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A Pirate Looks at Fifty
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This is the ultimate Jimmy Buffett philosophy on life and how to live it, “like sitting with Buffett at a beachside bar, listening to him spin tales” ( Time ).
“Buffett took his family on a three-week trek around the Caribbean. . . . His colorful travelogue is interspersed with memoirs of his youth and music career—both of which revolve around his continuing search for the perfect fishing spot.”— USA Today
For Parrotheads, armchair adventurers, and anyone who appreciates a good yarn and a hearty laugh, here is the ultimate backstage pass. You’ll read the kind of stories Jimmy usually reserves for his closest friends and you'll see a wonderful, wacky life through the eyes of the man who's lived it.
Jimmy takes us from the legendary pirate coves of the Florida Keys to the ruins of ancient Cartegena. Along the way, we hear a tale or two of how he got his start in New Orleans, how he discovered his passion for flying planes, and how he almost died in a watery crash in Nantucket harbor. We follow Jimmy to jungle outposts in Costa Rica and on a meandering trip down the Amazon, through hair-raising negotiations with gun-toting customs officials and a three-year-old aspiring co-pilot. And he is the inimitable Jimmy Buffett through it all.
“Buffett took his family on a three-week trek around the Caribbean. . . . His colorful travelogue is interspersed with memoirs of his youth and music career—both of which revolve around his continuing search for the perfect fishing spot.”— USA Today
For Parrotheads, armchair adventurers, and anyone who appreciates a good yarn and a hearty laugh, here is the ultimate backstage pass. You’ll read the kind of stories Jimmy usually reserves for his closest friends and you'll see a wonderful, wacky life through the eyes of the man who's lived it.
Jimmy takes us from the legendary pirate coves of the Florida Keys to the ruins of ancient Cartegena. Along the way, we hear a tale or two of how he got his start in New Orleans, how he discovered his passion for flying planes, and how he almost died in a watery crash in Nantucket harbor. We follow Jimmy to jungle outposts in Costa Rica and on a meandering trip down the Amazon, through hair-raising negotiations with gun-toting customs officials and a three-year-old aspiring co-pilot. And he is the inimitable Jimmy Buffett through it all.
420 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 1998
About the author
Jimmy Buffett
99 books425 followersJames William "Jimmy" Buffett (born December 25, 1946) was a singer, songwriter, author, businessman, and recently a movie producer best known for his "island escapism" lifestyle and music including hits such as "Margaritaville" (No. 234 on RIAA's list of "Songs of the Century"), and "Come Monday". He had a devoted base of fans known as "Parrotheads". His band was called the Coral Reefer Band.
Aside from his career in music, Buffett was also a best-selling writer and was involved in two restaurant chains named after two of his best known songs, "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and "Margaritaville". He owned the Margaritaville Cafe restaurant chain and co-developed the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant concept with OSI Restaurant Partners (parent of Outback Steakhouse), which operates the chain under a licensing agreement with Buffett.
Aside from his career in music, Buffett was also a best-selling writer and was involved in two restaurant chains named after two of his best known songs, "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and "Margaritaville". He owned the Margaritaville Cafe restaurant chain and co-developed the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant concept with OSI Restaurant Partners (parent of Outback Steakhouse), which operates the chain under a licensing agreement with Buffett.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 318 reviews
July 30, 2008
Oddly enough, this was an incredibly interesting and profoundly boring book at the same time. The story unfolds as Jimmy Buffett, now turning 50, is preparing for a tour of the Caribbean. It reads almost as a travel guide, interspersed with flashbacks in the form of short stories of his more adventurous past. The short interesting chapters of adventure are constantly interrupted by pages upon pages of tedium. For example, the entire chapter devoted to his search for the perfect backpack to carry all of his reefer and other miscellaneous crap. I would recommend skimming through this book and only reading what suits you, reading from cover to cover will only waste precious time that you could spend watching paint dry.
September 29, 2023
I am a huge Jimmy Buffett fan. I’m a millennial Parrothead and not ashamed to say it! I LOVE his music, own all his records and concert dvds and consider him one of my all-time favorite musicians.
Because of that, I have been excitingly reading his books in order. The first two, “Tales from Margaritaville” tells of Jimmy’s ‘Semi-True Story’ adventures, and his well-known first complete work of fiction, “Where Is Joe Merchant” were both very fun and enjoyable reads that I loved nearly as much as I do his music.
