Amazon.com

In the mildly entertaining memoir Cad: Confessions of a Toxic Bachelor, former New York Times reporter and pop-culture critic Rick Marin chronicles the years of marathon dating and shallow living that followed in the wake of his failed "starter marriage." Marin moves through a series of urbane exploits and short-lived affairs, perfecting his trademark move of whipping off his horn-rims midconversation in a "myopic gaze," holding court with his wingman Tad over the hot buffet at Billy's Topless, and regurgitating wisdom gleaned from The Godfather. Like the similarly self-indulgent How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, Cad has its memorablemoments--Marin comparing his wedding video to the Zapruder film and hitting on actress Moira Kelly when she was still an ingénue living with her mom on Long Island--but the book's swinging, ring-a-ding-ding Rat Pack attitude feels noticeably forced and uninspired, leaving a flat aftertaste to the whole affair. --Brad Thomas Parsons ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Entertaining, but not 'literature'
Coming out of an early marriage to a somewhat lost young woman, Rick Marin decides to embrace a "love 'em and leave 'em" single life. Readers who enjoy "Bridget Jones" type books or Cosmopolitan magazine will enjoy this male perspective on the NYC dating scene.

For much of the book, the writer works freelance, including writing articles for fashion and beauty magazines such as Allure and Mademoiselle. Although his work may address things naive women can do when 'he' doesn't call, the writer is more cavalier in his own life--he doesn't call because he never had any intention of calling you and doesn't care. Many of the female characters in the book are self involved, insecure, or just flighty, offering some amusement in the cavalier treatment they receive from the cad. The vulnerability of some of these women sheds some unflattering light on the writer at times.

Consistent with other stories of this genre, the writer grows into an adult during the course of the book. Treatment of a family tragedy is conveyed well and with empathy, without being overly sentimental. However, the final pieces where the writer finds true love aren't consistent with the rest of the novel and feel like they don't quite fit.

Overall, a novel with some literary pretensions that manages to entertain most of the time.

A Jolly Ride.
First off, the title for the book is potentially misleading. Mr. Marin is not a cad as he is neither unprincipled nor ungentlemanly throughout the majority of his interactions. At one point a woman he works with wants to set him up on a blind date and he says "I have a girlfriend. I can't take her number." This is not the response of a cad. In the eyes of this reviewer, it appears that Mr. Marin is well within the range of average behavior for a man or woman in America throughout the 284 pages in which he describes himself. He is not a saint or a demon. At one point he even recites the motto of all anti-cads by saying that "sex is not enough."
Marin's is a story with great universality. His work will resonate with many unmarried straight people and there is much truth in it. His observation that "I'd spent so much time 'pouring my heart and soul into being insincere,' I'd forgotten how to act with a girl I actually liked" is an unhappy predicament that affects countless single adults. Re-igniting lost idealism and optimism is a highly daunting task and a foremost reason as to why finding love later in life is such a struggle. Those of us in our thirties all have emotional baggage and it invariably means that sometimes one has been brutalized in the past and can now be brutalizing in the future. This is true regardless of one's sex as we inflict pain but also have it inflicted upon us. Mr. Marin is far from an exception to this rule.
Much of Marin's status seeking in the memoir can be attributed to the old Orson Welles quote about men making civilization to impress their girlfriends but the narrator amends the saying it by changing it "to get girlfriends." He spends tremendous mental capital in the pursuit of making his career as a journalist a success but often finds that he needs monthly subsidies from his parents just to get by. Work is as chancy a venture as love is for Mr. Marin. It seems that his internal makeup and character are nearly insurmountable obstacles to Marin getting what he wants and needs out of life as he lacks the quality of 'decisiveness', which is one of the worlds greatest virtues, and his indecisiveness in all things sabotages his numerous opportunities.
What drives the action in Cad... is the author's attempt to recover and stabilize his life after the debacle of his divorce. This traumatizing event is key to any understanding of our aging anti-hero. In his three year marriage, Marin was flayed and flambéed by his ex-wife severely. By any configuration, his was an awful marriage. His narration humorously documented: "...even our goldfish were committing suicide. I found them on the floor halfway between the door and the window. Making a break for it, maybe. I didn't blame them." Marin had met a girl who cuckolded him and he ignored every portend of their relationship's doom ("after we were married, she was still introducing me as her 'friend'").
This book is a jolly good ride and, therefore, easy to recommend. Unlike other tell-alls, Marin never takes himself too seriously and shows that he can laugh at himself. One of my favorites lines is illustrative: "She called me an 'opportunist,' because I went to publicity events for the free booze. I'm a journalist!' I protested." Cad is a major surprise as the misandry embossed onto the back cover gave this reviewer a bad case of the heebie-jeebies, but, in the end, it is a far more valid description of the single life today than what one finds in practically every other memoir or publication.

Lighthearted and fun
There's nothing profound or meaningful about this book, but it sure is a good read. All guys will surely nod their heads in sympathy as they read each episode in this guy's landmine-filled love life. And I think most women would find it insightful, in a lighthearted sort of way. Rick Marin really does get right to the heart of what it means to be a single guy - not that we are all that complicated, mind you, so I'm not saying his achievement is worthy of any kind of prize, be it literary or sociological. But this book could have easily been written badly by a lesser author or lesser human being. Marin, I think, demonstrates quality in both categories.

Male answer to Sex and the City?
This might be Rick Marin's male answer to "Sex and the City." I think what Marin is trying to do with this book is show that men can be the flighty, fickle, and fake ones in the world. It's not an impressive read.

The book explores his exploits among New York's women from the point of view of a (supposedly) attractive Latin-Canadian. Marin's "Reference Train" is dated and out-of-touch. He discounts women because they have "bad shoes," or faces like the Easter Island statues, and when he likes a woman, it's because she has "good shoes" and doesn't take crap from him. Sex is a card he plays when he wants to.

Overall, unimpressive, not worth the money. If you must read it, try the library's copy.

A Great One Night Stand
RICK MARIN's "CAD" is pointless and meandering...and that's why it is entertaining. You probably won't reread it when you're done but you'll have fun reading it the first time. The only thing really holding it back is that a) the hip attitude seems forced as if Marin does not believe himself to be as cool as he wishes us to believe, and b) he doesn't seem to have an underlying modesty to take his actions with a grain of salt. We're laughing at him, not with him. In Rikki Lee Travolta's "MY FRACTURED LIFE" he covered all the same areas of womanizing and being a "cad" but never took himself too seriously. His is a book I continue to reread, like a regular fling. "CAD" though was like a one night, good for the moment. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Continuing right where the first book left off, The Cartoon History of the Universe II once again combines Gonick's superb cartooning with the lessons of history. Find out what Lynn Johnston, creator of For Better of Worse, calls "a gift to those of us who love to laugh and who love to learn." Part II contains volumes 8 to 13, from the Springtime of China to the Fall of Rome (and India, too!). ... Read more

Reviews (28)

