Humor Books

The days are definitely packed with adventures for this dynamic, but very short duo. From spaceships and interplanetary hideous monster beasties, to creeping around the backyard and generally getting up to suburban kidlet nogoodness, the fun is never in short supply. Neither is the wit, even if delivered under thread of Spaceman Spiff's raygun.

Another great slab paperback filled with the very best of this over active duo. Themed for the holidays, Calvin and Hobbes get up to their usual mischief at the detriment of Mom, Dad, Susie and others. Read it over and over again just to get a little laughter in a boring day. Highly recommended.

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.

Summer is the time when Calvin and Hobbes can hang out in the treehouse and plot their next attacks on Susie, if they're not busy fighting with each other, that is. This book also contains some of Calvin's best snowman art. Procrastinators will love Calvin's newest invention - the Time Machine, or perhaps not? This is definitely one of the best C&H books around.

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. "The Days Are Just Packed" belongs to the regular series and was published in 1993.

There is little you can say about a Calvin and Hobbes book. As with the other books in this series, it is very funny, insightful of people and children, and something that I seem to be able to read over and over. Bill Waterson brings a perspective on humans that is as unique as Gary Larson's perspectives, only his viewpoint surrounds our "hero," Calvin. The long-suffering Hobbes (a tiger, don't you know) is often a voice of doubt and sanity that Calvin rarely, if ever, heeds. When Calvin realizes that Hobbes is being critical, a fight generally ensues. Given that Hobbes is a "ferocious" tiger, Calvin rarely gains the upper hand.

This book is excellent and relatively benign humor, good for any occasion when you need a break from the world. More amazing, this book can be read over and over, and each time you'll still find it funny. I strongly recommend this book.

Our boys love the C&H cartoons. They are expanding their vocabularies without even knowing it! I refrain from telling them this though because they usually shy away from "educational" books.

No,its not just a bunch of random stuff, its a bunch of random funny stuff!! Its funny for Calvin being a little scared of Hobbes, and all that really funny stuff. Although Calvin's only a 1st grader, he sounds like he's really smart. So, I guess whoever is looking at this I have convinced them to buy it, just because it's so funny!!!!!!!

I am not sure I have ever met anyone who has read some Calvin and Hobbes comic strips and hated them. I suppose there might be a person or two out there allergic to stuffed toy tigers, perhaps, or had a horrible accident involving one. Those would be the only people I could think of that would not find these strips entertaining, no matter what age.

As you can tell by the cover on here, Hobbes' favorite thing to do is pounce on Calvin when he gets home from school.

Calvin does not like going to school, because he gets just about everything wrong, he tells Susie the disgusting things he brought for lunch, at recess there's the bully Moe and when he gets home, Hobbes pounces on him.

Calvin's mistake:Shouting out "I'M HOME!" when he comes in the door. He knows Hobbes will hear him and that gives him the advantage of pouncing on Calvin.

This collection contains earlier C&H cartoons. Being accustomed to seeing a slightly different looking Calvin in the more modern works it takes a little getting used to. His head is HUGE! His mouth...HUGE...and also very much like those Peanuts characters. The way his body and feet are drawn is also like them. Maybe they were Watterson's inspiration? Aside from the bigger head and mouth, Calvin in drawn shorter and wider than we are accustomed to and Hobbes is also bigger than him (when he is a stuffed tiger) which makes Calvin look even smaller. I thought at first that he was four or five but then he refers to himself as a six year old so that hasn't changed. I'm guessing that Watterson refined his craft in the years following...after all, this was originally published in 1988!!!

In this collection we see:
Calvin meets Hobbes
Calvin meets Susie...and does some serious flirting???
Calvin goes to the doctor and lives to tell the tale
His mom lets him try smoking
Shrunken heads for dinner anyone?
Calvin vs Rosalyn...who wins?

Many, many more memorable episodes in this collection that will keep you coming back for more!

CAUTION!!: When the information said "Includes cartoons from Calvin & Hobbes and Something Under the Bed is Drooling" I was under the impression that it contained just a few of those. Not so! It actually COMBINES those 2 books so that ALL of those cartoons are contained herein. I learned this because I ordered this together with Calvin & Hobbes...I am assuming it will be like this for other collections as well.