Soooo naturally, I was SUPER stoked to read his third book and autobiography, “A Pirate Looks at Fifty”. I read A LOT of autobiographies and memoirs and assumed that no one could have as exciting stories of adventures and other cultures, rock and roll and the meaning of truly living life to the fullest as much as Mr. Margaritaville himself, right?! … Wrong. At least not that he was willing to write about at the end of the 90s.
I WANT to say that I liked this book, yet my main thoughts when I finished it are that it was extremely long/seemingly never ending, and that I had to force myself to keep pushing through it each time I picked it up.
I read another review on here that started off by saying that “oddly enough, this was an incredibly interesting and profoundly boring book at the same time.” SO TRUE.
I mean, if you’re looking for a Caribbean travel guide, or all you could ever want to read about fishing and seaplanes, this is the book for you. If you actually wanted to learn anything personal beyond the surface of Jimmy Buffett’s image, any real history on his songwriting, etc as you would hope to get from an autobiography or memoir, I guarantee you will be disappointed.
The book revolves around the Caribbean islands trip Jimmy took with his family and friends celebrating his fiftieth birthday right after Christmas in 1996/1997. Interspersed with that are some autobiographical stories of reflections on his life and his beginnings, (which were most of the best parts of the book). But a lot of the time, he would just ramble off into super boring nonsense. (He spent several pages walking us through the evolutionary timeline of his using backpacks, shoulder bags, man bags and back to backpacks throughout his life and why. … I wish I were kidding.)
Two other things that bothered me about this book besides all the wordy, boring nonsense, is I found him to be extremely repetitive. Mixing the same stories in together and telling us about the same people and places over and over again as if he hadn’t already explained them before.
I don’t know if that was an editing thing from his journals or just the fact that he never imagined anyone would actually attempt to read and not skim this entire book. Either way, it got annoying quickly and made the book all that much more boring.
Another thing that bothered me is the same feeling I had when I read Eric Clapton’s autobiography a few months ago – I started this book liking Jimmy Buffett as a person more than I liked him by the time I finished the book.
Whenever he mentioned his ‘swag bag’ that he would use giving out his tee-shirts and cds as bribes and payment(s) in different places he’d visit, and whenever he mentioned his fans, something about his tone in the words he wrote made him come off as extremely arrogant to me. Like he’s some beach God and has no time for his inferior Parrotheads who are really just weird, annoy him and get in his way during his travels unless they’re useful to him because they’re the proprietor of a hotel he wants to stay in or restaurant he wants to eat at, etc. That really turned me off.
He also mentioned late in his book that the two things that matter most to him are “planes and fishing, after, of course, my wife and kids.” But reading his autobiography, it REALLY didn’t seem that way.
During his birthday trip he brought a fishing buddy and his wife brought a girlfriend of hers and the women and men split up for many of the adventures and often didn’t even travel together and stay in the same places. Even when they did, they only seemed to be together to eat dinner. There were only one or two stories he told where he was actually spending any time at all with his wife.
He also came off throughout the story of his birthday trip like hanging out with his kids was a chore. Like he would come from an amazing day of ‘adult fishing’ and be burdened with taking them ‘kid fishing’ not because he actually wanted to, but because he had promised them he would.
They also had other people taking care of their children most of the time, so they weren’t even with them. And he spent very little time with them that he wrote about during the trip. At one point, his kids flew home because his party was going to the Amazon and they felt it was too dangerous. I don’t disagree there, but I was just bothered by how he made it sound at the beginning of the book like this great family adventure, and yet, never seemed to actually spend much time with (or at least talk about), his family at all.
So, it was at times interesting, at times funny when I could hear that classic Jimmy Buffett tone and sarcasm that all Parrotheads love and know well come out. I learned a few things. There were a few interesting adventures and people.
Mostly though, I was disappointed in this book and walked away with a slightly more deflated view of Mr. Buffett then I used to have. I will continue reading his books in order, but I’ll be needing a break for a while after this one.
He mentioned a few times throughout the book memoirs he may one day write. Now that he’s approaching 70 years old, I hope that he will do that and that it will read much more like “Tales from Margaritaville” and much less like “A Pirate Looks at Fifty” for Parrotheads still clinging to the Buffett dream like myself.
Because of that, I have been excitingly reading his books in order. The first two, “Tales from Margaritaville” tells of Jimmy’s ‘Semi-True Story’ adventures, and his well-known first complete work of fiction, “Where Is Joe Merchant” were both very fun and enjoyable reads that I loved nearly as much as I do his music.
