiction in return.

This particular book was a great read during the long and seemingly endless global pandemic. It was a ridiculously silly story, but after reading the last page where all the loose ends were neatly tied up, it made me think of a Shakespearean comedy like "Twelfth Night" or even "The Tempest". Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but as Jeanette Winterson did with "The Winter's Tale", I couldn't help but draw these comparisons.

I was really impressed with the quality of the writing, despite the predictable plot. I've been to Florida many times, to the Panhandle, the Keys, and the Everglades. I've also read quite a few books set in Florida, and it always seems to be such a unique and quirky place that it almost becomes a character in the story.

It also reminded me of another book I recently read where the heroine was pushed off a ship. Overall, I think I'll definitely read some more books by Carl Hiaasen.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

I have read several of Hiaasen's books, and while they have their merits, I had to take a break from reading them for a while. The main reason for this was that they all started to seem a bit too alike. Each book seemed to follow a similar formula, with a cast of colorful characters and a plot that involved some sort of environmental or social issue. While this can be engaging and thought-provoking, it also became a bit repetitive after a while.

However, I do think that Hiaasen is a talented writer, and his books do have their strengths. His characters are often well-developed and entertaining, and his writing style is engaging and easy to read. I just felt that I needed to step back and read something else for a while to avoid getting burned out on his work.

Overall, I would still recommend Hiaasen's books to others, especially those who are interested in environmental or social issues. Just be prepared to take a break every now and then if you start to feel like you're reading the same thing over and over again.

Ok, now I get it! And by "it" I mean all the Hiaasen hoopla among those with whom I share a certain brand of humor. This "it" initially baffled me after my first encounter with Carl via Bad Monkey.

We're back in Florida, where even the craziest of characters seem not just plausible but highly probable. Since I'm not exactly trailblazing new territory in the book review world, I'll just give you some quick picks from the cast of
  
    Skinny Dip
  
which may or may not overlap with everyone's favorite super secret spy agency (damn you terrorists for taking its name!).

Open the scene with
  Joey Perrone
being tossed off a cruise ship and into the drink by her husband Chaz (who is selfish even by Sterling Archer standards).

But for his lack of ethical scruples,
  Chaz Perrone
is ill-suited for his job as a
  biostitute
(a clever portmanteau of biologist and prostitute). He's more than happy to fake results for his boss whose farming operations pollute the fragile ecosystem, but he's not exactly outdoorsy.

Welcome to
  the Everglades,
where everything either wants to eat you or give you malaria.

We also have an assorted cast of other characters. There's the dumb muscle bodyguard (and one of the funniest characters), and the little old lady who breaks through even the toughest of façades. Good times, indeed!

Audiobook read by Stephen Hoye

On their anniversary cruise, Chaz Perrone callously throws his wife Joey overboard. He is compelled to commit this heinous act as she has uncovered his secret. However, Joey was a college champion swimmer and miraculously manages to survive the night, clinging to a bale of Jamaican weed. She is rescued by Mick Stranahan, a former investigator for the Dade State Attorney’s office, now “retired” and living on a remote island with his dog Strom. Instead of going to the police, Joey persuades Mick that they should “mess with Chaz” until he loses his mind. And thus, the wild and wacky fun begins.

This is a classic example of Hiaasen's style: outlandish situations and bumbling crooks, all set against a backdrop of environmental concern. The bad guys are, as always, the most flamboyant characters in the story – a hairy giant addicted to painkillers, an incompetent scientist who would rather be golfing (when he's not cheating on his wife with his mistress), and a wealthy “farmer” who believes that environmental regulations don't (or shouldn't) apply to him. The women are naïve one moment and astonishingly clever when wronged. As usual, they get the upper hand over the bad guys. The good guys – Detective Rolvaag and Mick – are upright and stoic. They have their own idiosyncrasies, of course – Rolvaag has two pet pythons, and Mick has been married six times – but they are undoubtedly the heroes. The recurring character Skink makes a brief appearance, although his name is never mentioned (but who could forget a one-eyed hermit who wears a plastic shower cap and eats roadkill?).

I adore Hiaasen's books for their wit and zaniness. Like his other works, this novel is a quick and enjoyable read, captivating from the very first sentence to the last.