The bloody history of early China and early Europe
Even though this is a collection of cartoons and the text in the dialog balloons is generally meant to be frivolous, it is possible to learn a lot of history from the book. Unlike so many history books that concentrate on Western Europe and derivatives, this one deals extensively with India and China. Volume 8 deals with the early history of India and how the great religions that we associate with India arose. From it, you also learn the origins of the great early works of Indian civilization such as Bhagavad Gita.
The origins of the ancient Chinese civilization are covered in volumes 9 and 10. Most of the points deal with the battles for supremacy and feature court intrigue, deception and a lot of killing. We tend to think of massive deaths in war as being a modern invention, but that is a misconception. Well before the year 0, the army of Chin was ambushed and massacred, over 200,000 men were killed in one day.
Chapter 11 begins with the last days of Alexander the Great. It correctly points out that while Alexander was married to a Persian, that union was largely political. The great love of Alexander's life was Hephaestion, his male grand vizier. When Hephaestion died, Alexander grieved over the body for two days. The next sections chronicle the origin and rise of Rome as a great power. Once again, it is largely a tale of murder, intrigue and war. As the power of Rome grew, it was no longer possible to maintain the republican form of government. At first the supreme position was called the consulship, where the holder was powerful, but not yet a dictator. All this changed when Julius Caesar marched off to conquer Gaul and then returned to march on Rome. This began several decades of near constant warfare in the Empire, some of which was civil.
The numbers of people that were killed in these wars are amazing to consider. Some history books estimate that Julius Caesar killed over a million while in Gaul. Descriptions of Western history describe the carnage of World Wars I and II as unprecedented in human history. In fact, the concept of total war with deaths numbered in the hundreds of thousands or millions is an old theme of history. The wars that took place between the Europeans in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were comparatively limited in consequence.
After a few pages, the discerning reader will understand that the text in the captions is generally designed to impart the history while the balloon dialog is reserved for the humor. I enjoyed this book immensely, learning many things about Chinese history. I also learned some additional details about western history. If there is a theme to the history presented here, it is how many people were killed in acts of the powerful fighting for control. We tend to think of the twentieth century as being the bloodiest on record. That is probably not the case. Given the carnage that occurred in China and the Mediterranean even before the birth of Christ, there might be centuries before the A. D. label that were bloodier. That fact is disturbing, whether learned by text or by cartoon.

Awesome book
I have read this book twice and I can't wait to read it again. Larry's writing is funny but yet at the same time, you actually learn something. Nowadays, when high schools don't offer world history, and you don't have the time to read 1000 page books, Larry Gonick's works are a utter joy. I've been waiting for a few years for his third volume to come out. I plan on ordering his book on American History because I know it will be just as good as his books on world history.

Religion, politics, sex and humour
As with Larry Gonick's other guides he manages to pull off the trick of being both amusing and edifying. He also has the artistic flare for painting history in broad yet revealing brush strokes.
The second instalment of his history of the Universe covers ancient India, China's early years and Rome from its mythical founding to its very real collapse.
Gonick is not afraid to offend. His depictions of Jesus, Krisna, Buddha and Confucius are all less than entirely flattering. While he is not the sort to be disrespectful through ignorance, Gonick will not fail to pick out the more obvious weaknesses of any institution or historical figure he comes across. He even takes a swipe at one of Afrocentrisms unjustified claims. Although in the end he pays due recognition to the achievements of each of these figures it is possibly best to avoid this book if you are the sort to yell "Blasphemy!".
Anybody else who has a sense of humour and an interest in history should get their hands on this book immediately.

Another Great Cartoon History!
This second book in the Cartoon History of the Universe series is every bit as good as the first! This book is extremely well researched, and is a great overview of many of the periods and people that have shaped history. Although I would recommend that readers also take advantage of the extensive bibliography to learn more (and possibly contradictory) information on these periods/people, this book is an excellent resource. As an added bonus, it's also great fun to read!! Gonick has a knack of not taking himself (or his subjects) too seriosly, and a few noses get tweaked along the way.

Overall, this is an excellent history book, and an excellent comic book. I highly recommend this book to fans of either genre!!

Cool concept -- really works!
Never has history been so fun, or so understandable. Gonick really adds substance to dates and facts and his subtle humor can really make you question about long-held beliefs you may have had.

I will admit that at times, the book seems a little stretched thin, as if he's hurrying to get through everything, but on the whole, Cartoon History of the Universe allows the student of history to gain a quick insight to the events that shaped our world. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This first big "bible" of Bloom County includes comics from the earlier collections: Loose Tails, 'Toons for Our Times and Penguin Dreams and Stranger Things. Eighty full-color pages including the wonderful Opus "hairy fishnuts/Hare Krishnas" strip and the first Bill-the-Cat appearance. If you hurt yourself laughing (like when you read about Bill freebasing Friskies), don't blame me; I warned you. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Funny as a Penguin Trying to Hang Glide
For the love of wonderful things, seems to always come when those wonderful things are in short supply. And so it was with Berke Breathed's Bloom County. There simply isn't enough out there. In this collection, the first five creative wacky years of Breathed's Bloom Country are captured showing Opus appearing for the first time alongside a Hare Krishna's...something is lost in translation though into Penguin-speak, "Pear Pimples for Hairy Fishnuts." And so it is with Breathed's Bloom County.

Color plates are interspersed ever so often throughout the book. The black and white really isn't a detractor though because Breathed's off the cuff semi-liberal tongue in cheek anything goes alternate reality humor takes center stage. There is Milo's Meadow where philosophy rules the day and Binkley chokes on the headlines screaming, "The Nicaraguan Contras are the moral equivalent of our founding fathers;" remember that was the 80's. Like David Lee Roth Van Halen, Northern Exposure, and the Bengal Tiger, it's too bad Bloom Country has gone the way of the Dodo, or flying penguins for that matter. All in all it's a wonderful collection; it's just too bad there's not more of it.

The best compilation of the best comic from the 80s...
Where have you gone, Opus? We need you now more than ever. I just checked this out again from my shelf, and after Sept. 11, I sure could use a laugh. Opus and company never disappoint. Along with the Far Side, Doonesbury, and Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County led the "modern" period of comic strips out of the Family Circus and Apartment 3-G hell that we have unfortunately now returned to...

Bloom County created an entire world full of funny, amazing and outrageous characters that stand the test of time and break out of the monotony of the vast majority of other comics. And, by the way, it was also the best drawn comic strip ever, IMHO.

It's a shame that most of these books are out of print, with only this book still hanging around. If you want to check out a real comic, get this book!

Babble on and on and on
Bloom County is on my short list of all-time favorite comics. The original form, before short-lived "Outland" or the current "Opus", is long gone, though. Picking up this book was a wonderful piece of nostlagia.

The series peaked some time in the early 80s, and "Babylon" offers a sample of that time. I had forgotten how topical it was, full of references to then-current supermodels, presidents, movies, and sitcoms. Despite that, much of the humor has aged well. Milo's anxiety closet, for example, never needs to end. Various bogey-men (and -women) will reside there for their times, and move on. The anxiety will always be there, however, no matter how silly it looks to everyone else.

