Martyn Burke Books

Bien Hoa airbase, outside Saigon, wasn't a very funny place, but Barney's job had one advantage: he always played to a packed house. The soldiers flocked to his shows, and the war-zone comedian coaxed his battle-weary audiences first into chuckles and then into guffaws of healing laughter with material drawn from the lunacy around them: the little old VC with the single-shot rifle taking potshots at the jets, the international "peace-keeping" mission, the Vietnamese "car wash" racket, the numbering routine of army life, the officers One officer in particular: Colonel Isaacs, the blood-and-guts commander of the base, a driven man whose soldiers pay the price of his obsessions. Barney often ridiculed his authority from in front of the footlights, and after hours he wooed the colonel's woman, Donna, a beautiful singer with a secret. So far, he had gone unpunished But the colonel had included Barney in his plan for a jungle showdown with the enemy, a battle that would turn an abandoned firebase into a bloody killing ground and the scene of Barney's greatest performance. LAUGHING WAR does for Vietnam what Catch-22 did for World War II, laying bare the absurdity of war with a taut, fast-moving, darkly humorous tale of romance and suspense in a combat zone.

In this sequel to the critically acclaimed IVORY JOE, Christy is flung into a world as strange as the Amazon where she has studied the savage tribes bent on annihilating one another. Christy has arrived in Beverly Hills, a world where annihilation is usually accomplished by legal documents. From the depths of the mansion territory north of Sunset Boulevard, her sister Ruthie lives a life hilariously untouched by reality as it is understood in the rest of the world. Especially the world that begins to intrude when the old Clark Gable mansion goes up in smoke. But then as Ruthie says, 'It was a teardown anyway.' PRAISE FOR MARTYN BURKE S IVORY JOE 'A funny wonderfully affecting novel,' Publisher s Weekly 'IVORY JOE is a real pleasure' New York Times ' a vast unruly, quintessentially American landscape. Prepare to get carried away. Burke is a storyteller of lavish generosity.' Washington Post

For me, managing awesome teams was both rewarding and exciting. I learned early on that great managers take care of their team members; they do the right things for the right reasons. By helping team members focus on the same vision, they will begin to feel as if they're playing a championship game every day. People like to win and most dream of being on a winning team. The saying Life is a journey not a destination, is so true. Hopefully this book will provide you with some of those right things to do, or Silver Bullets you might say.

First published by Bantam Books and hailed by critics, this is the rollicking love story of Leo and Tina Klein in 1950s New York. He is a charming rogue with ties to the mob. She is a leftist activist and manager of “Ivory Joe” Coulter, a heart-busting black musician. Burke weaves a deft plot involving the attempted theft of one of Joe's songs, to give us a joyous tale of energy and soul.

A Russian spy falls in love with life in the United States and pretends to be engaged in subversive activities in order to stay in the country

The narrative traverses diverse and contrasting settings, from the rugged landscapes of Afghanistan to the glamorous Playboy Mansion, blending humor with poignant insights. Martyn Burke's storytelling captivates readers with its sharp wit and emotional depth, showcasing his unique ability to weave together outrageous scenarios that feel utterly believable. The book promises a blend of comedy and wisdom, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.