This calvin and hobbes collection is one of my favorites. I own every single one, but this one is better to me because it has more Sunday comics in it. The adventures, the fun, the snow, the beach...Bill Watterson shouldn't have quit. 5 Stars

Bob Harris was a struggling writer when, in 1997, he got on Jeopardy and won 5 times, 4 in runaways (games where the leader before Final Jeopardy cannot possibly lose if he makes an intelligent wager). Since then he's been in 3 tournaments--Season 14's Tournament of Champions, 2002's Million Dollar Masters Tournament, and 2005's Ultimate Tournament. All of this is detailed in the book, but fortunately, that's not the only thing in the book--far from it. Actually, you don't even need to have Jeopardy aspirations to be entertained, although he does have a very humorous section with studying tips (because so many people learn in boring ways, and it doesn't have to be that way, as Harris adeptly shows). Intertwined with the Jeopardy stories is what amounts to an autobiography--and yes, even if your first reaction is who cares, it's worth it. Being a Jeopardy fan helps potential readers pick up the book, but it is not necessary to enjoy it.

Bob Harris writes of his Jeopardy! experience in terms both comic and pensive, relating his often-panicked perceptions of being on the show with a Dave Barry-ish wit, but also ruminating on the workings of human memory and the mind's ability to relate knowledge to experience in unexpected ways. A must-read for Jeopardy! hopefuls.

Well I finally finished it and what a wonderful book to spend a month with! Yes, it's by and about a Jeopardy! contestant, but it's much more, and unlike any book I've read. It's personal, suspenseful, hilarious beyond description, and very touching. I felt as if I was going through the last 10 years arm-in-arm with Bob rather than actually living my own life. I've come to care deeply for the people in his life as well as the profound realizations he encountered while on the Jeopardy! roller coaster. It also offered me personal hope for a continual lifelong education - a hope I desperately welcome since I've experienced a sharp and discouraging intellectual regression since becoming a stay-home mom.

If you like Jeopardy!, read it. If Jeopardy! makes you want to puke, read it. If you've ever heard of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, Sony, President Garfield, Jabberwocky, galoshes, the snowbelt, stage make-up, Bhutan, Radio City Music Hall, E.M. Forster (you'll never think of his works the same again), traffic signals or masking tape and a ball point pen, read it. Just read it.

If you're human, you'll love it.

You don't have to be a die-hard Jeopardy! fan to appreciate this book. Yes, if you do want to improve your chances of being a quiz show contenstant, this book will help, but there is much more to it. First of all, it is very well written - there is suspense, foreshadowing, and it is well organized to encompass details of the author's personal life and his Jeopardy! history and experiences, which are nonetheless intertwined. Secondly, this guy is FUNNY (he did make a living for a while as a stand-up comic). Any yes, there are many things to learn from reading this, from memory techniques, to trivia, to life lessons (at the very least, I know I am going to remember the 6th, 13th, 14th, and 15th Presidents from Bob's own experiences and memory tricks). I loved this book!

I bought this book to learn more about Jeopardy!, but I ended up enjoying Trebekistan at least as much for the emotional experience as I did for the information imparted about the show. Bob Harris also has a writing style that's funny and engaging. If you enjoy suspense, trivia, humor, or if you just have a pulse, then you'll like this book.

You will laugh out loud, this book is truly hysterical. I am a new Tim Sandlin fan - Sorrow Floats and Social Blunders are just as good. Highly recommended!!

On the positive side this book was sometimes amusing. The story idea of two thirteen-year-old's experimentation with sex and resulting in a pregnant seventh grader was promising though poorly executed. None of the main characters are believable, not the narrator, Sam, not his girlfriend Maurey, and not his mother Lydia. The motivations and thought patterns of the adolescents especially lacked any power to convey belief. This novel should probably have stayed in the form of Mr. Sandlin's puerile fantasies, from which it sprung.

In Sam Callahan, Sandlin creates one of the great characters of recent American literature. Equal parts Walter Mitty and Holden Caulfield, Sam is a hilarious narrator with a truly unique voice. If the book were nothing more than a series of comic misadventures of Sam and his irreverent Southern Belle mother, Lydia as they are transplanted from the good ol' south to rural Wyoming, it would be a great read.

However, Skipped Parts is far more than that. Beyond Sam and Lydia, Sandlin populates GroVont with no end of fascinating characters--almost all multidimensional and colorful--the kind of folks you only find in quirky places like Sicily, Alaska. In this book, its easy to imagine that folks like Dot,Hank Elkrunner and the old guys who populate the local diner have interesting lives and stories outside of the light they shed on the main characters and that they didn't just show up in the scenes to move the plot along. This gives the story an incredible richness.

