WL: Perfectly Offbeat (5 Stars)
Once you discover why funny man Barry Parham hates straws, you’ll never look at one the same way again. As you get caught up in his offbeat world view you’ll also never look at Alaska, Barbies, or Joe Biden the same way either.

This book collects a myriad of Parham’s weekly humor columns into a physical tome that looks great on your bedside table. Just beware of the sleep you may start losing if you choose to read passages prior to bedtime. Also beware of your significant other, who may get annoyed with your laughter while she tries to sleep.

Barry’s columns touch on classic themes but remain relevant by challenging current happenings in the worlds of pop culture and politics with smart humor and clever wordplay. His delivery is so slick and his punchlines so accessible that if this book doesn’t make you laugh hysterically then you should check your pulse immediately.

Parham has mastered the art of the humorous list and proves that he really only needs one sentence to bring you to tears with laughter. If this is only his debut book, then bachelor (or is it single guy?) Barry Parham has one of the brightest futures in humor writing.

I highly recommend this book for people who enjoy a good laugh… and to sad clowns.

TG: BOOM!!!! (5 Stars)
Where do I start? My head is spinning from laughter. Barry Parham has a writing style that is shared only by a few. To say that Parham is funny is simply a starting point. Barry shoots bullets in “reverently irreverent” and “politically incorrect” caliber. His targets are the stupid philosophies and high profile political characters of our day. Parham does not take pot shots at his targets. Instead, he takes careful aim, squeezes the trigger of humor, and watches the feathers fly. No one, and nothing, is safe in his sights. Buy the book and laugh yourself sick.

JJ: This guy is amazing! (5 Stars)
I laughed my way through this book. Barry Parham is wickedly funny, & made me think, and think, & think. Probably the most cleverly written book I’ve ever read.

JW: Absolutely Hilarious (5 Stars)
The book was hilarious. The author has an interesting (maybe warped) way of looking at life and politics. I think my wife was glad when I finished the book because my laughing interrupted her reading.

JG, Charleston SC: Great Book!!!!! (5 Stars)
This is a great book. It is so much fun to read. I hope this will be first of many books from this author. He has a wonderful way of seeing things in “an offbeat world” and then relating them to the reader.

NC, New York City: Undiluted Pleasure (5 Stars)
If you like satire, and hate straws, you’ll love Barry Parham’s reverentially irreverent, wry, dry and very funny observations on life in the 21st century. This book made me laugh!

AJ, Columbia SC: The perfect gift for your smart, witty friends who have everything (5 Stars)
I was reading Barry Parham’s hilarious takes on life, love and the world we live in long before anyone else knew it was cool. So glad he’s assembled this collection because I often find myself out in the world alone, in need of his razor-sharp perspective. It comforts me.

MS: Dial It Back to Woodstock, Man! (5 Stars)
Begat by P.J. O’Rourke on Stephen Wright, Parham does not let up for a second in this Gatling stream of consciousness. Nothing and nobody’s sacred (especially not the current administration) and there doesn’t seem to be anything the author is happy with (nieces excepted … oh, and maybe his mum). He’s not bitter, he just can’t help himself. I mean, the whole world is just … Asking For It … You Have Been Warned.

GB: A Purely FUN Read! (5 Stars)
If you’re having a bad day, pick up this book and see what happens! To say it’s a fun read is really an understatement. I’ve followed this author’s ruminations for years and was really looking forward to this compilation of many of his funniest past pieces plus many new ones. It’s cleverly done with short chapters that can be covered in five minutes – if that’s all the time you have. I haven’t read Dave Barry lately, but the pieces in this book bring back memories of his writing style and humorous reactions to things he encounters in real life. It’s a hoot!

KA: Pure entertainment!!!!…a most enjoyable read! (5 Stars)
With the incessant barrage of daily negativity we get from the national news it’s refreshing to find an opinion that puts the truth right in front of you in such an amusing way, yet makes you think. With topics ranging from pure satire to self-inflicted painfully humorous life events, this author has struck a nerve, something I believe we have long referred to as the “Funny Bone”! I wish there were a way to put these vignettes in pictures. Pure entertainment tinged with all too familiar truths. A most enjoyable read!

AW, Georgia: Excellent Reading!! (5 Stars)
WHY I HATE STRAWS is slam-jam full of good stuff. The author is obviously extremely witty and maybe even a little warped – in that hilarious kind of way. Because of the length of the writings, you can either read it in 5 minute segments or devote an entire afternoon to it – mainly because you CAN’T WAIT to see what Barry Parham is going to come up with next! EXCELLENT!!

SR: Very Funny!! (5 Stars)
This is a very funny book. The author presents a clever, cynical view of the world. It’s a series of stories, experiences, and random thoughts. Because each chapter is based on a different random subject, loosely organized into larger categories, this is a great book to read in the bathroom. (oh come on, you know you read in the bathroom) The author comments on politics, small town drama, social networking, the current state of society, and lots of other random stuff. I would highly recommend this book.

CB: Wonderful, and you can’t put it down until you’re finished! (5 Stars)
Barry hit it right on the head about this offbeat world we live in … His humor is sure to appeal to all ages!