Soooo naturally, I was SUPER stoked to read his third book and autobiography, “A Pirate Looks at Fifty”. I read A LOT of autobiographies and memoirs and assumed that no one could have as exciting stories of adventures and other cultures, rock and roll and the meaning of truly living life to the fullest as much as Mr. Margaritaville himself, right?! … Wrong. At least not that he was willing to write about at the end of the 90s.
I WANT to say that I liked this book, yet my main thoughts when I finished it are that it was extremely long/seemingly never ending, and that I had to force myself to keep pushing through it each time I picked it up.
I read another review on here that started off by saying that “oddly enough, this was an incredibly interesting and profoundly boring book at the same time.” SO TRUE.
I mean, if you’re looking for a Caribbean travel guide, or all you could ever want to read about fishing and seaplanes, this is the book for you. If you actually wanted to learn anything personal beyond the surface of Jimmy Buffett’s image, any real history on his songwriting, etc as you would hope to get from an autobiography or memoir, I guarantee you will be disappointed.
The book revolves around the Caribbean islands trip Jimmy took with his family and friends celebrating his fiftieth birthday right after Christmas in 1996/1997. Interspersed with that are some autobiographical stories of reflections on his life and his beginnings, (which were most of the best parts of the book). But a lot of the time, he would just ramble off into super boring nonsense. (He spent several pages walking us through the evolutionary timeline of his using backpacks, shoulder bags, man bags and back to backpacks throughout his life and why. … I wish I were kidding.)
Two other things that bothered me about this book besides all the wordy, boring nonsense, is I found him to be extremely repetitive. Mixing the same stories in together and telling us about the same people and places over and over again as if he hadn’t already explained them before.
I don’t know if that was an editing thing from his journals or just the fact that he never imagined anyone would actually attempt to read and not skim this entire book. Either way, it got annoying quickly and made the book all that much more boring.
Another thing that bothered me is the same feeling I had when I read Eric Clapton’s autobiography a few months ago – I started this book liking Jimmy Buffett as a person more than I liked him by the time I finished the book.
Whenever he mentioned his ‘swag bag’ that he would use giving out his tee-shirts and cds as bribes and payment(s) in different places he’d visit, and whenever he mentioned his fans, something about his tone in the words he wrote made him come off as extremely arrogant to me. Like he’s some beach God and has no time for his inferior Parrotheads who are really just weird, annoy him and get in his way during his travels unless they’re useful to him because they’re the proprietor of a hotel he wants to stay in or restaurant he wants to eat at, etc. That really turned me off.
He also mentioned late in his book that the two things that matter most to him are “planes and fishing, after, of course, my wife and kids.” But reading his autobiography, it REALLY didn’t seem that way.
During his birthday trip he brought a fishing buddy and his wife brought a girlfriend of hers and the women and men split up for many of the adventures and often didn’t even travel together and stay in the same places. Even when they did, they only seemed to be together to eat dinner. There were only one or two stories he told where he was actually spending any time at all with his wife.
He also came off throughout the story of his birthday trip like hanging out with his kids was a chore. Like he would come from an amazing day of ‘adult fishing’ and be burdened with taking them ‘kid fishing’ not because he actually wanted to, but because he had promised them he would.
They also had other people taking care of their children most of the time, so they weren’t even with them. And he spent very little time with them that he wrote about during the trip. At one point, his kids flew home because his party was going to the Amazon and they felt it was too dangerous. I don’t disagree there, but I was just bothered by how he made it sound at the beginning of the book like this great family adventure, and yet, never seemed to actually spend much time with (or at least talk about), his family at all.
So, it was at times interesting, at times funny when I could hear that classic Jimmy Buffett tone and sarcasm that all Parrotheads love and know well come out. I learned a few things. There were a few interesting adventures and people.
Mostly though, I was disappointed in this book and walked away with a slightly more deflated view of Mr. Buffett then I used to have. I will continue reading his books in order, but I’ll be needing a break for a while after this one.
He mentioned a few times throughout the book memoirs he may one day write. Now that he’s approaching 70 years old, I hope that he will do that and that it will read much more like “Tales from Margaritaville” and much less like “A Pirate Looks at Fifty” for Parrotheads still clinging to the Buffett dream like myself.
September 11, 2023
If one man understood joie de vivre, it was Jimmy Buffett. There was a lot of facts about planes and fishing that I feel did not need to be here but all in all loved being in Mr. Margaritaville’s brain. RIP to a legend!