Beyond that, the book has a heart as big as the Tetons and frequently wears it on its sleeve. Rarely is a book so laugh out loud funny also so poignant and touching. There are moments that are truly noble, truly sad and truly beautiful and its a credit to Sandlin that none of them seem contrived. If you can get past the stuff about precocious 13 teen year olds experimenting with sex, you find a great novel about growing up, dealing with family, redemption and the endless disappointments and possibilities of life. A wonderful, wonderful book.

A dazzling story about love, anguish, despair, and every other pure emotion, "Skipped Parts" immediately jumps into the top ten for any reader.

Each character is well-crafted and dichotomous. Lydia's pithy, nasty wit fights her neediness, her desire for love and companionship. Sam's prodigious intelligence and story-telling talents are overshadowed by his incredibly childlike naivety. Even Caspar, the grandfather who I envision as a Col. Sanders look-alike, who has a heart of stone and a solitary focus on business, shows a bit of tenderness.

At its core, the story is about sex, the transition from childhood to adulthood, and the bonds of family. It's laugh out loud funny at moments, sick and startling at others. "Skipped Parts" covers the entire gamut of emotions while relating a well-crafted story, with all of the essential details, but nothing extra that may take away from characters or plot.

By the end of the book you won't know what is going to happen. You'll be cheering for your favorite character(s), and hoping for your own personal ending to come true, but it turns out slightly off from what you expect, and nearly perfect in every way.

This book is not for the faint of heart. The title, "Skipped Parts", perfectly sums up what the book is about: letting us directly in on the dark, dirty secret that teenage sex and extramarital sex actually occurred in the United States before the invention of the Pill, that there were abortions before Roe v. Wade and they skipped all those parts when they filmed Gidget.

Sam Callahan uses a rich fantasy life to mask the fact that he has had to be father to his own mother because she is too young and immature to take care of herself and her own father treats her like a bought pariah. Exiled to rural Wyoming in the fall of 1963, they survive by building real connections to real people for the first time in their lives. For Sam, the transformation begins on the day of JFK's death, when he comforts Maurey Pierce, the only kid in his grade who can read besides Sam. Maurey's Stepford mother, cowboy father and Dennis the Menace brother drive her to make an unusual pact with Sam: together, they will learn sex so that when they want to have it with someone they really desire, they will know what to do. Egged on by Lydia, Sam's mother, and some of her friends, they learn it quite well, until the inevitable happens the moment Maurey hits puberty. Plot twists that would make J.K. Rowling jealous, humor, beautifully drawn characters, a great sense for the detail of the West and a tremendous understanding of the social mores of teenagers at the time combine to make this a simply irresistible novel.

i was leery at first about this manga being so complex with so many character, i had to read each book two times slowly to get all the details. but this is so worth it, it has depth and even the secondary characters are great and filled out. i love kira and kato and set.it takes some concentration and effort but what a great story. i'm a vampire kind of a girl, i never knew heaven could be so evil.ha!if you only read one manga in your life, this should be it. it's totally TASTY!

I'm assuming that if you are reading a review for volume 13 of this series, you've already read volumes 1-12 and so a) know how great the series is and b) don't need any particularly good reason to read the next volume rather than skip straight on to volume 14. That said, I'll stick to an important and helpful matter: this is the North American English edition from Viz. Despite the cover art shown on the product page, which is from the Japanese edition, this is actually the English translation. Enjoy.

The series is still strong. If you have gotten this far you'll buy this manga.

I was turned onto this series just by it's beautiful artwork. The syle is truely unique and angelic...no wounder it's about angels.

The story starts off as a young teenage boy soon finds out that he is in love with is sister! As if that could be strange wait till you here this. The boy, Setsuna, is the re-incarnation of one of the most powerful angel's in history; and now people all over heaven and hell want him.

What will it take to convince Setsuna, that he is greatly needed by humanity...

I hope you thought this useful...

Hypnotic~

This book is mainly focused around Setsuna Mudo and his forbidden love with his little sister Sara. Things get complicated almost immediatly (as it has a plot, a subplot and lots of extras), angels, evils, monsters, evil cd-roms that kill you and craziness insue.

Basically Setsuna is the reincarnation of the Organic Fallen angel Alexial, who has three wings, incredible power and a physchotic twin brother, Rosiel who she 'failed' to kill in the great battle. His best friend is Kira, who seems to be guiding Setsuna, and has been following Alexial through her multiple rebirths. Sara, Setsuna's sister and lover seems like just a normal girl, but is she? Many other seemingly 'background' characters come into role and the whole story starts rolling.

