I have to admit, I had never heard of Carl Hiaasen before last week, and then, all of a sudden, Nick says to me, "You read any Carl Hiaasen then?", (we'd been having this informal contest to introduce each other to more and more outlandish books) and I had to reply in the negative. Next thing I find out is that Demi Moore's new vehicle (film, dummy) - Striptease is actually based on a Carl Hiaasen book, so I guess it must just be Carl Hiaasen time, just like it was Steam Engine time and so on. And that's a great shame, because I wish I'd heard of him before since Native Tongue is a great book.

If you've read any of Elmore Leonard's lighter novels, then you'll know what to expect, not that I want to imply that Mr. Hiaasen is a substandard Leonard clone, far from it (although he has possibly the silliest name in literature today). Native Tongue is a great book, filled with absolutely superbly outlandish characters like gun-toting grannies, lunatic governors, female raccoons and steroid-sucking security guards. I would be very surprised if Mr. Hiaasen's option on this book weren't taken up to be made into a great movie - I could even supply some of the casting. Terrific.

Ben gives it:

Price: £4.99 I borrowed this book from Nick, so the price might not be up-to-date
Published by: Pan (ISBN 0-330-32193-5)

last updated: 23rd September 1996