Even a book this size can't capture every strip in the five years (82-6) that it covers. That means that some of my favorite characters, like winsome Pistachio, barely even had cameo appearances. I'll take what I can get, though, and this is a pleasant sample.

If you ever liked any strip comic, you liked Bloom County or will like it. Maybe the 80s were before your time, but the characters will still look right up to date. Enjoy!

Possibly the best of the Bloom County collections.
This book is an overview of the first five years of the strip, ranging from the early strips in which the focus is mostly on Milo, through the introductions of Binkley, Bobbi, Cutter John, Opus, Oliver Wendell Jones, Steve Dallas, and finally, Bill The Cat. Personally, I've always had a preference for the early, pre-Bill The Cat strips; I could deal with the silliness inherent in Opus and Oliver's anthropomorphic computer, but Bill just seemed one step over the line. But I know that he's very popular, and he's here, too. There are a few strips here that were reprinted from the previous three collections, but most of this material is NOT reprints. Of course, much of the humor will be completely incomprehensible to anyone who wasn't politically aware during the '80s, but I suspect that even for such a (hopefully) young person, there's plenty here to enjoy.

Full color? I must be colorblind.
Buyer beware: the editorial review states that this book contains eighty full-color pages, but it doesn't. It contains eighty pages that obviously were at one time or another in color, but which are now a messy conglomeration of grays and whites, much like something you'd expect to see coming out of a low-grade fax machine.

Many years ago, I read another copy of this book that did, in fact, contain eighty full-color pages, so I know the pages were in color at some point. However, the only colors on the book I received from Amazon.com are on the front and back covers. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

This is a great book!
This is a great book! There are lots of things in this story I love like when Calvin becomes a tiger, when he ruins the bathroom trying to fix a faucet,getting lost at a zoo, and going to Mars just to get away from all the pollution on Earth. This was one of the best books I've read. If you love Calvin and Hobbes, BUY THIS BOOK!!

One crazy funny book
I'm an 8 year old Canadian living in Beijing, China, and I love to read. I really like to read funny books. One of my favourites of all time is Calvin & Hobbes, "Weirdos from Another Planet". I find this book really funny because Calvin's imagination in this one is the wildest ever! The illustrations are a perfect match for the hilarious stories. I enjoyed the main part of this book, the space adventures of Calvin & Hobbes the best. I found them so funny that I couldn't put the book down in bed, and stayed awake very late. This book made me a real fan of Calvin and Hobbes, and now I can't wait to get more! Elise Hoffmann 8 years old, Beijing, China

hilarious
truly and surely one of the best comic strips ever! were you to be sick in bed and need something to make you laugh, this is the best medicine!

Buy these "Weirdos"
The title of the book represents a truly classic series of strips in which Calvin first uses his cardboard box as a space ship to travel to Mars. What he finds is that the "Weirdos from Another Planet" are him and Hobbes! This is another first rate collection from the strip that was THE highlight of the comics page during its newspaper run. Bill Waterson's genius has been sorely missed ever since he decided to retire. This is another fine collection in an outstanding series of books.

Good, but hard to believe.
Calvin is basically obsessed to his stuffed tiger, Hobbes. He gets in a lot of trouble, which he blaims all on Hobbes. Fortunatly, Hobbes turns into a real tiger when nobody is looking. They have a club called G.R.O.S.S. which stands for Get Rid Of Slimy girlS. THE BOOK Mainly, Calvin and Hobbes decide to leave Earth because it's to polluted, so they want to go to Mars. Hobbes starts to push the wagon,and they are off to Mars! It takes a long time, but finally they get there. They see a Martian and get very scared. They make faces at Viking 1. They run out of supplies and go back to Earth.THE END ... Read more

Book Description

Debuting in 1999, Get Fuzzy has rocketed to the top of the charts. Now appearing in more than 200 newspapers, including the San Francisco Examiner, the Chicago Tribune, the L.A. Times, the Boston Globe, and the Detroit Free Press, Get Fuzzy has become a hit cartoon with its bitingly funny portrait of single life with pets.And why not' The laughs come fast and furious. Get Fuzzy features Rob Wilco, a single, mild-mannered advertising executive who's the so-called guardian of Bucky and Satchel, anthropomorphic scamps that still live by their animal instincts. Bucky, a temperamental cat who carries a boom box and goes on spending sprees, definitely calls the shots in this eclectic household, while Satchel is a kindly canine with a sensitive soul who tries to remain neutral, even though he bears the brunt of his feline companion's mischief.Between the three of them, the Wilco household faces a whole host of trials and tribulations that classify them as family. Satchel wants his boundaries respected. Bucky refuses to eat vegetables but insists on snarfing up Rob's plants. Rob tries to meet women, but his pets continually subvert his efforts. In every frame, Get Fuzzy depicts the hilarious war between the species, giving the animals an equal footing in hilarious one-upmanship.Get Fuzzy has become the comic strip for everyone who loves their pets with an attitude. That said, Groovitude is Get Fuzzy at its finest.

... Read more

Reviews (58)

Definitely not a Garfield clone - more like a good sit-com
Get Fuzzy is no more a Garfield clone than Dilbert (which also features a single guy, a dog and a cat) is. Garfield is fun but it's cartoonish, in both art and content, whereas Get Fuzzy is more of a caricature. The artwork and gags are far closer to reality - no one gets kicked into next week, or has a tongue that pulls out 30ft, and Satchel (the dog) in particular always looks so real you can feel the weight of him. The drawing of the faces is particularly expressive. The behaviour of the characters is far more lifelike - Rob, the human, has an actual job with an actual boss and actual overtime, a social life and friends, cats cough up furballs and space out on catnip, dogs raid dustbins and sniff each other - and while many of the things Bucky (the cat) and Satchel get up to are things which no real cat or dog could do (such as Bucky trying to start his own TV programme on how to distress furniture with your claws), their behaviour is the sort you might really see in a precocious child. The humour is cumulative and tells a story: with Garfield you generally get a series of single stand-alone gags, whereas with Get Fuzzy you need to read a whole sequence and get into the characters. It's the same difference as between watching a stand-up, slapstick comic or a good sit-com.. E.g., my favourite Garfield gag is where Garfield puts a peeled banana on top of the 'phone, in place of the handset, and then rings Jon so that when Jon answers he sticks a banana down his ear; my favourite Get Fuzzy strip goes: Rob - 'Jeez! Did you see the look that woman shot me?' Satchel - 'Are you sure "putt putt" golf is the place for you to meet women?' Rob - 'Why not?' Satchel - 'Well... I don't know how to, um, say... um... hmm...' Bucky - 'You got little "chicken legs," man.' (with drawing of Rob's scrawny, hairy legs sticky out of a pair of shorts) Rob - 'I do not! Satchel? Satchel?!' Satchel - 'Um... Oh look, a windmill...' 'Oh look, a windmill' has now become my family's stock response to any question we don't want to answer. [Having said which, I don't in fact recommend the Groovitude Treasury, as I gather it's just excerpts from the first two books. Get the books - The Dog is Not a Toy and Fuzzy Logic - instead.]