April 21, 2019
Full disclosure: I’m not a Parrothead, but I’m related by blood and marriage to gen-you-wine Buffett fans, so I take the liberty of using familiar language, even though “the king of somewhere hot” has never seen me and isn’t likely to in this earthly paradise…
A Pirate Looks at Fifty is a memoir-ish book by Himself, written more than 20 years ago, I spotted it in the local library’s discarded book sale bin and I did the right thing.
Seems to me, for starters, no one should ever discard a book full of Jimmy Buffett stuff, he’s just so much in love with life and he is a magnet for vicarious attention, I dare you to read Pirate without getting at least a fleeting urge to head for the islands and see the world through Jimmy’s eyes.
You don’t even have to read the whole book (I confess, I didn’t), just read as much as gets the juices flowing and then get on with your regular life, and you can dip into it again any time you want. Buffett’s music and Buffett’s style are a buffet—grab what you want, anytime, sing along as the spirit moves, and go back for more whenever…
You don’t even have to like margaritas to get the full, slobbering, belly laugh, hijinksed, hot damn but mucho mellow effect when you sing along with Jimmy about the Mexican cutie and the lost shaker of salt.
I dare you to not sing a couple verses and the refrain right now, you have to, really…
Read more of my book reviews and poems here:
www.richardsubber.com
A Pirate Looks at Fifty is a memoir-ish book by Himself, written more than 20 years ago, I spotted it in the local library’s discarded book sale bin and I did the right thing.
Seems to me, for starters, no one should ever discard a book full of Jimmy Buffett stuff, he’s just so much in love with life and he is a magnet for vicarious attention, I dare you to read Pirate without getting at least a fleeting urge to head for the islands and see the world through Jimmy’s eyes.
You don’t even have to read the whole book (I confess, I didn’t), just read as much as gets the juices flowing and then get on with your regular life, and you can dip into it again any time you want. Buffett’s music and Buffett’s style are a buffet—grab what you want, anytime, sing along as the spirit moves, and go back for more whenever…
You don’t even have to like margaritas to get the full, slobbering, belly laugh, hijinksed, hot damn but mucho mellow effect when you sing along with Jimmy about the Mexican cutie and the lost shaker of salt.
I dare you to not sing a couple verses and the refrain right now, you have to, really…
Read more of my book reviews and poems here:
www.richardsubber.com
July 12, 2013
I’ve been a fan of Buffett’s music for a long time. Some of it is just pure fun, and others cut a bit closer to Life. I have tried to make Changes in Lattitudes, Changes in Attitudes an anthem for myself, and Trying to Reason With Huurricane Season is another I find inspiring. So I have wanted to read his autobiography for a long time.
The exoskeleton, if you will, of the book is the occasion of Buffett’s 50th birthday on Christmas Day, 1996. It is part autobiography, part travelogue, and all fascinating. The book is structured in parts, with multiple chapters in each. Some of the chapters are no more than a page or two in length. Buffett talks about his family, his early years, his wild days, and his present life, which he seems quite happy in. His has been a storied life, and you’ll find them all here- the good times with family and friends, the dark times of drug and alcohol abuse, and his struggles to make it in the music industry. He doesn’t gloss over the fact that his fame and popularity leave him with the money and connections to do whatever he wants to, but he does not flaunt it, either. It is simply the way it is.
The writing is simple and straightforward, and fun to read. There is more than a little humor, and some poignant moments, as well. And it is all narrated with a voice that is unmistakably Buffett’s.
If you are a fan of Buffett’s music, and want to know what makes this self-proclaimed pirate tick, or just want a fun read about one of today’s most successful musicians, give this one a try.
The exoskeleton, if you will, of the book is the occasion of Buffett’s 50th birthday on Christmas Day, 1996. It is part autobiography, part travelogue, and all fascinating. The book is structured in parts, with multiple chapters in each. Some of the chapters are no more than a page or two in length. Buffett talks about his family, his early years, his wild days, and his present life, which he seems quite happy in. His has been a storied life, and you’ll find them all here- the good times with family and friends, the dark times of drug and alcohol abuse, and his struggles to make it in the music industry. He doesn’t gloss over the fact that his fame and popularity leave him with the money and connections to do whatever he wants to, but he does not flaunt it, either. It is simply the way it is.
The writing is simple and straightforward, and fun to read. There is more than a little humor, and some poignant moments, as well. And it is all narrated with a voice that is unmistakably Buffett’s.