The drawing is so beautiful, I've been turned into a complete Kaori Yuki worshipper. I own her artbook and have read lots of her other works (I recommend Godchild). The characters are so gorgeous, you'll fall in love with them.

The plot is very very twisted and intricate. You have to read the volumes in order, otherwise it will make no sense. I have reread the first few volumes many times to understand (the first volume especially, as the first few pages don't focus on Setsuna) I first read this when I was about 12, so it was desperatly confusing, but it gets easier to read as thigns start falling into place. It's one of those things where all of a sudden a lightbulb lights up and you totally understand everything that happened.

It's such a great manga, it's so gorgeous and has a gorgeous story to go a long with it, what more could you want?

Invisible Driving by Alistair McHarg is not your ordinary autobiography. He tells his tale of manic depression with humor, wit and sadness with an extraordinary ability to relay the behavior and thoughts of someone who is bipolar. I found it moving as well as fascinating to see how his mind can be unraveled, dissected and rebuilt. I recommend to everyone, especially anyone who is curious or eager to learn more about this illness or who wants to learn a lot of new words that start with the letter "R."

I have never had anyone close to me with this illness, but I've always enjoyed reading autobiographical material.
In my humble opinion, Alistair McHarg does a splendid job of, giving the reader not only a glimpse into a manic episode, but a feel for what it must be like.

If you are a fan of wordplay, you will find some very enjoyable paragraphs.

Mr. McHarg was also able to convey some of the doom and gloom accompanying the ride down from that manic episode.

It was a fast read and I really enjoyed it.

This was written quite well expressing the thoughts of someone going through a manic episode. His language is inventive and his descriptive talent draws one right into the struggle. It also pointed out the importance of an emotional connection, in his case his daughter, to keep him grounded.

Successfully describing an unusual state of mind to the unitiated is very much like trying to explain an exotic smell. Mere words are poor cousins to the actual experience. Alistair McHarg, however, manages to get on the roller coaster that is his mental illness and put you firmly in the seat right behind him. The reader can't see out the front (only those who have lived it could), but can feel the dips, turns and breathtaking drops from the ride. Exciting and terrifying, his use of language produces a visceral response. We are navigated through an extended, autobiographical manic episode which, at the outset, may appear a little fun until one realizes that it (he) is spinning out of control. Sadly, this mania seems to produce a virtual allergy to intimacy when he most needs the grounding qualities of close friends and family. We learn that, in the end, there is nothing glamourous about this fever-pitched lifestyle especially when you're living it.

Alistair McHarg's memoir of his battle with Manic Depression is a Masterpiece. It is a gripping tale, wrought with heart wrenching emotion and bizarre hilarity that grabs hold of the reader and does not let go. McHarg's writing genius is undeniable. His wordplay and razor sharp wit is as much art as it is technical perfection. This is a stunning piece of literature.

What more could a Peanuts lover ask for?! If you're not yet a Peanuts lover, you will be if you get this book:) Definite multi-gen bridge-gapper!

One of my favorite books that I own is Peanuts: the art of Charles Schultz. Its rich, close-up photography of the yellowing newsprint pages are so warm and inviting. It also includes a biography, rare memorabilia, sketches by Shultz as well as images of the original inked artwork from the strip. Even though I've had the book for a few years now, I never get tired of immersing myself in the evolution of Shultz's talent and the Peanuts characters.

There was a time in my life when I very much wanted to be a syndicated comic strip artist. Occasionally my fancies take me down that path even now and usually it's encounters with this book that trigger such wanderings.

Muy lindo, sobre todo el formato!
Además de las historietas contiene fotos de los primeros muñecos que se hicieron en su momento.

This is my first Peanuts hardback, and it's already taken a special spot in my heart. I've been a Peanuts fan from my childhood, and this book gives a glimpse not just into the history of the strip, but also into the history of the creator of the strip. As I understand it, in this book are never-before-seen examples of Mr. Schulz's sketchpads. Some that were never published before in their raw, unfinished form.

Throughout this beautifully bound book are pages that chronicle "Sparky's" life and career -- childhood photos of his family, his page in his high school yearbook, his sketchpad from his time in the Army, various pictures of his first strip "Li'l Folks"... the list goes on. There are also pages here and there showing some of the Peanuts collectibles such as slateboards, games, comic books, ViewMaster reels, and figurines etc. And of course, this 336 page book is full of Peanuts strips --in black & white and in color-- taking you through the years in your memories.

Also included is a touching introduction written by his wife, Jean Schulz, and his 'signature' on the inside cover. If you are a Peanuts fan, you won't be disappointed with this book.

