One Big Damn Puzzler

Ive read these critical reviews and I have to say that some have taken this book much too seriously. Someone accused the author of misogyny and others are saying its a political statement hating on America... I dont see it that way at all. The women in Regency England had less power than these islanders...and the politics is largely backstory. The American stereotype is no secret; I was not offended. The protagonist is this endearing guy that just wants to help people on this island get reparation money. He gets to know them and they get to know him, and it is their mutual interest in each of the others customs that has you reeling! By the end of the book this guy is completely integrated, whereas before, he thought his ways were superior. Thats kind of a simplistic way to sum it up, but the less you know about the details of the book the more delighted youll be by it. This book comes complete with a native trying to bring Shakespeare to the average islander, and I am telling you, I was tickled! I love Shakespeare. Snob that I am, I could not help but adore this book. You cant read it for too long without laughing out loud, which is one of my favorite things to do while reading! Harding crafts a vivid story; one that makes you feel like youve lived there a bit and know your way around. I felt like I was hiking with them in that jungle, like I was feeling the humidity and laughing at their jokes. I felt like those islanders were my friends...I can close my eyes right now and picture them. Even after finishing the book you keep it in that coveted space on the bedside table with the other well-loveds to be opened again and again because you want to go back there. The most critical review said something about the pidgin being horrible, but I respectfully suggest that it is supposed to be. IT IS A COMEDY. Just HILARIOUS. LOL! I found this book in the library; it was a random selection. People werent making any book suggestions I liked so I took a chance...and I liked it so much, 1) I couldnt put it down, 2) I had to buy my own copy because I knew I wanted it at my disposal, and, 3) I immediately told any friend that would listen that they needed to read it. Life is too short not to visit fictitious worlds such as Hardings, that poke fun at civilization, wisdom, ignorance, sexuality, and politics. There are enough ideas to keep a book club discussion going for quite some time (as you can imagine from the different reviews posted). The reviewer who couldnt finish the book needed to be reading non-fiction, probably, but for those adventurous enough to lose control in someone elses imagination and park pretension at the door, a highly enjoyable tale!! I loved my time on this island. ;)

My first experience with John Harding. One Big Damn Puzzler was a great read. This book is really 3 different stories driven into 1 gripping finale. Harding does a good job of examining the Wests materialistc culture interspered with a desire to help those who dont ask to be helped. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and did not mind the diversions of other topics Harding poses to the reader. A good light-hearted read that has some touching and emotional moments.

We all imagine a being on a tropical island, in the sun, the roaring ocean, with innocent and beautiful natives giving us everything we need. John Harding gives this to us with plenty of add-ons: Shakespeare, OCD, innocence and its loss, and the Western materialistic mentality. An American lawyer comes to this untouched island, meets the natives, and tries to obtain compensation for them from injuries as the result of left over land mines. The book turns into an allegory of American values running amok and attempts to give a world vision on todays events. Harding uses humor, literary license, and great imagination to accomplish this task. I thank him for great and thoughtful entertainment.

Another great read -- funny throughout.

I fell in love with this book from the opening lines, as an inhabitant of the island transcribes Hamlet into patois. Despite the humour John Hardings message of the often negative influence western society and money have on other ways of life comes through clearly.

Things I did not like: 1) Grating, poorly created pidgin. 2) Treatment of women was very disappointing. 3) Supposedly American characters spoke like Brits. In a book with such a focus on language this was very disappointing. I couldnt imagine being forced to finish this book. It was awful.

I first read this book several years ago and the title was as I have titled my review; quite a lengthy one you will agree, so when I saw it with the shortened title I decided to purchase it to read again and to loan to my friends. It is a great read and quite different; not sure what genre I would list it under. It has some quite serious issues but mostly is a very humerous read. I would recommend it highly

Had to purchase this for a class and I really enjoyed reading it. I kept this one for my book shelf.

A lawyer with obsessive compulsive dissorder is sent on a trip to a south pacific island to give money to the native islanders who have been hurt by land mines planted my US marines during the war. Inspired by the work of the anthropologist Malenowsky, John Harding brilliantly suceeds in flipping the anthropological gaze so it is not the islanders who are othered but Western culture itself. This is however, all with tounge in cheek, but in my opinion, Hamlet has never sounded so good as it does in pidgen English. Students of anthropology will adore this book, and probabily best grasp its layered meanings, but even if you know nothing of pacific anthropology you will still get something out of it, as it is really very funny.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. I laughed as I went thru its pages. The story also conveys its message, mostly on the effects of civilization and human behaviour. I totally recommend this book.