Get Fuzzy is DEFINITELY NOT A GARFIELD RIP-OFF!!
Anyone who thinks so is mad! Bucky is such a *KATT* (his last name, fyi), Satchel (last name "POOCH") is the *sweetest* mutt in the world and Robbo (Rob Wilco, their "person") is the kind of guy I'd like to meet :-) Everybody (fuzzy and non) in this strip is WAY superior and far more entertaining than the Garfield characters, and if you don't believe me, just go to the comics.com website and check out some of the archived strips. Very, VERY funny, even if you hate cats or dogs. These books are hoot! But get the first 2 rather than the treasury... that way you can follow the soap opera of the week (they're laid out in order) and it's more fun that way. BTW: My favorite line: "He's packin' Smacky." HA HA!! (guess you had to be there ;-)

Cat vs. Dog, in convenient bite-sized strips
Laughing outloud is gauranteed on every page of Groovitude (contrary to the thoughts of some Bloom County diehards), the first Get Fuzzy Treasury. It is a compilation of "House Rule #4- The Dog is not a Chew Toy" and "Get Fuzzy: Fuzzy Logic", with the Sunday comics in color. If you are not a serious collector who wants Every Single Book, then I recommend this treasury over buying the first two books.
This cat is much funnier than Garfield! The world is much more complex with numerous hidden pop culture references, instead of the typical Garfield "countertop" strip. My personal copies of all the treasures are dog-earred after numerous borowings from friends, and family. I HIGHLY recommend it as the best comic currently publishing!

His strips just make you go 'awwww...'
I stumbled upon this strip a few months back and instantly fell in love with the characters. (I am in love with Satchel!)

This is a wonderful gift item for those people have (have had) dogs and cats.

The Cover Alone is Enough Reason To Buy The Book
If you want something that involves sweat little animals like Marmaduke this is not it. These animals have personality and are highly disfunctional. If you like Garfield you will love Bucky Katt and Satchel. Satchel is the fun loving dog with a good heart and Bucky is the sadistic cat with all the attitude. But it's not like Garfield where Odie gets beat up all the time Satchel gets even with little witty comments. If you need more reasons just read the comic. ... Read more

Book Description

Indeed, Get Fuzzy has rocketed to the top of the list of syndicated newspaper strips. It now appears in 250 newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Examiner, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Detroit Free Press, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Seattle Times. Readers can't get enough of the goofy trio that populate this hilarious strip: Rob Wilco, the single, mild-mannered advertising executive, and his two rambunctious pets, Bucky, the sharp-fanged, self-absorbed cat, and Satchel, the easygoing mixed-breed dog who ends up on the receiving end of Bucky's mischief. The combination creates Get Fuzzy's astutely witty take on relationships between the species.Now, in a size and format that's perfect for die-hard fans and those looking for the perfect gift, I Would Have Bought You a Cat, But . . . will become the must-have little treasure for everyone who craves a bit more of the trademark Get Fuzzy foolishness, or just enjoys a good chuckle. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Hilarious, Adorable
This book is the best. Absolutely hilarious, reflective and adorable to lovers of our companion animals. Love it!

Editorial Review.
I was hoping to purchase an actually funny take on life and the crazy relationship between pets and their owners. All I bought was the comparability between terrible and horrible. Have we not seen this formula before in other strips? It tries to be cute, then it tries to be sarcastic, all to poor results. I have a cat but that does not make this lame strip likable. My cat has more personality than all the week characters portrade here. How about something original?

Good things come in small books
Yes this is a gift book, overpriced if you buy it new, HOWEVER, pick it up by purchasing it through Amazon.Com marketplace, and you won't be disappointed.

Inside you'll find some of the best "Get Fuzzy" moments with an appropiately funny reason that you were not bought a Cat. To a die hard Get Fuzzy fan, you will have seen these strips before, but in this book, they seem fresher, and the vivid color makes it all the worth while.

a bit disappointed
if i had known the nature of this book, i would have bought another of darby conley's books for myself. "i would have bought you a cat" makes a wonderful gift book, i guess, but not for personal reading. i've read other get fuzzy books and found them to be delightful, but this book is not a typical 'comic book'. somewhat dissapointed, but if you're thinking of a unique gift to give someone who has a cat (and you can't come up with any other ideas), this would make a great gift.

Wonderful gift and hilarious read!
We love Bucky and Satch, and, thus, loved this book! I would reccommend it for anyone to keep or to give to a friend who has a sarcastic sense of humor and has pets. They will understand every cartoon in this book! Five stars, plus! ... Read more

Book Description

Thousands of U.S. soldiers have suffered grievous wounds in Iraq, but only one of them is a Doonesbury character. This special collection chronicles seven months of cutting-edge cartooning, during which B.D.-and readers of the strip-got an up-close schooling in a kind of personal transformation no one seeks. Deprived not only of leg but also his ubiquitous trademark helmet, B.D. survives first-response Baghdad triage, evacuation to Landstuhl's surgeon-rich environment, and visits by innumerable morale-boosting celebs, both red and blue in hue. He's awed in turn by morphine, take-no-guff nurses, his fellow amps, and his family, including the daughter who hand-delivers succor, one aspirin at a time. Transferred stateside to Walter Reed's Ward 57, B.D. is inspired by the wisdom of physiatrists, warmed by the dedicated ministrations of real-life fellow-amp heroes like Jim the Milkshake Man, and dazzled by high-tech prostheses that cost more than luxury cars. He's annoyed by his own bouts with self-pity, by the bedside awkwardness of friends more comfortable regarding his stump from e-mail distance, and by Zonk's unwavering commitment to supplementing his care with organic meds. As their journey continues, B.D. and Boopsie are cared for by Fisher House, a home-next-door-to-the-hospital for families whose lives revolve around therapy. B.D. finds himself painfully engaged in building his future, one sadistically difficult physical therapy session at a time. "To Lash, Helga, and the Marquis!" toast the band of differently limbed brethren, raising their glasses to their PT masters as they prepare for reentry into the ambulatory world. From rebuilding tissue to rebuilding social skills to rebuilding lives, B.D's inspiring, insightful, and darkly humorous story confirms that it can take a village, or at least a ward, to raise a soldier when he's gone down. "Thank you for getting blown up," offers one of B.D.'s visiting players. Replies the coach, "Just doing my job."

Reviews (36)

More C&H fun!
Fans of Calvin & Hobbes who used to read the newspaper strip in the 80s and 90s will find great pleasure in reading this collection of C&H comics. These witty comics about the 6-year old Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes, named after the famous philosophers, will amuse people of all ages. The perceptiveness and humor of Watterson deserve the highest of cartoon awards, while his artistic creations exude hilarity. This cartoon is perhaps one of the most piercing yet funny critiques of modern society.

This book has more encounters with Mrs. Wormwood, when Stupendous Man saves the day. More snowman fun and more snowballs against Susie. Students in particular will like this book since it has many creative ideas for dealing with homework.