The Peanuts are pretty much everywhere you go. It is kind of sad in a way that their creator, Charles Schulz, is not. Makes you kind of appreciate the fact that our creations go on long after we have departed. Like the Chinese Philospher Lao Tzu said, "We will never know the results of our actions..." Contemplate this for awhile and it will really begin to blow your mind. We don't really know who we will affect in life with our thoughts, with our words, and with our deeds. We all have an inward duty to be the best that we can be, because the world is just a bunch of individuals and if each one of us decides to think better and do better with the gifts we've been given, then the world will be an even better place to live.

Charles Schulz and his comic strip, The Peanuts, bettered my world and it continues to do so. He has been gone almost six years now and I still miss him. Isn't that strange? I never met the man. I never heard him speak. The only thing I really know about him and his life is through his comic strip.

I was introduced to the Peanuts when I was four or five years old. My dad used to read me his comic strips and do the voices of Charlie Brown, Linus, Schroder, and Lucy...his impression of Lucy still makes me crack up when I dip into my fondue pot of memories.

I got this book because I wanted to really know more about Charles Schulz. What kind of man was he really? What drove him? What inspired him? Turns out that he, himself, was baffled by the Creation Process just like all "true" artists are. True artists are very humble beings. They know deep inside that they are not responsible for their creations, they are merely the channels through which the power of creation takes place. Being an artist and a writer myself, I know that sometimes I'm in this zone where the process of creation is moving through me so powerfully that all I need do is surrender to It and everything is all taken care of. Not to be preachy, but that's Spirit, that's Love, that's the Light we were all created in and out of. And because all of us are made in the Image and Likeness of Light, of Spirit, of Love, we are all creative and we are all creators. The question then becomes, "What am I willing to create?"

This book makes me cry. Not in a sad way, but in a way that just makes me miss my friend. And although I see evidence of his being here all around me, I know that this world is never going to be the same without him.

Peace & Blessings, Mr. Schulz.

This is probably one of the few books you are going to find about Badfinger, who are another very essential but overlooked rock band. Sure they had hits, but they got screwed over. The book arrived in great shape and very quickly, so I was completely happy with everything.

I ordered this for my brother's birthday and he loved it! The book arrived in perfect shape. This is one of my brother's favorite bands from 'back in the day'!!! He was very happy with it. Thanks

A wonderful book. I knew very little about this band other than a couple of great songs I heard on the radio in the early 70's. By the time I finished the book I felt like I'd known them all my life. I couldn't help but get emotionally involved in their plight...Highly recommend

The most engrossing band bio I've ever read, and also one of the saddest stories in music. I find it funny that the two biggest debunkers of the author of this book are also two people who haven't read it! The story spans the very beggining, when they were known as the Iveys, to the ASCAP debacle in which Pete Ham and Tom Evans were utterly disrespected in front of an audience for their wonderful accomplishment of having written Without You. No stone is left unturned and unfortuntely some of the people involved should crawl back under theirs but haven't.

Dear Joey and Kathie: You can fool some of the people, but you haven't fooled me. At least Pete doesn't have a grave, or else I'm sure you would have been dancing on it quite happily. Why did you have to be part of the problem?

The "tragic" story of Badfinger couldn't be a better title for this book or this band. So much talent and ability and such bad management and naivete' destroyed not just a band but many lives in the process. I believe every young musician should read this book and learn from their mistakes.

amazing collection of course. purchased it on amazon in 1996 for twenty bucks when i was in middle school. fairly sure it played a major part in my alienation as a twelve year old, as it caused my weirdo sense of humor to flourish greatly. absolutely amazed it sells for hundreds of dollars. guess i should have taken better care of it, eh? i cut up the cover to put it on my wall. silly twelve year old.

This comic inspired me so much when I was in high school. I can't even begin to describe how hilarious and well-done it is. SUCH a shame it costs so much, because it's one of the things you'd like to share with the entire world. I wish I would have taken better care of mine...not that I would ever sell it anyway. I keep coming back to it over and over again, and I'm alomost 29 now. There is so much artistry and humor going on in every single panel. It's like a cornucopia of non-sequitor humor, jabs at cheap American culture, and sheer unadulterated cartoony mayhem. If you don't laugh out loud, over and over again, there is something seriously wrong with you. Plus, there are so many little fun extras (Fizzball, the Road Trip game, Sam & Max explain our Bizarre Universe). Get it and you'll be glad you did.