If you are a fan of Buffett’s music, and want to know what makes this self-proclaimed pirate tick, or just want a fun read about one of today’s most successful musicians, give this one a try.
October 15, 2007
Want to feel bad about your life? Read this. Poor bastard has more money than he knows what to do with.
May 1, 2019
I've enjoyed Jimmy Buffet's music for a long time, but I didn't really know much about the man. This book fit a slot I needed in a writing challenge, so I decided to take the opportunity to learn. It was a fun ride.
The book might annoy some with its format: it's not exactly linear. The overall notion is a recounting of Buffet's flight around the Caribbean around the time of his fiftieth birthday. Each little section sparks off earlier memories, and the book jumps around to different points in his life. I knew he was a sailor, but I hadn't realized he was a pilot, too. The man wears many hats, but he enjoys wearing them, and is a great storyteller. He's lived an amazing life, but he's smart enough to know how lucky he is, and realistic to tell stories on himself about the highs and lows of his life.
It's a fun, if meandering, read.
The book might annoy some with its format: it's not exactly linear. The overall notion is a recounting of Buffet's flight around the Caribbean around the time of his fiftieth birthday. Each little section sparks off earlier memories, and the book jumps around to different points in his life. I knew he was a sailor, but I hadn't realized he was a pilot, too. The man wears many hats, but he enjoys wearing them, and is a great storyteller. He's lived an amazing life, but he's smart enough to know how lucky he is, and realistic to tell stories on himself about the highs and lows of his life.
It's a fun, if meandering, read.
February 2, 2020
This is like sitting on a bar stool at a tropical bar, having some adult frosty beverages and chatting with the stranger next to you. His stories are random but fascinating, and you just don’t want him to stop talking.
June 19, 2020
I enjoy Buffett’s music, love his humor and I read the book with the feeling that I would have done something similar had I lived in his circumstances. This has been a really enjoyable way to while away some time on the deck on a few warm, breezy spring days.
January 1, 2022
His life was interesting and seems like a cool guy, but way way to many pages dedicated to fishing…
May 24, 2023
This book dragged. I felt like easily half of his side tangents could have been edited out. I also felt like some elements had unrecognized privilege - I recognize this book was written in the 90s but in today's view point it left a bit of a sour taste.
August 27, 2022
Picked this up at a yard sale, was a good read about traveling around the islands and Latin America in a sea plane.
May 18, 2024
Love the book. I enjoyed reading about some of Jimmy's history and his travels he embarked on on his 50th birthday! I'd recommend for any Parrothead!!!
December 15, 2023
Have always loved Buffett and after his death I remembered this book and finally secured my copy from the library. Great insights into his life and what made him happy besides music. Jumped around at points but his insights on living and loving life will make his music even more special. Bubbles up!
April 15, 2024
Although the book is largely about Jimmy's flying on a Caribbean journey and fishing to commemorate his 50th birthday, you don't have to know anything about flying or fishing (or even about his music) to enjoy his outstanding storytelling.
December 27, 2011
I read about 80% of this book about 5 years ago, and for reasons that are unclear to me, I put it down. So, fast forward to now, and I have finally finished this book. A truly enlightening read about one of my most favorite musicians of all time. No surprise, he lives a pretty exciting life, and one that makes me long for the time and fortune that only few and select successful careers seems to afford. For, having the time and the money is half the battle. A theme of life we all know too well, isn't it? Still, Jimmy takes you on a journey, almost always by his own hands behind the wheel of his plane, to so many different places and people it's hard to keep track of it all. But every bit of it sounds as fun as the last. It's everything you would expect it to be, his life. Surfing, traveling, boating, fishing (my god, so much fishing) , flying, and of course, the music. (I did thoroughly enjoy the tidbits about some of his songs sprinkled throughout) This book makes me want to travel even more than I already want to, and there aren't may people I'd wish trade places with, but I have to think that Jimmy Buffett would have been one of them. His life fascinates me to no end, and probably always will.
June 21, 2010
Jimmy Buffett is my favorite musician of all-time, hands down. His music always makes me long to lay on the beach with a boat drink and his book gave me the same intense longing. It was certainly not a typical autobiography that starts at the beginning and moves chronologically through the author's life. Instead, Jimmy primarily recounts on the trip he took with his family to celebrate his 50th birthday. Interspersed into his detailed descriptions of flight plans and fishing trips are little flashbacks of specific moments in his life.