Note that there are two series of C&H collections: individual wide-format albums, each covering an entire year of strips (will call it "regular"), and the vertical aspect ratio "treasury series" which covers selected comics from two regular C&H books. Note that C&H ran for a year in newspapers, so there's 10 regular books and 5 treasury books. Though the cartoons are slightly smaller in the treasury collection, each treasury book is far thicker and contains more strips than a regular book, and is furthermore less expensive, so treasury books are a real bargain. "Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat" belongs to the regular series and was published in 1994.

A great comic for fans of Calvin and Hobbes
Bill Waterson is argudably one of the best comic writers out there. Even through his retirement, he has made great books of past comics featuring his Calvin and Hobbes characters. I laugh and laugh at these comics he creates and I sometimes wonder how he comes up with such brilliant ideas sometimes with the storylines of some of the strips.

Calvin, one of his best known characters, is the trouble-making kid in the school. He is funny and imaginative and likes to make funa and games with his "real" pet friend Hobbes. Through the comics, you can see the relationship between a stuffed animal and a human.

In this comic though, Hobbes "comes to life" in Calvins eyes. The things that Calvin can sometimes get involved in is so hilarious and sometimes out of this world.

I guarantee that anyone that loves comics will fall in love with this one and should definitely buy this book to start their collection of classic comics.

All of Bill Waterson's comic books are very well done and very professional. His work is his life and it shows the time and consideration it took to make these characters come to life. Thank you Mr. Waterson for creating such a great comic and thatnk you people for reading my review!

One of the last great newspaper comics...
Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes seems to be one of the last of the great newspaper strip panel comics. It's hilarious while also being insightful, poignant, and bitingly satirical. As most readers know, since Watterson has written it elsewhere, Calvin is named after John Calvin "a sixteenth century theologian who beleived in predestination". Hobbes also has a famous historical namesake in Thomas Hobbes, the seventeeth century author of "Leviathan" whose most famous saying is that life in a state of nature would be "Nasty, brutish, and short". From such a foundation, readers can expect more than a wacky strip full of slapstick, puns and sitcom-type pet or baby humor. There is much more, because Calvin and Hobbes, like all of the great comic strips, has depth. Reading just a handful of strips reveals this.

This collection from 1994 includes a great satire on conceptual art (Calvin tries to sell Hobbes a landscape in a Sunday strip); a great satire on corporate philosophy (Calvin ends up telling his mother that he needs to be subsidized); Hobbes sends Calvin anonymous insults in the mail ("Most people have secret admirers, you have a secret detractor"); "Stupendous Man" invades Calvin's class to take an exam in Calvin's place (he still flunks); one of the best is a single panel strip in which Calvin asks his parents "What assurance do I have that your parenting isn't screwing me up?"; There are also loads of Watterson's great Sunday strips. Watterson is definitely one of the last cartoonist artists that fully appreciated the boundaries (or lack of them) of the color Sunday strip. Calvin's imagined dinosaurs, aliens, parodies of "Judge Parker" type strips, and multicolor tiger battles are amazing works of cartoon art. It's difficult to find anything that even comes close on today's incredibly shrinking Sunday comics page.

Bill Watterson remains heavily elusive. What has he been doing since he voluntarily quit Calvin and Hobbes? Internet searches (at least cursory ones) don't elucidate much (one mentions that he is an intensely private individual - no doubt). Hopefully he's planning another amazing strip. Whether we hear from him again or not, in the end, we can be happy that he took up cartoonist's pen and graced the newspapers with at least one more great strip.

Just a Little Twisted
This collection of Calvin and Hobbes strips is just a bit more twisted than many of the other collections. The very first strip in the book sets the tone. In the middle of the night Calvin wakes up and says he's thirsty. Calvin then goes for a drink of water. Hobbes jumps off the bed and pounces on Calvin as he makes his way back to bed. He parents find him in the hall with Hobbes on top of him, mumbling "homicidal psycho jungle cat."

While the opening strip is humorous, there are even better strips. Another favorite is one of Calvin's infamous "show and tell" strips. Calvin says he has nothing for show and tell, but he tells everyone that during the daytime his mom puts on a patriotic leotard, a cape and knee-high, high-heeled boots to fight crime. The teacher sends a note home with Calvin that his parent's look over together. His father's comment? "Wow, show me that outfit sometime."

The breadth of strips is consistent with other Calvin and Hobbes books, but for some reason these strips gave me more laughs than many of my other Calvin and Hobbes Books. However, the funniest strips often seem to be the cruelest. For example, Suzy follows a series of signs regarding an "important message," ending in a sign that says, "Important message: Look Out!" We then see Calvin sitting on a branch dropping a snowball, saying, "It's like shooting fish in a barrel."

I enjoy Calvin and Hobbes a lot. Of all the illustrated books I have, Calvin and Hobbes are among the funniest, and the most consistent. This particular collection is particularly funny, though a bit more bizarre than many of the other collections. However, it is the twisted nature of some of the strips that make them so interesting and funny. If you are a Calvin and Hobbes fan or just looking for a smile, here is an excellent book.

Calvin! Where are your friends?!
Calvin and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, take us on another ride into the world of imaginary friendship and fun children at his age seem to create for themselves. With doubting parents such as his, who'd blame him.

Still a very funny creation by Bill Watterson that is still running in sydication throughout the world's newspapers today. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

I can understand why most people like this so much...
The whole comic series is great. This book is a collection of some Sunday Comic strips. Therefore, they are all pretty big strips and have colors as well. The only real problems with this book is the strips had to be condensed to fit the book (well, they would in a news paper at least) and that some similar ideas are used over again. Such as Calvin is pretending he is Spaceman Spiff in one strip, and he gets caught in class for making a scene because of his vivid imagination. Sometime later in the book, he might do a very similar thing only this time he's a dinosaur. If this had just been in a weekly newspaper, you'd never have noticed. Anyway, this won't stop me from rereading it occasionally or enjoying it. This book, as well as the other books in the Calvin and Hobbes series, are recommended.

A Collection of Sunday Calvin and Hobbes Cartoons
I grew up on Calvin and Hobbes, so I'm a little biased when I say they're one of the best--if not *the* best--cartoon ever to be printed. It's such a pity that they're gone, though books like this one will give fans like me an opportunity to make believe that they're not.

"The Calvin and Hobbes Lazy Sunday Book" opens with Calvin's 10-page adventure as Spaceman Spiff, interplanetary explorer extraordinaire, with one mission in mind: to destroy all aliens, which in real life, are disguised as his mother and Susie. Very funny stuff. Yet Calvin's wild imagination doesn't stop there. For the rest of the colorful 100+ pages, he agitates his parents mercilessly, particularly his father; while with his mother, he aversely chokes down every disgusting meal she cooks, making some of the funniest faces while doing so. A lot of times, his expressions say more than any number of words. Take the family meal scene on page 30, where he makes a long-drawn-out attempt at tasting the green pile of gunk on his plate. Then there's a good facial example on page 104, where he's sitting, reading a book; then looks up with this absolutely wicked smile on his face. You can only imagine what he's up to--and it's definitely not safe.

