Packing Parachutes the Mini-Musical: And Other Strange Literary Concoctions

Packing Parachutes the Mini-Musical: And Other Strange Literary Concoctions is a fictional, satiric comedy including narratives of a newscaster, quizzes to judge whether you’re the next Osama bin Laden, shortened versions of novels in a separate section called “Quickie Novels,” “News Stories,” and the “Mini-Musical.”

This book is a vague attempt to create satire out of daily news, TV shows, the statements of our congressmen, and other pop culture references. The one appreciable thing about this book is the teasing attitude with which the author treats subjects like obesity as a national problem, cliché movies about the old west, and the uselessness of our Congress. However, the satire, and even the humor, does not captivate the reader, nor does it make one burst into fits of laughter. It just leaves the reader annoyed and feeling queasy.

The “Mini-Musical” is not the brightest comedy written, and is yawn-inducing in most places. The author needs to find diverse satirical situations and target trends for a broader audience, without stereotyping any racial or ethnic group. The author also needs to improve his sense of humor, as what he finds funny may seem crude and even disgusting to many. I would recommend another satire author over this one if the reader wants a good laugh about pop culture.