At first I was disappointed because I felt like I was learning more about his seaplanes and fish species than about the author, but as the book progressed I got caught up in his descriptions of the tropical locales and was swept away. I realized that reading about his travels and passions painted a more accurate portrait of the real Jimmy Buffett than a "then this happened" format could ever achieve.
At first I was disappointed because I felt like I was learning more about his seaplanes and fish species than about the author, but as the book progressed I got caught up in his descriptions of the tropical locales and was swept away. I realized that reading about his travels and passions painted a more accurate portrait of the real Jimmy Buffett than a "then this happened" format could ever achieve.
March 30, 2021
Jimmy Buffett is without a doubt my favorite musician of all time. I’ve been meaning to read some of his writing for a while and I’m happy to say that I was pleased with this one. This is a long read, maybe a little too long. There are some chapters that tell great stories, and I loved them, but there are some that describe a fishing trip in way more detail than would ever be necessary. Good chapters feel enriched by the details and minutiae that he provides, while others feel bogged down by it. I did love the way he frames the memoir, with the main story being a vacation he took with his family for his 50th birthday, interrupted by smaller stories that he tells along the way. At times, however, it felt like he was leaving out stories that I would have wanted to hear and opting to include another chapter on fishing instead. Overall I did really enjoy it and would recommend it to anyone who would call themselves a Parrothead.
September 12, 2012
Being a huge Jimmy Buffett fan I wanted to like this book, but I had to force myself to finish it. While there is a lot of good stuff here, the writing is too often very dry and didn't hold my attention. It isn't without its adventurous moments, but sadly they are too few and far between. I like Buffett as a storyteller, but his ability to turn a tale is almost totally lacking here. None of the characters he meets in his travels are treated with any flare or presented colorfully. As for his philosophies of life - they are much better presented in his songs (his late 90's period of introspective songwriting was, in my opinion one of his best). Stick to his fiction, this one is a snooze.
November 13, 2011
This was just ok. The first 150 pages was tedious because it dwelled on minute details of private planes, boats and fly fishing. He rambles a lot and takes you two stories away from what he started to tell you. He will eventually come back around, but you have to hang on for all the subject changes. I enjoyed the part about his lean years and the parts about his wife, kids, close friends and the places he has vacationed. He has at least 2 more books that he has alluded to in this one. I am not sure if I will read them or not.
July 22, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. Buffett wrote it during a family vacation to the Carribbean and South America over Christmas 1996 and New Years 1997. The trip inspired memories of his childhood and of other trips and he weaves these stories into the book. There are also wonderful asides about geography, history, movies, fiction and of course, music. Some of my favorite pieces of the memoir were the times he spent with his then 2 1/2 year old son Cameron. As a parent of a now 3 1/2 year son, I found myself laughing at the descriptions of his son's enthusiasm and energy.
January 5, 2015
I re-read this book every few years. Belongs in your bathroom and you can pick it up in any place.
Jimmy's been writing songs and books about friends, lovers, pirates and mother, mother ocean for so very long now. I liked it when he told tales about Jimmy -- a guy who thought he knew what he wanted to do and how to fit in. A divorce later and basically broke, he found he fit in quite well at the bottom and started singing about it. Interesting to read a guy who writes damn well write about how he's writing his story every day and tomorrow, too.
Jimmy's been writing songs and books about friends, lovers, pirates and mother, mother ocean for so very long now. I liked it when he told tales about Jimmy -- a guy who thought he knew what he wanted to do and how to fit in. A divorce later and basically broke, he found he fit in quite well at the bottom and started singing about it. Interesting to read a guy who writes damn well write about how he's writing his story every day and tomorrow, too.
November 12, 2008
A globe trotting reminiscence by Jimmy Buffet. Not my normal read at all, but I do like some of his music & it was interesting. He gets side tracked a lot, which makes it better. We get a pretty good & honest over view of his life as he tells us about his 50th birthday & the trip he took to celebrate it. Within a few months of that age myself, I found it entertaining.
September 20, 2013
In many ways my Bible. In the past I've taken this book down and re-read it every year. It's a book you can just open to a random chapter and enjoy and keep right along with what's happening in the story. Jimmy is a master storyteller especially when telling tales from his real life, or as close to real life as you can get with Jimmy Buffett.
March 11, 2008
Never could stand Buffett and the whole Parrothead phenomenon. His good-old-boy schtick has always struck me as incredibly calculated. He's aw-shucks-ing it all the way to the bank. The book is just more self-aggrandizement.
