Rating: 
Summary: IT'S THE FEELING THAT COUNTS
Review: I can't believe this guy: he writes a non-existent plot, he keeps repeating himself in trite gags and aphorisms, his setting is always the same rather than not, but I love him! It's just like getting addicted to cigars: I hate the smell, yet I've got to smoke'em... Kinky grows on you, after a while you become part of his Irregulars and, with them, you enjoy the ride, doesn't matter where. There is also a strange feeling of melancholy in his writing, a tendency to look back sadly and reminisce, and the reader empathizes. What else can I say? It was through this book that I first discovered Kinky Friedman: now I've read the lot!
Rating: 
Summary: Crude, politically incorrect... great for the easily-amused
Review: I couldn't help but buy this book. After all, my friend had been raving about Kinky Friedman for ages. So I quickly snatched it up and ran home to tell him about my purchase."Which one did you get?" he asked in a prompt email response. "I don't remember. It's something about dancing lesbians," I replied. "They're all about dancing lesbians," he told me. So there you have it. Kinky Friedman in a nutshell. He's a "Texas Jewboy" transplanted in New York, where he lives with a humorless cat in a loft that's conveniently located one floor beneath Winnie Katz's lesbian dance school. And he spends his time smoking cigars, doing shots of whatever's available, and investigating the occasional case. In Spanking Watson, the Kinkster actually creates his own case. After his ceiling collapses (thanks to Winnie Katz and her dancing lesbians), Kinky writes a death threat to his neighbor in a drunken stupor. He didn't mean to send it, of course, but before he gets the chance to dispose of it properly, his friend Ratso finds it. When Kinky covers it up as a piece of evidence in a new case that he's investigating, Ratso insists that, as Kinky's Dr. Watson, he should see the note. Ratso's statement gives Kinky an idea. Out of all of the members in his little circle of friends (which he calls The Village Irregulars), he wonders which of them really makes the best Watson. So he devises a little contest -- with a little bit of revenge thrown in on the side. He tells his friends that the note was written to Winnie Katz. The dance instructor is too freaked out to talk about it, though, he tells each of his Watsons, so it's their job to investigate the case -- to make pests of themselves if necessary -- in order to figure out who's out to get poor Winnie. Kinky's fake case turns a little more serious, however, when someone breaks into Winnie's apartment and threatens to kill her. Suddenly, there's more to Kinky's case than just determining which of his friends should be his real Watson. Kinky Friedman definitely isn't for everyone. He's pretty crude and politically-incorrect, and he often seems to be rambling about absolutely nothing (not to mention the fact that he's constantly talking to his cat). But if you're one of those people who tend to be random and easily-amused (like me), then Spanking Watson will keep you laughing from beginning to end.
Rating:
Summary: Crude, politically incorrect... great for the easily-amused
Review: I couldn't help but buy this book. After all, my friend had been raving about Kinky Friedman for ages. So I quickly snatched it up and ran home to tell him about my purchase. "Which one did you get?" he asked in a prompt email response. "I don't remember. It's something about dancing lesbians," I replied. "They're all about dancing lesbians," he told me. So there you have it. Kinky Friedman in a nutshell. He's a "Texas Jewboy" transplanted in New York, where he lives with a humorless cat in a loft that's conveniently located one floor beneath Winnie Katz's lesbian dance school. And he spends his time smoking cigars, doing shots of whatever's available, and investigating the occasional case. In Spanking Watson, the Kinkster actually creates his own case. After his ceiling collapses (thanks to Winnie Katz and her dancing lesbians), Kinky writes a death threat to his neighbor in a drunken stupor. He didn't mean to send it, of course, but before he gets the chance to dispose of it properly, his friend Ratso finds it. When Kinky covers it up as a piece of evidence in a new case that he's investigating, Ratso insists that, as Kinky's Dr. Watson, he should see the note. Ratso's statement gives Kinky an idea. Out of all of the members in his little circle of friends (which he calls The Village Irregulars), he wonders which of them really makes the best Watson. So he devises a little contest -- with a little bit of revenge thrown in on the side. He tells his friends that the note was written to Winnie Katz. The dance instructor is too freaked out to talk about it, though, he tells each of his Watsons, so it's their job to investigate the case -- to make pests of themselves if necessary -- in order to figure out who's out to get poor Winnie. Kinky's fake case turns a little more serious, however, when someone breaks into Winnie's apartment and threatens to kill her. Suddenly, there's more to Kinky's case than just determining which of his friends should be his real Watson. Kinky Friedman definitely isn't for everyone. He's pretty crude and politically-incorrect, and he often seems to be rambling about absolutely nothing (not to mention the fact that he's constantly talking to his cat). But if you're one of those people who tend to be random and easily-amused (like me), then Spanking Watson will keep you laughing from beginning to end.