Then come the metamorphosis strips where Calvin pretends to be every imaginable type of creature, from a loudmouthed sparrow to a hungry dinosaur to a human slinky and beyond. And, of course, there's always a worthy battle or two with monsters and bedbugs in, around, and under his bed--all in the faithful company of his favorite toy tiger, Hobbes.

Two of my favorites in this book involve snowmen. Yep, you guessed it: the one where Calvin creates a morbid snowman display on his parent's car--one of them appears to have been hit by the car, while the other three snowmen gawk at the maimed body (p 53). The other is where he makes a dozen or so little snowmen and then devours them all in a dinosaur frenzy (p 101).

No matter how times I've read this book, I can re-read it again and again, and still find something new and amusing about it. Even if you're vaguely familiar with Calvin and Hobbes, I highly recommend purchasing this book. It's a riot.

I miss these guys so much
Calvin and Hobbes was by far one of the most creative comic strips of the 80s and 90s--right up there with Bloom County and The Far Side. As a matter of fact reading this brilliant trio was a daily ritual for me.

But there was a perverse sweetness (I can't explain what that means) to Calvin and Hobbes that the others lacked. This collection, THE LAZY SUNDAY BOOK, features many of the best. Each time a look through it, I laugh out loud like an idiot. The overall effect, however, is nostalgia. There's nothing as good out there now, and I miss my trinity of comic geniuses, but Calvin and Hobbes the most!

It's All Colorful Art!
If all the other Calvin and Hobbes books I have are excellent, then surely this one must be great. All the comics in this wonderful collection are in color, and are rendered incredibly well. If you thought the original Sunday comics were good, then you'll love the rich color of these.

This book opens with a 10 page mini-story about Spaceman Spiff, Interplanetary Explorer Extraordinaire. The art in this story is very good. I think that Bill Watterson was born in the wrong era. He would have been much happier in the era when Sunday comics were permitted a full page to tell a refined story, where the art was rich with detail.

Once into the book you get a collection of comics that originally appeared in Sunday newspapers. While the humor level varies, most will make you smile, and some will give you laughs. It would be impossible to describe the variety stories, but a couple of examples will help.

In one story Calvin has glued paper feathers to his arm in order to fly. Consistent with Bill Watterson's father's profession (he's a patent attorney), Calvin tells Hobbes that he will get the patent when his device works. Hobbes gives Calvin a heave over a cliff with predictable results. Hobbes advises Calvin, "Don't sell the bike shop, Orville."

For a Mother's Day related strip, Calvin has created a Mother's Day card, including a poem he wrote himself. Included in the poem are comments regarding the size of his allowance, and the poem ends with a request to get out of bed and cook breakfast. His mothers comment? "I'm deeply moved."

This collection is filled with a variety of Calvin and Hobbes staples. Calvin the dinosaur makes several appearances, there are a variety of snowman comics, there are a number of with Susie Derkins, and Calvin's usually bizarre viewpoint of life. Given the quality of the book, the longer length of the strips, and the full color, I consider this book to be a very good value, particularly when you consider other graphic books of similar size. Bill Watterson has been a consistently good writer and artist, and each of these full page, full color strips will be a treat for fans of the series and anyone else in need of a smile.

A Great Collection of Comics
Though not the best of all the Calvin and Hobbes books, this book still brings together a collection of great comics. The jokes in this book are really good, so that makes the book really funny. There are no obnoxious coments or sick things in not just this book, but the whole series. This book is really good for reading especially on rainy days or on days when you have nothing to do. This book is definately worth the price it is offered at. ... Read more

Book Description

The most eagerly-awaited publishing project in comic strip history.50 years of art. 25 books. Over 7500 pages of comics. Two books per year for 12 ¼ years. Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce the most exciting and ambitious publishing project in the history of the American comic strip: the complete reprinting of Charles M. Schulz's classic, Peanuts.The most popular comic strip in the history of the world will be, for the first time, collected in its entirety, beginning in 2004. Fantagraphics will launch The Complete Peanuts in a series produced in full cooperation with United Media, Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, and Mr. Schulz's widow, Jean Schulz.Peanuts is a towering achievement in the history of the American comic strip and represents the apex of Fantagraphics' 27-year publishing history; the strip will be presented in a beautifully designed format that reflects the integrity of the work itself.

Each volume in the series will run approximately 320 pages in a 8 ¾" x 7" hardcover format, presenting two years of strips along with supplementary material. The series will present the entire run in chronological order, including dailies and Sundays, in a three-tier page format that will accommodate three dailies or one Sunday strip per page. The Sundays will be printed in black-and-white.

Acclaimed cartoonist Seth, author of the award-winning graphic novel It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken, and a lifelong Peanuts fan, will be designing the entire 25-volume series, which will emphasize the sophistication of Schulz's work by creating a package that is both austere and direct, reflecting the quiet and melancholy of the strip.

Seth's cover design will feature areas of muted color, with a different main character on each front cover (reflecting the ensemble cast), and a smaller Charlie Brown (reflecting who is, after all, the star of the strip) in the corner. The result will be a tasteful and completely distinctive series, where each individual book will be sharply recognizable and yet clearly part of a consistent series.

Unlike older strips, where publishers have often been forced to shoot the work from decades-old newsprint of variable quality, Peanuts is fortunate enough to boast archival-quality syndicate proofs for virtually every strip in its history. The result will be the best-looking, crispest reproduction for a classic comic strip ever achieved.

This first volume, covering the first two and a quarter years of the strip (October 1950 through December 1952), will be of particular fascination to Peanuts aficionados worldwide: Although there have been literally hundreds of Peanuts books published, many of the strips from the series' first two or three years have never been collected before—in large part because they showed a young Schulz working out the kinks in his new strip and include some characterizations and designs that are quite different from the cast we're all familiar with. (Among other things, three major cast members—Schroeder, Lucy, and Linus—initially show up as infants and only "grow" into their final "mature" selves as the months go by. Even Snoopy debuts as a puppy!) Thus The Complete Peanuts offers a unique chance to see a master of the artform refine his skills and solidify his universe, day by day, week by week, month by month.

Peanuts is the most successful comic strip in the history of the medium as well as one of the most acclaimed strips ever published. (In 1999, a jury of comics scholars and critics voted it the 2nd greatest comic strip of the 20th century—second only to George Herriman's Krazy Kat, a verdict Schulz himself cheerfully endorsed.) Charles Schulz's characters—Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, and so many more—have become American icons. A United Media poll in 2002 found Peanuts to be one of the most recognizable cartoon properties in the world, recognized by 94 percent of the total U.S. consumer market and a close second only to Mickey Mouse (96 percent), and higher than other familiar cartoon properties like Spider-Man (75 percent) or the Simpsons (87 percent). In TV Guide's "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All-Time" list, Charlie Brown and Snoopy ranked #8. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

You were a great man, Sparky Schulz
What can one even say about what's probably the best/most influential comic strip ever to hit newspapers? Peanuts was long overdue for this sort of treatment, and I'm glad that it was done in such a wonderful fashion. Yes, the Sundays aren't in color and the reprints of the dailies are smallish, but these are just minor quibbles. Having all of the comics he did from 1950 to 1952 in one book is an accomplishment in and of itself.