Stephen Hoye does an excellent job narrating the audio version. He maintains a good pace and his interpretation is both incredulous and resigned to the insanity of the story. He truly brings this crazy cast of characters to life.

I became a fan of Bình Bồng Bột after reading "89 Minutes: Lê Công Vinh's Autobiography", "CR7 vs Messi, Hard Training and Talent" and most recently the extremely meaningful and controversial autobiography "Mike Tyson - The Naked Truth" (at this time, the photo is named Tran Minh). I know that there are two other autobiographies, namely " Hoàng Thùy Linh's Autobiography: Yellow and Royal" and "I am Ibrahimovic". But since I have read three autobiographies of this genre, I have no intention of reading the other two. Therefore, when I knew and saw that my brothers and sisters shared the latest translated novel of Bình Bồng Bột, I immediately abandoned all my shyness and asked my wife for permission :)

Regarding this latest book, I liked it right from the title. The original English title is "Skinny Dip", which means skinny dipping. And of course, the author Hiassen also had an ulterior motive in it, although the controversial meaning is just a description of Joey's wife after being grabbed by her husband Chaz and thrown into the sea from a five-star cruise ship on the second anniversary of their wedding night. The book begins with a thrilling action scene, and more than 400 pages later is the vengeful journey of the wife when she miraculously survived and couldn't believe it. Along with this journey is a political and social story that is also very exciting.

I always swear that when I read this book, I imagined Chaz as Chaien (although Chaz is described as quite handsome compared to the image of Chaien that I imagined, but unfortunately and fortunately, thanks to Chaien's first appearance on the first few pages, I felt more interested and excited to read on. Sorry to the fans of the novel "Đô rê mon" in general and the fans of Boss Chaien in particular :(

For me, this wonderful novel (I got infected with this term after reading this book) breaks down all psychological and moral barriers just like when reading "Alexis Zorba – The Happy Man" by Nikos Kazantzaki. I don't understand why the scenes of violence, shooting, sex, swearing, and cursing in this book make me so excited and crazy. Maybe because it has a humorous, satirical, and profound exploration style, just like when colleagues and friends troll each other and I don't understand what they mean but I'm sure they're having a great time. The feeling of reading this book is just like that.

Le Hong Lam also has comments on the author and the translator of this book that when I read it, I couldn't hold my mouth (is it mouth or mom? =))

"I think Carl Hiaasen wrote this novel under the influence of drugs. And the translator 3B also translated it in an extremely enjoyable way... free translation. Many times, I don't know which is the original language of the author and which is the "free translation" language of 3B. The swear words, the vulgar words, the obscene words (fuck/whore/asshole, pervert, horny, morning head...) appear with a high frequency and are kept intact. Is the book censorship now also too loose? But if this book is translated in a serious way, it would be thrown away.\"

Do you think this book is interesting? Based on all my life experiences, I extremely recommend it to those who want to find a book/novel that breaks down all their previous moral concepts. Please find and read "Skinny Dip" translated by Bình ca (sorry for typing the author's name too tired).

Or just like Le Hong Lam ended his review with a catchy call to action:

\"During these days of self-quarantine at home (if you go out and accidentally bump into someone from F0 to F3, you will be locked up in a quarantine camp) – this novel is an entertainment that is enough to make you laugh through the three days of Tet.\"

Then, buy this book right away to read and support the translator to release more awesome novels. Or if you don't have money to buy, you can rent it right at @Tiệm sách anh 2 nhaaaa ().

See more of my reviews here:

Fun Read

Reading can be a truly enjoyable and entertaining experience. It allows us to escape into different worlds, explore new ideas, and gain knowledge.

A fun read can take many forms. It could be a thrilling mystery novel that keeps us on the edge of our seats, trying to solve the case before the end. Or perhaps a lighthearted romance that makes us smile and feel all warm inside.

There are also humorous books that can make us laugh out loud and forget about our daily stresses. These types of reads are perfect for those times when we just want to relax and have some fun.

Whether it's a bestseller or a hidden gem, a fun read has the power to transport us to another place and time. So, the next time you're looking for something to do, pick up a good book and let the adventure begin.