December 22, 2016
Jimmy is an amazing storyteller, in song and in writing. This is a story of the trip he took to celebrate his 50th birthday but is also interspersed with stories of his life,from childhood to college where he learns to play guitar; just to get girls,it turns out. A fun and interesting read.
January 9, 2020
Very enjoyable read. I could hear his voice when reading the words.
November 9, 2021
I like Jimmy Buffett’s music (Caribbean/Island R&R) much better than I liked this book. You’ll not learn too much about the man in this particular book. The action (travel) in this story takes place in the winter of ‘96-97. Buffett will be 75 on Christmas Day 2021. Hard to believe. He’s still doing concerts and drawing crowds and has a loyal following (both young & old), the Parrot Heads. He also has to be close to billionaire status with the marketing of “Margaritaville.” He’s done quite well for himself, family & friends. He ain’t no beach bum looking for his lost shaker of salt.
Anyway, this book is Jimmy’s celebration of his 50th birthday 25 yrs ago. He takes us on a trip thru parts of the Caribbean, Central America (Costa Rica), northern South America and the Amazon River. Not really the best of travel books. He certainly has great enthusiasm for the Caribbean Islands, especially St Barts. I learned some interesting things I did not know. First, Buffett is a very accomplished & enthusiastic aviator. Going on a plane ride with him in the islands would be a kick. Also, he’s quite a fisherman. He’s passionate about fishing and believe it or not he says he did some fly-fishing in the Caribbean. Had to be funny. He searches waters near & far hoping he’ll discover a new fishing paradise. The “dude” is high energy.
Buffett was born in Pascagoula, MS in 1946 and grew up in the Mobile Bay area. He’s married to his 2nd wife Jane and they have three children. Jimmy’s sister is married to writer Tom McGuane. Jimmy (aka Bubba) really got going with his music in his college days. It attracted girls. He had some success in New Orleans playing at joints in the ‘Quarter. On to Nashville and later to Key West. I think Key West was made for him. Bars, girls, music, the southern night sky, the beach and fishing. It was the spawning of Margaritaville.
I enjoyed the sections in the book on flying and fishing but for some readers he may have gone a little overboard on both subjects. The birthday bash was supposed to be time and travel with his wife and kids. However, the family was often split up, separate travel and different agendas. Everywhere Jimmy landed he was tossing out t-shirts and other assorted “gear.”
One error in the book was grouping Flannery O’Connor with Faulkner and Walker Percy as great Mississippi writers. O’Connor was a talented writer but not from Mississippi. She was a native of Georgia.
Jimmy Buffett, the former drunken Caribbean rock & roller and the current mogul of Margaritaville, has been on quite a ride during the the last 50 plus yrs of his life. He’s caught many a wave. He’s done a lot of things and he’s been to a lot of places. It seems that life has been good. However, his life story might be all about Folly chasing Death. His own thought in his own book.
Anyway, this book is Jimmy’s celebration of his 50th birthday 25 yrs ago. He takes us on a trip thru parts of the Caribbean, Central America (Costa Rica), northern South America and the Amazon River. Not really the best of travel books. He certainly has great enthusiasm for the Caribbean Islands, especially St Barts. I learned some interesting things I did not know. First, Buffett is a very accomplished & enthusiastic aviator. Going on a plane ride with him in the islands would be a kick. Also, he’s quite a fisherman. He’s passionate about fishing and believe it or not he says he did some fly-fishing in the Caribbean. Had to be funny. He searches waters near & far hoping he’ll discover a new fishing paradise. The “dude” is high energy.
Buffett was born in Pascagoula, MS in 1946 and grew up in the Mobile Bay area. He’s married to his 2nd wife Jane and they have three children. Jimmy’s sister is married to writer Tom McGuane. Jimmy (aka Bubba) really got going with his music in his college days. It attracted girls. He had some success in New Orleans playing at joints in the ‘Quarter. On to Nashville and later to Key West. I think Key West was made for him. Bars, girls, music, the southern night sky, the beach and fishing. It was the spawning of Margaritaville.
I enjoyed the sections in the book on flying and fishing but for some readers he may have gone a little overboard on both subjects. The birthday bash was supposed to be time and travel with his wife and kids. However, the family was often split up, separate travel and different agendas. Everywhere Jimmy landed he was tossing out t-shirts and other assorted “gear.”
One error in the book was grouping Flannery O’Connor with Faulkner and Walker Percy as great Mississippi writers. O’Connor was a talented writer but not from Mississippi. She was a native of Georgia.
