cover image Die Happy: 499 Things Every Guy's Gotta Do While He Still Can

Die Happy: 499 Things Every Guy's Gotta Do While He Still Can

Michael Burke, Tim Burke. St. Martin's Griffin, $13.99 (274pp) ISBN 978-0-312-35620-0

Two brothers combine forces to compile the ultimate guy's to-do-before-marriage list. Tim is married but still ""fight(ing) the good fight"" and Michael is ""still a free man."" They take advantage of their different points of view, banking on Tim's nostalgia for his bachelor days and Michael's determination to take full advantage of the time he has left. Whether offering predictable ideas, like traveling Europe by rail or ""road-trippin' North America"" with some buddies, or slightly more original plans like running with the bulls in Spain, throwing a mustache party, or pretending to be someone else for a weekend, they keep readers entertained. The writing style is conversational and candid, and its humor is aimed squarely at the guy's guy (""You're not going to meet your wife in Cancun, but you'll probably take home her slutty sister""). Though at times repetitive; the Burkes themselves happily acknowledge the role formula plays in their schemes: ""if you're in search of a good story just get smashed in a different town"" sums it up nicely. Though sure to irritate any woman who happens to pick it up (women are divided into two categories: kill-joy wives and drunken sluts), that shouldn't be a problem for the target audience. Most single guys under thirty will enjoy this title-and may even be inspired by it.