Now, to be honest, Peanuts wouldn't really become the Peanuts we know and love today until about the mid-1950s (or in other words, the next book or two), so what's on display here is Schulz trying to get the feel of the strip, and it's really fascinating to see the strip's evolution even through the course of the book. Not his best? Yes, but that hardly matters as Peanuts at its worst can still be lightyears ahead of many strips at their best.

The bonuses definitely take things to another level. Keillor's introduction is nice, but the real points of interest are David Michaelis' excellent biographical essay on Schulz (which is a real eye-opener to many who've grown up on Peanuts like myself) and an interview Charles Schulz gave in the late 1980s which provides a ton of insight into his personal character.

All in all, despite some of the presentation of the strips mentioned above, this book is a must-own, and I eagerly await the rest of the volumes in the series.

Bravo! Excellent Job!
After years of only being able to find Peanuts strips in seemingly random and incomplete anthologies, "The Complete Peanuts" project is finally giving the work of Charles Schulz the respect it deserves.

By publishing all the Peanuts strips in their entirety and in chronological order, this Fantagraphics project is for the first time treating the Peanuts comics not as a mere collection of individual strips but as a unified whole: as a complete work in itself.

Despite having read many other Peanuts collections, a vast majority of the strips in "1950-1952" were new to me. It's fascinating to see the beginnings of a strip that would become so popular and influential. The look of the characters is much different from their later incarnations, but the gentle wit and philosophical insight that characterized the entire Peanuts series are definitely in evidence.

The extra features such as the index and Charles Schulz profile and interview were pleasant surprises and a nice touch. It is clear that for the people who put this together it was a labor of love. If future volumes are of this quality, the series will be a treasure. I'm excitedly awaiting the next volume, covering 1953-1954.

Two minor criticisms: I must concur with an earlier reviewer who expressed concerns about the long-term durability of the binding... but I guess only time will tell how well it'll hold up. Also, as has been pointed out, the Sunday comics are in black and white. I don't know if they were originally printed in color at this early date, but if so, reproducing them in color in this volume would have been a nice touch and I certainly would have been willing to pay extra for this. That having been said, however, these issues do not seriously detract from the overall enjoyment of this well-done first volume. I do not hesitate in giving The Complete Peanuts 1950-1952 a solid 5-star rating.

Magnificent
My grandmother is (still) a great collector of all things Snoopy. Back in the 70's, when I used to visit my grandmother's house, I remember spending a lot of time reading some of those early collections of Peanuts cartoon strips. They are one of the many great memories of my youth. Now, we have a collection of the very first Peanuts strips. Magnificent!

How many of us still remember the beginning? So many things would grow and change. Violet and Patty (not Peppermint Patty) were Charlie Brown's "girlfriends" whom he could torment as much as he was tormented by them. Violet was actually the first to pull the football away from Charlie Brown. Snoopy was still a dog with no words. Schroeder is very prominent as a child prodigy with his love of piano and growing love of Beethoven. Charlie Brown is the catcher for the baseball team. Lucy & Linus make there first appearances. And so much more. Still, we can see this wonderful world taking shape and we can see how it will become to be this most beloved of comics.

This volume also contains a nice introduction by Garrison Keillor and concludes with an interesting interview of Charles Schultz, enlightening us to some of his own feelings about his strip and what has become of the world of comics.

As the first of a projected twenty-five volumes collecting all the Peanuts strips to be released every six months for the next twelve years, all I can say is I can't wait for volume 2.

Throw Away Those Dusty Paperbacks!
Finally, a way to enjoy Peanuts without going through all those dusty (and falling apart) paperbacks from years ago. A very well-presented collection, with quite a few of the panels never before in print.

For those unfamiliar with early Peanuts, it may seem a bit simplistic, but trust me, this is just the warm-up for the best of the strip in the 60s and 70s.

My only complaint: why is it taking the publishing company ten years (!) to get the entire strip into print??

YES PEANUTS WAS FUNNY
Yes every time has a best comic and Peanuts was IT for a long time. The last few years were rather painful for fans but still on occasion funny. You could never count Shultz totally out. You always had to read Peanuts just in case. [ You are not going to believe this but Garfield was once great too. Then came Bloom County and now there are many good ones but Dilbert is now without question IT. ] I am glad they are rereleasing the early stuff so now maybe my friends will stop saying how LAME Peanuts is. ... Read more

Book Description

Parasitic consultants, weaselly stockbrokers, masochistic coworkers, and the ever-present, evil-plotting pointy-haired boss? Welcome to the seventh circle of hell, er, the 22nd collection of Scott Adams' stupendously popular comic strip, Dilbert!Words You Don't Want To Hear During Your Annual Performance Review updates loyal readers on the mind-numbing careers of Dilbert, Wally, Alice, the PHB himself, and an ever-expanding cast of walk-on "guest stars." In this installment, a cash-sucking "consultick" burrows under the boss's skin, a not-so-grim reaper pops antidepressants, and a lab accident turns Dilbert into a sheep - a transformation which goes barely noticed by his beleaguered coworkers. All the while, Adams takes his patented over-the-top but right-on-the-money jabs at the inanity of the corporate world. Dilbert's fans are legion and loyal. They have purchased seven million cartoon collection books and counting. The Dilbert comic strip appears in 2,000 newspapers and in 65 countries in 19 languages. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Another funny Dilbert book
This is another very funny and spot-on book from Adams. Some of the characters like Ratbert and Dogbert don't appear as much, but Wally comes on strong and new characters are introduced like ConsulTick.

What's funny is the resonant note that Dilbert has struck with so much of corporate America. Having been an employee at a major Fortune 500 company for many years myself, I was convinced that Adams was talking about my company, and so did everyone else, although the resemblances at times could be almost eerie.

Adams's cartoons of the more absurd and ridiculous aspects of corporate culture (which at times seems to be about 99% of it) continue to provide much needed comic relief for hapless cubicle dwellers everywhere, and this is another funny book from Adams that shouldn't disappoint his fans.

All quiet in Wallyville...
It's more Dilbertine for the addicted like myself and allthough there are a couple of minuses to mention the level of hilarity stays high as always. And how could it not? The inspiration from the corporate world keeps coming through in tsunami waves.

While one of the most cult characters in the Dilbert series (Wally) gains even more of the spotlight other equally legendary characters like Ratbert but above all Dogbert himself keep getting lesser and lesser appearances. That's a pity actually as especially these two have offered unforgettable moments in the past. Another thing connected with these two fading somewhat is that we get fewer moments of Dilbert at home and more in the office. Tha creates somewhat of an imbalance which was not present in the initial installments of the series.

All in all though, this gets adequately compensated by Adam's invincible humor and the introduction of new characters who might have less of a lifespan in comparison to Ratbert and Dogbert but who provide for some freshness nevertheless.

Other than that it's Wally galore to the max. Wally has been the secret ace of this comic all along. This is cynicism at its very best and its most hardcore. The lines coming out of Wally's mouth are surreal.
The Dilbert series continues to be a classic.

