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Book Talk with Dave Barry on "Swamp Story: A Novel"

His First Book in a Decade!

Join Broward County Libraries Director Allison Grubbs and Florida Man and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dave Barry, in a spirited discussion of his new book, "Swamp Story," released May 2023.

We are opening our South entrance doors at 6:30 pm. Please use the Library’s south entrance, on SE 2nd Street, to access the building.

Broward County Main Library’s address is 100 S. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 

Here are parking options in Downtown Fort Lauderdale:

• Riverwalk Center Garage (Metered Parking) 150 SE 2nd St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
• Metered street parking is available along SE 1st Avenue
• Governmental Parking Garage, 151 SW 2nd St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
  (Please note: Governmental Parking Garage is approximately two blocks away from Main Library.)

8-9 pm: Book signing with Dave Barry held by CommonGroundFinds. Books are available for purchase at the event. 

If you would like to pre-order signed copies of Swamp Story, please contact bookseller directly: Max Ruback 561-659-4432 or email maxruback@aol.com 

Dave Barry won a Pulitzer Prize for his commentary when he was a wildly popular columnist and has scads of bestselling books to his name. His annual year-in-review articles are eagerly awaited and cherished by readers everywhere.

But more importantly, Dave is a Florida Man.

In Swamp Story, his first novel in 10 years, Dave draws on his keen insight as a denizen of the Sunshine State to produce a classic Florida caper full of oddballs, criminals, and schemes that has more twists and turns than an Everglades snake. It’s so rambunctious, clever, and funny, it inspired Steve Martin to blurb it five times. (Keep reading.)

Swamp Story opens with Jesse Braddock trapped in a tiny cabin deep in the Everglades with her infant daughter and her ex-boyfriend, a wannabe reality TV star who turned out to be a lot prettier on the outside than on the inside. Broke and desperate for a way out, Jesse stumbles across a long-lost treasure, which could solve all her problems—if she can figure out how to keep it. The problem is, some very bad men are also looking for the treasure, and they know Jesse has it.

Meanwhile, Ken Bortle of Bortle Brothers Bait and Beer has hatched a scheme to lure tourists to his failing store by making viral videos of the “Everglades Melon Monster.” The Monster is in fact an unemployed alcoholic newspaperman named Phil wearing a Dora the Explorer costume head. Incredibly, this plan actually works, inspiring a horde of TikTokers to swarm into the swamp in search of the monster at the same time villains are on the hunt for Jesse’s treasure. Amid this mayhem, a presidential hopeful arrives in the Everglades to start his campaign. Needless to say, it does not go as planned. In fact, nothing in this story goes as planned. This is, after all, Florida.

About the author

Dave Barry is the author of more bestsellers than you can count on two hands, including Lessons from Lucy, Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys, Dave Barry Turns Forty, and Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up. A wildly popular syndicated columnist best known for his booger jokes, Barry won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. He lives in Miami.

For more information, visit https://www.davebarry.com/dave-barry.php 

Image credit: Michelle Kaufman. 

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