Florida Man in Action

Matt LewisMay 21, 2023

Swamp Story: A Hilarious Novel by Dave Barry

Florida’s Moment

With former president Donald Trump and (likely) Gov. Ron DeSantis (R., Fla.) vying for the presidency, the Sunshine State is having a moment. Thankfully, Dave Barry’s new novel, Swamp Story, isn’t about draining the political swamp. Based in the Florida Everglades (which is technically not a swamp), the setting offers a warm respite for those in search of some much-needed levity.

Multiple Overlapping Plotlines

Barry masterfully weaves multiple overlapping plotlines into his text, the first of which involves a young mom named Jesse Braddock. Jesse lives in a cabin in the Everglades with her handsome, if vain and unfaithful, baby daddy Slater and his lecherous, pot-smoking sidekick (and cameraman) Kark.

Colorful Characters

Nearby is a colorful local entrepreneur (and part-time drug dealer) named Ken Bortle. Ken runs a small store called Bortle Brothers Bait & Beer, and he hatches a crazy plan to increase tourist business. Ken wants to produce a fake video showing him spotting a yeti-like creature he calls the Everglades Melon Monster.

Desperados and Buried Treasure

To stay one step ahead of these outlaws, Jesse is aided by Ken’s brother, Brad Bortle. Brad is a good old boy who wastes most of his time playing Candy Crush and underestimating his brother’s viral video savvy, until he becomes embroiled (ultimately romantically) with the fetching Jesse.

Funny and Poignant

Another subplot involves a washed-up newspaperman (who is paid to actually don the Everglades Melon Monster suit) struggling with alcoholism and trying to reconnect with his daughter after his divorce from her mother. Barry manages to make his story both funny and poignant. The chapters are short and alternate between the various storylines, which keeps the pacing brisk.

A Novel Full of Weird Characters and Events

Swamp Story doesn’t read like some swan song or a perfunctory payday piece written by an aging author. It is relevant, funny, and fresh. Indeed, Barry’s longevity as a writer seems to have only honed his skill.

For decades now, Barry has been entertaining us, and his latest offering is hilarious. This novel is full of weird characters and events that could only exist in the state that spawned the “Florida Man” internet meme.

We should expect nothing less. After all, Barry isn’t just a Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times bestselling author. Unlike some of the poseur characters in Swamp Story, Dave Barry is an “actual Florida Man.”