Product Description

Vietnam draft dodger Tavo Gripps is shanghaied, by a modern day pirate, to a primitive Caribbean fishing village. He uses hilarious hippie voodoo to survive amongst drug smugglers, the DEA, a displaced wild counterculture, and a lost African tribe.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #451312 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 295 pages

About the Author
Mark Conklin grew up in Detroit, Michigan and has a Masters degree in Industrial Psychology. In 1973, he and his wife, Ilene, purchased property and started development of Banana Shout Resort in Negril, Jamaica, then, a remote fishing village. Currently, they reside and operate their resort there.

Customer Reviews

Building a Life in Negril, Jamaica
Mark Conklin has written the definitive novel of the early days of Negril, circa 1970. This novel is based on facts, and anyone who has even a passing interest in one of the more magical spots on earth will be transfixed by the adventures of Tavo Gripps and his interaction with the local people and the myriad cast of characters who founded the tourist mecca that became the 'Capital of Casual'. A really fun read that will have you both laughing out loud, and yet leave you with regret at the many things that the influx of visitors caused.

Get a hammock and a rum
Yes Jamaica is poised between rampant all inclusive commercialism and real life adventure opportunities, and nothing outlines that more clearly than this clever tale. Banana Shout, based on the villas in Negril is an amazing story... hilarious... along the lines of Tom Robbins... and it's a great read.
As a steady traveler to Jamaica (3 -4 times a year) I would like to mention that one should never think that it's cool to yell "yah Man" at Ricks next door while drinking an overpriced rum, and that it's a much greater pleasure to sit next door in a hammock at Banana Shout, drinking your own and living life large. If you're going to Jamaica, get this book, and find some place nice to read it...

Banana Shout
A really FUN "read"! If you want to know what Negril, Jamaica, West Indies was like 25-30 years ago, before all the commercialization happened to it, THIS is THE BOOK to read! You don't need to know anyone from/anything about Jamaica to enjoy it. Some of those folks are still around Negril, too... (Take it from someone who has been visiting Negril for YEARS.)