YA McManus' anthology is a loony look at human foibles in the backwoods and byways of life, but it is more universal than that. The outdoors and activities thereof are, for McManus, vehicles for showing the crazy side of human nature. Fishermen are not the only ones who will find meaning in the ``Angler's Dictionary,'' and almost anyone will laugh knowingly at ``Muldoon in Love.'' These short pieces with long laughs should have special appeal for reluctant readers. Karl Penny, Houston Public Library REUPLOAD NEEDED
McManus celebrates the hidden pleasures, unappreciated lore, and opportunities for disaster to be found in such outdoor recreations as camping, hunting, and fishing
Best-selling outdoor humorist McManus ( The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw , LJ 6/15/89) bags another in this collection of yarns featuring irascible woodsman Rancid Crabtree, "Phantom of the Woods" Retch Sweeney, boyhood pal Crazy Eddie, and others of McManus's acquaintance. Also meet hunting dog Strange, dog delinquent, whose prey of choice is year-old roadkill.
For Patrick McManus fans, this is American humor at its best, warm and reaffirming in its commentary on everyday life in the USA. George S. Irving lends to McManus's vignettes a lively presentation, coloring in the cartoonish quips with character voices galore and more energy than the big fish that got away. MOSQUITO BAY provides over an hour of the humorous stories that have made McManus a literary satirist whom critics have enthusiastically likened to Mark Twain. R.A.P. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine
This collection of 17 essays (previously appearing in Outdoor Life) spotlights the popular humorist’s impish wit and sharply drawn characters, including his offbeat, rich friend, Fenton Quagmire. McManus covers rural life—haircuts, trailer hitches, dogs, and so on—with his usual wordplay and gentle fun making. Hill sounds as if he is a big fan of the writer, infusing the pieces with energy and humor.