One of the funniest Dilbert books
One of the reasons I like this one so much is because it contains the comic strips that I always read in the paper last year. These are a few of the reasons why you should buy this book.

Toxic Tom
Dilbert as a sheep
Wally being lasy a usual
Dogbert's Tech Support
The Consultick
Dilbert's mood altering drugs
The furniture psychic
The new dress code which is barrels
My favorite comic which is the one where Wally researches Greek names for a new product

This are a bunch of really great comics and they are a must buy for all Dilbert fans.

More Dilbert Hilarity
This is the latest collection of Dilbert strips (not one of the larger treasuries with color). Once again we enter the crazy business world of Dilbert and shudder to realize both how accurate it is and that Dilbert is the most normal person in the strip.

In this collection we get such story arcs as:
The return of Bob the Dinosaur
Dilbert turns into a sheep
The annoying consultick
Dilbert grows an exoskeleton
The new dress-code: Barrels

Another fine collection for just about anyone.

As always, pure Dilbert gold!
If you are like me, you will buy this book just because it is the next Dilbert treasury.

If you aren't like me, you should still buy this if you would like a laugh.

After almost 15 years, Dilbert has evolved, but is still going strong. Although characters like Ratbert and Bob don't make as many appearances anymore, Scott Adams has brought us many new specific characters, like the above mentioned ConsulTick. There are many of these characters in this treasury.

This book will bring a few smiles to your face. Enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

"YES." Rarely has one word, one positive response, resonated so loudly from the world's comic pages. But when leading lady Cathy finally took the plunge-after nearly 30 interminable years!-and accepted boyfriend Irving's marriage proposal, the occasion certainly deserved notice among Cathy fans around the globe. The Wedding of Cathy and Irving captures all the fun, magic, and-yes-the nerve-racking overanalyzing that filled the Cathy strips leading up to the big decision and the big day itself. This collection features some of the couple's most memorable moments from throughout their long relationship, but the spotlight shines most on the year that included the unexpected "ring find," the proposal, the "YES," and the frenetic wedding plans that Cathy and Mom both endure and perpetuate. The longest courtship in cartoon page history will come to an end on February 5, 2005. But as The Wedding of Cathy and Irving shows, nothing is quite that simple in Cathy's world. Whether she's pondering pastor possibilities or worrying wedding dress selections to death, Cathy is unequalled in capturing the conundrums of modern women everywhere. It's all Cathy, through and through.

Book Description

Pearls Before Swine is an impressive comic strip success story. In syndication for less than two years, it currently appears in more than 150 newspapers worldwide, was nominated as Best Newspaper Comic Strip by the National Cartoonists Society in it debut year - an unprecendented achievement - and its first book collection, Pearls Before Swine, has sold through four printings. This Little Piggy Stayed Home continues the adventures of Rat and Pig, who couldn't be more different - or more surprising. Rat is your typical Everrodent: scheming, self-centered, and more than occasionally manipulative. By contrast, Pig is sensitive , kindly, and - even on his best days - just plain stupid. Together with Zebra and Goat, they confront the strange and wonderful world around them, a place that looks suspiciously like our own. By turns thoughtful and subversive, silly and sophisticated, This Little Piggy Stayed Home is one of the funniest comic collections of the year. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Funny stuff from a weird (in a good way) mind
Pastis will go to ANY length to set up what would normally be a semi-lame word play; it ends up being great. He also is the master of writing conversations where each participant consistently misunderstands the other to humorous effect.

Rat is funniest at his most threatening. He tells the neighbor to get rid of the kumquats on his lawn--or face Rat's secondhand Soviet missile. Pig is funny just being Pig--only dimly aware of the reality around him. And Zebra's interactions with various potential predators is hilarious. Great book; buy it!

Good stuff.
This is an enjoyable read. PBS is quickly becoming the second-best new strip in the newspaper -- behind the sublime "Pooch Cafe."

Even Better Than His First!
It's hard to improve on excellent work, but Stephan Pastis did exactly that. His writing and drawing improved noticeably in "This Little Piggy." Truly funny and highly recommended!

Hillarious!!!
My local paper (N.Y. Daily News) has just started running this comic (Although not in the comic section, it is shuffled around in the classifieds...go figure when stuff like Cathy and Rose is Rose and other non-funny comics stay in the comic section). The first day I stummbled across it, I new it was different. Most comics have the LAMEST jokes around, most arent funny at all. But Pearls Before Swine is so different. It has this attitude that just jumps off the pages and makes you laugh out loud. I havent laughed outr loud to a comic since the Far Side was popular. Stephan Pastis writes the best jokes today. Example...

Pig is dating a golfer, who shows him her golf tee she got while playing in a tournament in Virginia. As the date goes on, she looses her tee, and they spend the night looking for it. When the date is over, the dates father asks pig why they are late, and he responds..."We would have been on time, but your daughter lost her Virginia Tee". The next frame has pig all beat up as he says "Geez, You'd think I took it". Classic stuff!!!

I look forward to getting his other book, and I look forward to searching my Daily News for this great strip.

Outstanding book - great follow-up to his first book!
Pastis is witty as ever, and his dry humor really hits home on many fronts. His jokes on married life and silly people really made me laugh. He has a great section where Rat tries to leave the strip, and joins other comic strips. His humor and tie-ins to other strips are really creative and funny. This is a must buy for Pearls fans. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Usual Dilbert goodness
I enjoyed this collection of Dilbert cartoons, as I do all of Scott Adams' compendiums. I can see some of Dilbert in me, and some of me in Dilbert (especially the bent tie), and easily recognize parallels between Dilbert's workplace and mine. I at least have an office and don't have to live with the cubicle dwellers and my boss is somewhat brighter than Dilbert's, but it's still scary how realistic Dilbert's world is.

I would have given this book 5 stars except all of these cartoons appear, in sequence, in my 2001 Dilbert desk calendar, so I've already read many of them and I have no reason now to flip to the next day on my calendar. That's almost Dilbert-esque, in a way.

I Stepped In It
"Don't Step In The Leadership" is a collection of Dilbert comic strips from 1998. Scott Adams has accurately captured the idiocracy of life that is called work. Whether it's the pointy-haired boss trying (and failing) to manage his employees or Catbert: Evil H.R. Director prescribing an anti-depressant drug for Alice, you will be amazed at how much this art imitates your life.

Don'T Step In The Leadership:A Dilbert Book
Don'T Step In The Leadership:A Dilbert Book by Scott Adams tells it as it is. Adams hits the corporate greed, idiocy and the meaningless meetings that are part of all kinds of us organizations. This is a must have...

Yet another funny book
You have to like Scott Adam's work to appreciate this book, but I don't know many people who don't. I think anyone who has ever been to work or had a boss will enjoy this book.

Marvelous Dilbert Book Number 13
This book is wonderful for any Dilbert fan, especially those fans who enjoy Alice and Catbert jokes, because there's many in here about them. This book offers more of Dilbert's misadventures in his office, and when he's not at work being tortured by his boss, he's at home with his cynical and sa