Rating:
Summary: hey, kinky, can i hang out and smoke a ceegar with ya?
Review: i laughed, i hooted, i drank some brandy, and i smoked cigars. kinkstah is back and damn!, is this book great. i liked so much more than BLAST FROM THE PAST this has soul to it, and its a hell of a good read! so kinkstah if yer out there, keep em comin, i'll keep reading them, and maybe someday we can smoke a ceegar, you, me, the cat, and the negro puppet head. in case your wondering, yeah i dug the book!
Rating:
Summary: If you're PC, stay away!
Review: I love Kinky Friedman and "Spanking Watson" is about as good as Kinky gets - best to read Kinky from the start as you get introduced to his band of "Village Irregulars" and get into his "Kinkyisms" (what's a 'Nixon', you ask?) - the ending is a little pat but the plot is not the thing - I laughed out loud and my annual "Kinky" fix was sated
Rating:
Summary: Kinky, Roll baby Roll!
Review: I started reading the Kinkster's works here and found it quite amusing with the little sub stories running amuck. If your looking for a way to kill a few hours of your life in a pointless, yet amusing way, pick up this book... or any of Friedman's books. The one thing I learned from this book, no self respecting Italian would ever use a metal bat...
Rating: 
Summary: Going Through the Motions
Review: I think some of the other reviewers here were right on target when they suggested that Kinky missed a beat here, and that this book was strangely unsatisfying. I know these novels are formulaic and not really plot-driven, but here the plot is virtually non-existent! The action, aside from some trips to eat with the Village Irregulars, takes place almost entirely in Friedman's building on VanDam Street in NYC. There are hardly any outside characters, aside from the espresso-swilling, mob-connected plasterers working on Kinky's ceiling after Winnie's lesbian dance class causes his ceiling to crumble. Even the "mystery" of the plot is a sham, as Kinky invents an imaginary stalker of Winnie to aggravate his neighbor and sets the Irregulars in motion to help solve the identity of the stalker. I have read a couple of other Friedman books, and maybe the repetition here is just starting to wear on me. How many times do we readers need to be reminded about how the author lights his cigars, "keeping the match just under the tip..." How many times can he make a witty observation to the cat and then claim tongue in cheek : "The cat, of course, said nothing"? That line is present at least 25 times in this book, mostly cause Kinky never leaves the apartment. Also, as a little nugget for his high-brow fans, Friedman throws in references to some of his famous readers, like Don Imus, Bill Clinton and Joseph Heller, in gratitude for their kind words I suppose. Perhaps the most baffling part of the book, for me, was an incomprehensible aside for about 3 pages where the author describes Jesus as being the original hip Texas Jewboy, and then traces the lineage to modern hip "Jewboys" like Joseph Heller and Abbie Hoffman. I think the author had drank a little too much of his beloved Jameson's when he wrote that chapter, which could have used an editor's red pen. Plus, every Italian character in the novel had ridiculous names like Tortellini, Linguine, etc. Anyway, for all of you devoted fans of the Kinksta, you will delight in reading about the author constantly puffing cigars, guzzling espresso and tossing down shots of Irish whiskey in his bull's horn to break the monotony. For the rest of us, there is little here to set this novel apart. I wouldn't start with this as an introduction to Friedman, The Love Song of J. Edgar Hoover was far superior in this reviewer's humble opinion.
Rating:
Summary: the kinkster rules (at least for those who don't take themse
Review: I usually ask Amazon to ship my books the cheapest way possible, but Kinky's books are always overnight. And well worth the added shipping cost. Spanking Watson is no exception, as this lesbianoramic/Holmesian mystery kept me chuckling from start to finish (as do all Kinky's books). The Kinksta writes the funny stuff like Kasparov plays chess, and it's a joy to behold.
Rating:
Summary: Another great wonder from my pal Kinky
Review: Kinky fans will not be disappointed by this latest outbreak. Spanking Watson has more excitement then previous books, and Kinky's colorful and blunt vernacular is a treat to this unique mystery. It is a must read for seasoned fans, who will have no trouble figuring out the mystery, and will draw newcommers in with great enthusiasm. It is a novel to be loved by fans and in turn hated by those idiots who have trouble comprehending the word fun.
Rating:
Summary: Just as Kinky as the rest.
Review: Kinky is back with another great book for pure enjoyment
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