Where Is Joe Merchant?: A Novel Tale

by Jimmy Buffett

Book Overview

This #1 New York Times bestseller from singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett offers "enough hair-breadth escapes and miraculous rescues to fill two Robert Ludlam novels...and talking dolphins... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0151962960
• ISBN13: 9780151962969
• Release Date: August 1992
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 2.07 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 7.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

What’s there to say, it’s written by Jimmy Buffett!

Love everything about Jimmy Buffett! A must read for all Parrotheads! Thanks Thirftbooks for shipping promptly and sending me this particular book in great condition!

Excellent Shape

A book I have loved for years and worn out my paperback version. In excellent shape at an excellent price. Well packaged.

My Favourite book by Jimmy Buffett.

My Favourite book by Jimmy Buffett one of the best Singer/Songwriters/Author ever in my humble opinion. I love the story told in this book and it came on my Birthday today, almost like a birthday gift from Jimmy Buffett himself.

Josh's Review on "Where is Joe Merchant?"

In my opinion, the book "Where is Joe Merchant" is a very interesting story about a rock star disappearing and the search to find the truth. I feel that Jimmy Buffett did an excelent job of creating his characters and thouroughly explaining their thoughts and actions. In all, I feel that "Where is Joe Merchant" was very well written and put together. I rate it 5 stars.

Fun Plot & Wonderfully Bizarre Characters

I can honestly say that this book appealed to both the avid reader AND the avid Parrothead in me! This was interesting and entertaining, with a typically Jimmy Buffett exotic setting and some fascinating and bizarre characters. Characters such as Frank Bama, Trevor Kane, Blanton Meyercord (my personal favorite!), Rudy Breno, Charlie Fabian, Colonel Cairo and of course the amazing Desdemona all made this a hard-to-put-down story. A special note for Parrotheads: Although this is a book for anyone who likes reading bizarre love & adventure stories, Parrotheads will especially appreciate the subtle (and even not-so-subtle) references to your favorite Buffett songs. Pay special attention to the names of the chapters! :-><p>Anyone who has always wondered about Desdemona while listening to "Fruitcakes" and "Desdemona's Building a Rocket ship" should definitely read this book - all the answers are here!

Yes, I am a pirate....parrothead....phan....

Right up front, I'll admit to being a true Parrothead. Have all the albums/CD's, but never read the books.Then, a kind friend heard I was under the weather and sent me her copy of WHERE IS JOE MERCHANT.I've read a lot of what's been posted here, and I can agree with the people *including some professional reviewers* who say Buffett's style is a little sloppy. However, what he lacks in style, he certainly makes up for in substance. I loved the stories about: (1)Frank Bama -- bruised and battered pilot with a commitment phobia; (2) Trevor Kane - Frank's beautiful ex-girlfriend whose family tree is so full of nuts that her last name should be PECAN or WALNUT or ALMOND. Trevor's looking for her lost brother, the supposedly dead rock 'n roller Joe Merchant; (3) Colonel Cairo who's looking for his lost arm, a treasure trove and control of Joe Merchant's fortunes; (4) Desdemona, macaroon-maker extraordinaire, who has been receiving instructions from 'the generators' on how to build a space ship; and (5) more subplots than a Robert Altman movie. There's plenty of blood, guts and action to keep even a Steven King fan interested. One of Frank's best buddies blows up a fleet of jet skis, and while it's funny on the page, it makes the reader think about man's impact on the pristine ocean. With Desdemona, Buffett even throws in some new age cosmic jokes, with hilarious results. There is a twist, however, and it caught me completely by surprise. I had to go back and re-read the passage several times before it sunk in. If you're looking for the tight, compact style of Hemingway or if you're into stream of consciousness like Faulkner, this book is probably not for you. However, if you want a good story peopled with lots of interesting characters who are flawed but wonderfully written, and if you've ever wanted to just chuck it all and live in the Keys, you will probably devour WHERE IS JOE MERCHANT as quickly as I did and you'll be wanting more Frank and Trevor stories. Enjoy!

Fruitcakes in the Cosmos

What starts out as a "normal" novel about a lovelorn guy & his seaplane transmogrifies into a sci-/psi-fi yarn involving characters and experiences way beyond the ordinary! I found this transition pleasant & stimulating. Buffet knows how to drag the reader from the comfortably familiar (or the unexperienced-but-imaginable) into deeper waters, all the while providing enough support that the reader doesn't drown in weirdness. Although the novel ventures into some wild & uncharted territories, one of the scenes regards an area with which I'm quite familiar. Desdemona makes love with an operator of the Arecibo Observatory under their magnificent radio-telescope ( & radar) dish antenna (The movie Contact will give you some great visuals of this place if you need them). He nails the description of the site solidly. He's been there (and under the dish isn't part of the tour) or he's cribbing off somebody who has. I can only speculate that he knows the other off-the-beaten-path places as well. 5 stars for novelty, 5 stars for fun. If you want a novel that stays firmly grounded in middle-America, pass this one by, but if you have a sense of adventure, a hankering to pirate around the Carribean in an old sea plane, or just want to expand your mind a bit, relish the experience of reading this one!

Slip on your "flip-flops" for this one!

Parrotheads rejoice! The mayor of Margaritaville has tickled the imagination with this offering. As a lifelong Jimmy Buffett fan, I was thrilled that Jimmy chose to put his talents to the rhelm of the modern novel. Was this book what I expected? Absolutely not! That is what makes it so good. With pen and laptop in hand, Buffett has boldly slapped his creative license on the nightstand and provided perhaps the tallest tale ever. The story opens as a normal day in Key West, but Jimmy's roller coaster is just getting started. Buffett takes us into his own "little world" with some extremely dynamic characters that I found quite intriguing. Inspired by the many adventures of his remarkable life, Jimmy creates Frank Bama, a seasoned seaplane pilot with a love for his dog, his plane, and a woman who has capivated his heart. Through his many exciting - and quite deadly - adventures through the mysical Caribbean islands, Frank makes a few good friends, and learns how to truly open his heart to Trevor, the love of his life. This book is loaded with detailed descriptions of life as a "flying boat" captain, as well as the cutthroat pirates that still sail the tropics today. Jimmy also provides insight into the inspiration of some of his most beloved songs, producing a wonderful marriage between his writing and his music. Jimmy freely injects a touch of tropical fantasy with the storyline, allowing the reader to truly be swept away. This is not a book to be read at the library, however. Slip on the flip-flops, and head to the beach for this read. And let your imagination run away with Frank Bama on a heart-pounding journey. Jimmy Buffett recently said, "...I sell escapism". You've done just that, Jim. After a half hour with this book, I had to pinch myself to remind myself where I was. Thanks for a great adventure. Overall, a terrific, fast-paced read that's tough to put down. So pack up your suntan oil and pick it up today!