The attempt at conveying pidgin English in this novel falls pitifully short and was utltimately so irritating it made the book unreadable. I am unconvinced that the author made any significant effort at researching his subject matter which is key to turning out worthwhile literature. I'll be donating my copy to our local thrift store, with a warning in the cover that it's probably not worth the purchase price no matter how low they mark it.

My first experience with John Harding. One Big Damn Puzzler was a great read. This book is really 3 different stories driven into 1 gripping finale. Harding does a good job of examining the West's materialistc culture interspered with a desire to help those who don't ask to be helped. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and did not mind the diversions of other topics Harding poses to the reader. A good light-hearted read that has some touching and emotional moments.

Mr. Harding's creativity provided fresh storytelling through chapter 62 or so. Here his politically commentary seemed shoe horned in. I don't mind his views as a lot of people share them, but the puzzling part was how his adept storytelling was so quickly transformed into such banal political droning. Given the freshness of his characters and storyline, I would have expected more thought provoking commentary on real world matters. Instead, the attempt comes off as someone trying to establish a legacy of opposition in hopes that the future will consider him astute.

Overall an enjoyable read and should Mr. Harding put forth another work, I'll be happy to give it a go as well, though I hope either his political insights (whatever their flavor) match his storytelling skills or he abandons attempts at working them in.

I found this book an engaging, funny read. The characters on the island and the island culture are great. A few of the characters are very developed, while others--including all the women--have little to know depth. Harding's conceited attitude comes through clearly in this book. He blames America for everything. He has done no research on the U.S. legal or compensation systems. His characters are supposed to be from New York, yet all sound like they are from rural small town England (Harding's own background). Only men are lawyers in the book. The island culture is supposedly strongly matrilineal, but there are no women on the island who seem to have any power. He only describes women in terms of their physical attributes. So all in all - a funny read, but aggravating, too.

We all imagine a being on a tropical island, in the sun, the roaring ocean, with innocent and beautiful natives giving us everything we need. John Harding gives this to us with plenty of add-ons: Shakespeare, OCD, innocence and its loss, and the Western materialistic mentality.

An American lawyer comes to this untouched island, meets the natives, and tries to obtain compensation for them from injuries as the result of left over land mines. The book turns into an allegory of American values running amok and attempts to give a world vision on today's events.

Harding uses humor, literary license, and great imagination to accomplish this task. I thank him for great and thoughtful entertainment.