Too Long at the Beach?: Comic Views of Beach Vacations

Most people love spending time at the beach. The slower pace of life, the swaying palm trees, and the rhythmic sounds of the waves make us mellow. We eat and, possibly, drink more than we do at home. We may recall our youth by participating in athletics on the beach. However, if we stay at the beach too long, we may become so mellow, so rotund, and so sore that we can no longer function in our normal world. This book provides a series of comic tests to tell vacationers if they have stayed at the beach too long. Each test is accompanied by a cartoon.

John D. Spurrier and his family often spend time at Edisto Beach in South Carolina. He has also particularly enjoyed being on Paradise Island in the Bahamas and the beaches of Kaua'i in Hawaii. He grew up in the small town of Butler, Missouri. Butler is south of Peculiar and west of Tightwad. This small town is far from any ocean. His early exposure to the beach was watching Sea Hunt on TV. He received his Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He retired in 2008 as a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Statistics at the University of South Carolina. He received numerous awards for teaching and research including being named a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and the 2002 South Carolina Governor's Professor of the Year. Since retirement, he helps children learn to read, teaches in a continuing education program for senior citizens, and performs stand-up comedy in various small venues. This book is an expansion of one of his stand-up routines. He lives with his wife in Irmo, SC, and they have two adult children.