A re-issue has pretty much been confirmed which will most likely contain everything in this book, plus all the missing comics including the new webcomic. With all that it'll probably bring the page count alot closer to 200.
Otherwize it's an awesome book, but I wouldn't pay as much as people are selling it for. I don't blame them though. It's a rare item and rare items have high prices.

I don't pretend to know what legal situation/absolute insanity is preventing the re-release of this nugget of genius, but I beg you for the love of all that is holy: DO IT! PLEASE!

This is one of the funniest things I have ever had the good fortune to read. I borrowed it from a friend over 10 years ago, and I now wish I hadn't given it back (I don't see this guy much anyway...). From time to time, I'll try to explain this comic to someone, and the vacant, unfamiliar stare I get in reply is absolutely heartbreaking. Whomever it is that has the authority to reprint this, I am literally begging you to do so. I will gleefully pay upwards of $50 for a reissue, especially if it has some little tiny extra, like an introduction from Purcell; a bundt cake recipe, or just a couple of new sketches. I'm desperate, and $200 for a comic just feels dirty (though I confess, I've considered digging out the credit card for this).

Please.

I love Sam & Max, A 5 STAR collection to be sure, and know for a fact that this collection is soon to be reissued. To those sellers who are charging UPWARDS OF $300 (?!!) for this little black and white 160 page book, YOU MAKE ME SICK! For that much money, I expect the book to be delivered to me in a frikkin' gold plated briefcase by an armed-to-the-teeth Secret Service agent. I HOPE YOU NEVER MAKE A DIME, you bottom-feeding nostalgia vampires.

This is a fantastic book and a must for any Far Side afficianado. Not only does it have the usual great material, but includes stuff never published and commentary by Gary Larson as he takes you through his creative process during various stages of his career.

I first saw this in my school library, and after reading a bit I decided to buy my own copy as it was so good. It is kind of like a short biography of Larson combined with special features like his earliest cartoons that weren't published and others he decided not to publish for various reasons. He includes annotated versions of some of his best cartoons, which make you think "Oh, so THAT'S what he meant..."

It's like a Larson bible. You need it.

Gary Larson has one of the sickest, most demented senses of humor and we are all better for it. In this book, he describes some of the major points in his development as a cartoonist. There is not a great deal of insight into his mentality, although he does include some of his cartoons that were rejected as being in too bad of taste. Those are of course the most interesting ones in the collection.
If you love the slightly macabre touch that Gary Larson expresses in his "The Far Side" comic strip, then this is a book you should read. It all started in a music store and the rest is twisted history.

I would totally recommend this book for anyone who would like some insight into the mind of the man who brought us the Far Side as well as anyone with an interest in the cartooning industry.

My favorite part being a section of mistakes made when the cartoons were published, for example, when his caption was switched with one from Dennis the Menace (my childhood nemesis, by the way). The result is hilarious.

The first Farside reads, "Lucky thing I learned to make peanut butter sandwiches or we woulda starved to death by now" as a family of snakes sits around a table for dinner. The first Dennis the Menace reads, "Oh, brother!... Not hamsters again!" as he and his friend walk through the house holding peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

The second Far Side reads, "If I get as big as Dad, won't my skin be too tight?" (not very funny but...) The second Dennis the Menace reads, "I see your little, petrified skull... labeled and resting on a shelf somewhere." Said as Dennis looks Thoughfully at his mother. REally Funny!

Great book. Get it!

So you've got the massive two-volume "Complete Far Side" and figure you're all set, Gary Larson-wise. If so, you're a few cows short of a herd, because you need this book to round out your collection. It's not just a collection of his comics. The book has a discussion of how his career as a cartoonist got started and has examples of his previous effort, a one-newspaper comic in the same style as "The Far Side." It goes on to show particular cartoons, with his comments on them, both positive and negative, on how they worked, where ideas came from or even the mechanics of drawing them, amongst other criteria. He also shares some sketchbook drawings, some of which led to final, published comics and some which did not. (One of the latter, about a frontiersman named Jeremiah and rhubarb, would have been a good one.) And he discusses how editing had sometimes unexpectedly changed his cartoons, and he relates the letters from people about specific cartoons, some very negative as you might imagine; for certain ones, he engages in a detailed discussion of what he tried to do, contrasting this with how others saw it upon publication. Larson also shares some UNpublished panels, some of which are hilarious. There's also a giant picture of a louse. He ends with a generous helping of his favorite panels, some in color. All in all, it's a lot of fun, and it gives a lot of insight into how Larson went about creating his famous comic that so many of us miss seeing in our newspapers daily.