Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys Return to Book Review Page Return to Home Page

By Dave Barry

Ballantine Books - 2000

Someone in need of a complete description of guys doesn’t need this book. A definitive definition of a guy doesn’t require a book; a few words are sufficient. To wit, a guy is interested in (pretty much in this order):

1. Sex--of the hetero variety, preferably at a minimal expenditure of time and effort, let alone commitment.
2. Toys--especially big-screen TVs or anything with an engine.
3. Playoffs--in most any sport.
4. Beer.
5. Tools--but not necessary the work implicit in their use.
6. Nothing else in particular.

Dave Barry’s book is more a celebration of a species that survived a number of deliberate efforts at extinction in the last quarter of the last century. Threats to guys during this period included concepts like:

· Gender neutral.

· Soul mating.

· Sensitivity awareness.

· Unisex.

· Bonding.

· "Awareness" (of anything except the interests 1 - 5 above).

· Feminine side of masculinity.

For better or worse, with beers in hand, eyes on the playoffs on the big-screen TVs, minds focused on easy sex and things with engines, guys survived these vicious assaults. Now, having recovered their numbers from this period of gendercide, guys are celebrated in this typically understated but over-funny book by humorist Dave Barry. It is truly contemporary anthropology at its most entertaining.