Jimmy Buffett, the former drunken Caribbean rock & roller and the current mogul of Margaritaville, has been on quite a ride during the the last 50 plus yrs of his life. He’s caught many a wave. He’s done a lot of things and he’s been to a lot of places. It seems that life has been good. However, his life story might be all about Folly chasing Death. His own thought in his own book.
December 24, 2019
I like the fun-loving demeanor expressed in Buffett's music and was hoping to get a glimpse of the origin of that personality by reading this book. I was fully expecting to have to sift through large segments of sex, drugs and rock and roll in order to glean the interesting information. It was a pleasant surprise to see that Buffett left a lot of the debauchery references out of the book and where he included such material it was done in a matter of fact manner as a way to explain why his life developed as it did. Instead, Buffett describes his life at the age of fifty with heavy emphasis on his family ("the reward of parenting is to be able to share experiences with your children"), his love of the sea and his travels throughout the Caribbean. Despite his extensive travels, I like his take on home--"Home is where you come from...not where you live at the present time". But certainly his songs are infused with real-life experiences from his island hopping & this book makes me appreciate his music more because I now recognize those experiences in many of his songs. I also developed a respect for him when I realized what an avid reader he is (claims his mother instilled in him the love of reading). His list of books to have on a deserted island include Hemingway, Faulkner, Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad--impressive reading list! Even his referenced movie favorites include many of mine: Stephen King's "The Shining", Ghostbusters, Jaws, Easy Rider, Forrest Gump, 2001 Space Odyssey, Star Trek, The Birds. All in all a fun book to read. Buffett's narrative style is conversational and relaxed--as though you are listening to an interesting friend describe an experience that has excited him. I also enjoyed his use of humor as he relates to his family. His respect for the females in that family partly stems from the fact that he grew up with no brothers, only sisters and now he lives in an "international house of women"--a wife, two daughters, two Trinidadian nannies, a female Russian housekeeper & several female dogs & cats! But when he is called upon to babysit, he knows enough to turn to the "electronic babysitter"-- the Disney Channel.
May 26, 2017
A Pirate Looks at 50 is a comprehensive autobiography of the life of everybody's favorite drunk, Jimmy Buffett. Buffett takes an interesting approach to writing the book and bases it off of the trip he took around the caribbean while flashing back to pivotal points in his life and music career. The whole book is a collection of short stories loosely tied together but was executed perfectly. Throughout the entire book Buffett focuses on the theme of letting everything go and dealing with negative things as they happen but not letting it bring him down.
One story from the book that really struck me was when Jimmy and his family as well as Bono from U2 were shot at while trying to land in Jamaica. He was attempting a water landing with one of his floatplanes when the Jamaican police mistook his plane for a drug smugglers and attempted to shoot him down. This became the inspiration for the hit song “Jamaica Mistaka”.
Another similar story was when he was attempting to land his floatplane in Nantucket Harbor, but landed right on top of a wave that was breaking, causing one of his floats to go under water and flipping the plane. The story follows his rescue as well as his recovery from his injuries. Overall, the book really changed my opinion of Jimmy and it made me realize how passionate he is about his way of life. He isn't just another so called musicians who only cares about money, buffet truly cares about promoting his lifestyle and thoroughly enjoys what he does.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any aspiring parrot head that wants to get to know a little bit more about what's behind Jimmy Buffett. This book was actually one of the only books i've ever actually enjoyed reading. At times I almost forgot that this book was for a school project.
One story from the book that really struck me was when Jimmy and his family as well as Bono from U2 were shot at while trying to land in Jamaica. He was attempting a water landing with one of his floatplanes when the Jamaican police mistook his plane for a drug smugglers and attempted to shoot him down. This became the inspiration for the hit song “Jamaica Mistaka”.
Another similar story was when he was attempting to land his floatplane in Nantucket Harbor, but landed right on top of a wave that was breaking, causing one of his floats to go under water and flipping the plane. The story follows his rescue as well as his recovery from his injuries. Overall, the book really changed my opinion of Jimmy and it made me realize how passionate he is about his way of life. He isn't just another so called musicians who only cares about money, buffet truly cares about promoting his lifestyle and thoroughly enjoys what he does.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any aspiring parrot head that wants to get to know a little bit more about what's behind Jimmy Buffett. This book was actually one of the only books i've ever actually enjoyed reading. At times I almost forgot that this book was for a school project.
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