Dave Barry biography
Date of birth : 1947-07-03
Date of death : -
Birthplace : Armonk, New Yorl, United States
Nationality : American
Category : Arts and Entertainment
Last modified : 2011-07-20
Credited as : Author and columnist, Pulitzer Prize for literature, The Miami Herald
0 votes so far
Dave Barry's offbeat humor column ran in The Miami Herald from 1983-2005 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1988. Barry's specialty is a mix of stream-of-consciousness wisecracks and chortling commentary on home life, politics, low-flow toilets and other vital issues of the day, often with Barry himself as the butt of the joke. He's known for columns on strange news items like exploding whales or flaming Pop-Tarts, often introduced with his wry disclaimer, "I am not making this up." Barry graduated from Haverford College in Pennsylvania in 1969; his first newspaper job was as a reporter for the West Chester (PA) Daily Local News. After he was hired by The Miami Herald, widespread syndication of his work made him one of America's most popular humor columnists. He also found time to write more than two dozen books, including Babies and Other Hazards of Sex (1984), Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys (1995) and Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs (1997). He took a leave of absence from writing his column in 2005. At the end of that year he announced that he would not return to writing a regular column, though he would continue writing occasional newspaper pieces as well as books. The Miami Herald has continued to run his archived columns from past years.
Barry's father, The Rev. David Barry, was a Presbyterian minister... Barry has often cited American humorist Robert Benchley as an inspiration... The TV sitcom Dave's World was based on Barry's writings. It ran on the CBS network from 1993 to 1997; comedian Harry Anderson played Dave... Barry played guitar in the once-in-a-while band The Rock Bottom Remainders, made up of authors including Stephen King and Barbara Kingsolver... In awarding Barry its 1988 prize, the Pultizer Committee cited his "consistently effective use of humor as a device for presenting fresh insights into serious concerns"... Barry is no relation to the author David Barry (also born in 1947) who wrote Women and Political Insurgency: France in the Mid-nineteenth Century.
Fiction:
Naked Came the Manatee (1998) (Collaboration with 12 other authors)
Big Trouble (1999)
Tricky Business (2002)
Peter and the Starcatchers (2004, with Ridley Pearson)
Peter and the Shadow Thieves (2006, with Ridley Pearson)
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon (2007, with Ridley Pearson)
Escape From the Carnivale (2006, with Ridley Pearson)
The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog (2006)
Cave of the Dark Wind (2007, with Ridley Pearson)
Science Fair (2008, with Ridley Pearson)
Peter and the Sword of Mercy (2009, with Ridley Pearson)
Blood Tide (with Ridley Pearson)
Non-fiction:
The Taming of the Screw (1983)
Babies and Other Hazards of Sex: How to Make a Tiny Person in Only 9 Months With Tools You Probably Have Around the Home (1984)
Stay Fit and Healthy Until You're Dead (1985)
Claw Your Way to the Top: How to Become the Head of a Major Corporation in Roughly a Week (1986)
Dave Barry's Guide to Marriage and/or Sex (1987)
Homes and Other Black Holes (1988)
Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States (1989)
Dave Barry Turns 40 (1990)
Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need (1991)
Dave Barry's Guide to Life (1991) includes Dave Barry's Guide to Marriage and/or Sex, Babies and Other Hazards of Sex, The Taming of the Screw and Claw Your Way to the Top
Dave Barry Does Japan (1992)
Dave Barry's Gift Guide to End All Gift Guides (1994)
Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys (1996)
Dave Barry in Cyberspace (1996)
Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs (1997)
Dave Barry Turns 50 (1998)
Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway: A Vicious and Unprovoked Attack on Our Most Cherished Political Institutions (2001)
"My Teenage Son's Goal in Life is to Make Me Feel 3,500 Years Old" and Other Thoughts On Parenting From Dave Barry (2001)
"The Greatest Invention In The History Of Mankind Is Beer" And Other Manly Insights From Dave Barry (2001)
Dave Barry's Money Secrets (2006)
Dave Barry on Dads (2007)
Dave Barry's History of the Millennium (So Far) (2007)
I'll Mature When I'm Dead (2010)
Collected columns:
Dave Barry's Bad Habits: A 100% Fact-Free Book (1987)
Dave Barry's Greatest Hits (1988)
Dave Barry Talks Back (1991)
The World According to Dave Barry (1994) includes Dave Barry Talks Back and Dave Barry's Greatest Hits
Dave Barry is NOT Making This Up (1995)
Dave Barry Is from Mars and Venus (1997)
Dave Barry Is Not Taking This Sitting Down (2000)
Dave Barry: Boogers Are My Beat (2003)
