Those Arkansaw Bumkins: with The Oinky Boinky Machine and Elmo Frumpkin
Reviewed By: Susan Keefe
Susan Keefe reviews and promotes poetry, fiction and non-fiction, audio books, and films. She is also author of the Toby's Tails series of children's books.
Three rollicking, irreverent tales from Preston Coleman, the King of Satire.
Preston Coleman has done it again! For those who loved his witty and extremely irreverent political satire The Lost Gospel of Donald, this talented author has this time written three short satires which will have those of us, exasperated by the American political system, laughing until they split their sides.
The first “Those Arkansaw Bumkins” tells of the Bumkins household’s transportation by tornado onto the lawn of the Capital City Mal. Subsequently they have a meteoric rise to power as Co-Presidents of America in their new abode, the White Castle. Well, you can probably imagine the shenanigans which take place, but let me tell you, they are nothing compared to the tales you will read about in this entertaining and totally irreverent story. Let me just say that there’s a clue in the stories subtitle, “A Gremlin in His Goober.”
Then follows The Oinky Boinky Machine, which is the tale of Livingstone Ostrich, an Ostrich who bravely, after a great tragedy, decides to puts his head above the parapet. As with the popular classic Jonathan Livingston Seagull, written by Richard Bach, this is a tale of standing out in the crowd, and the consequences of doing so. Bravely the intrepid Livingston Ostrich decides that something has to be done to stop the horrendous Oinky Boinky Machine. But is he the bird to do it? Will he have the strength to overcome the cavernous machine, and its blood-sucking Vampire Pigs which reside within and keep it alive?
Last but not least is the tale of “Elmo Frumpkin. Poor Elmo Frumpkin is a forest hermit, who finds himself snatched from his peaceful life in the Deep South, and thrown into prison by Sher’f Gimby. There he discovers that his innocent behavior has caused him to be placed unwittingly into the criminal justice system. With his life changed forever Elmo and his far from conventional cell mate Hannibal Purdy escape from prison, and begin their rollercoaster of an adventure. Read it and laugh out loud, giggle or whatever takes your fancy, but most of all embrace wholeheartedly this talented author’s clever use of irony and humor.
In Summary: Destined to go down in history as the King of Satire, Preston Coleman is a refreshing blast of fresh air, and just what his country and the literary world need! Highly Recommended!