Book Review: LEWSER!

G.B. Trudeau, LEWSER! More Doonesbury in the Time of Trump. Kansas City, MO: Andrew McMeel, 2020. ISBN: 9781524859503.

Genre: comics and graphic novels, humor

Subgenre: politics and current events

Format: trade paperback

Source: Eastside Branch, Lexington (KY) Public Library. I did get an e-galley via Netgalley I was unable to access, so was not able to read it at that time. 

This is a collection of Doonesbury comics during the time of Trump.; many of the strips feature Trump as the protagonist. The volume then also looks at the regular Doonesbury characters living their lives and trying to cope and live in these Hard Times. 

This book is part of a Doonesbury Trump trilogy. I read the first volume, Yuge! (link to my review). The second volume is #Sad, and this book is the third volume.

On the one hand, there are some amusing moments in this volume. When the humor works, it works well. On the other hand, it can be painful to go read about the Trump administration. Those times may seem like a dark joke at times, but by now this book is a painful reminder of what was (and what could be again if Americans don't get their act together). To be honest, the best parts are the strips with the regular characters. A strength of the book is that it really captures the essence and mood of the time. 

Overall I liked this one. It is an easy read, relatively quick getting through it. I do always like the art in this series, especially when the author turns objects into people like the cigarette and now the Juul vape stick. Doonesbury does have a way to keep up with the times, but it does not always age well though.

3 out of 5 stars. 

Book qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenges: 

Book Review: Pearls Gets Sacrificed

Stephan Pastis, Pearls Gets Sacrificed: a Pearls Before Swine Treasury. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2015. ISBN: 9781449458294.

 

Genre: comics and graphic novels

Subgenre: humor

Format: large trade paperback

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library 

 

This 2015 treasury of Pearls Before Swine has a bit over 240 pages of strips. The strips are mostly in black and white, but the volume also includes larger Sunday strips in color. 

 

The humor overall is good, but it can be a bit inconsistent. When it is good, it is really good and funny. When it is not, it can fall a bit flat. There are times when the author stretches a joke a bit too far. One example of stretching the joke too far was the series about Zebra's bad vacation on a small isolated island. The author stretched that way more than he should have. In addition, the author is known for doing puns, and again, some are good, some are not. 

Having said that, the majority of the comics are good. I do enjoy the contrast between innocent Pig, cynical Rat, and wise Goat. Some of my favorites in this collection include: Humpty Dumpty suing for damages after his fall, Rat pointing out about political bribery (whoops, corporate campaign contributions), Goat at the bookstore (which could also apply to libraries), Pig's doctor appointment (oh so true), and on Anthony Bourdain as a hero. 

Overall, I really like this volume. I enjoy the humor that goes swiftly from silly to cynical and back to silly. It does feature some good observations about life as well. This is a good selection for libraries with comics and graphic novel collections. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

Short book review: Pearls Hogs the Road: a Pearls Before Swine Treasury

Stephan Pastis, Pearls Hogs the Road: a Pearls Before Swine Treasury. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2017.  ISBN: 9781449487324.

 

Genre: comics

Subgenre: humor, life observations

Format: e-book

Source: via Hoopla from Madison County (KY) Public Library 

 

This was an entertaining and fun collection of comics to read. These comics have a good blend of humor, sarcasm, and cynicism; they are perfect for the Hard Times we live in. In addition, Pastis includes commentaries on many of the strips which add to the humor and/or offer additional insights into the comics and his craft. Sometimes a comic strip may not work out as well as he thought it should, and he is often transparent and open about it, which I think adds to the series' appeal. 

I found myself laughing often while reading this. Some of the puns Pastis does work better than others, but overall the humor is good with a bit of dark humor here or there. This is not a cuddly comic series, but it is a funny one overall. 

 

This volume covers strips appearing in newspapers from March 3, 2014 to September 6, 2015. In addition, this volume features 3 comic strips illustrated by Bill Watterson, author of Calvin and Hobbes.

4 out of 5 stars.

Short book reviews on graphic novels 26

Some more quick reviews on graphic novels and comics I've read recently that do not really need a full review. As you can see, this is mostly Garfield and Far Side volumes. Some of these books qualify for 2021 Reading Challenges as noted. 

 

Jim Davis, Garfield Listens to his Gut: His 62nd Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2016. ISBN: 9780425285572. 

As I've written before, if you have read others then you pretty much know what to expect. This is another light and easy read, which is perfect for these Hard Times. Davis just keeps producing the comics. The humor is light, predictable, but it is also nice and comforting at times. 3 out of 5 stars. Borrowed from Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library.

Jim Davis, Garfield Easy As Pie: His 69th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780593156407.

Much like previous volumes. Cute and amusing at times. Humor can be a bit predictable, but it still makes for easy and comforting reading in the Hard Times of 2020.

 

 

 

 

 Jim Davis, Garfield Feeds the Kitty: His 35th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 1999 (classic edition 2018). ISBN: 978-0-425-28569-5.

An older book I found in the public library. As noted, originally from 1999, but reissued in 2018. Another entertaining volume in the series. Among the highlights is Garfield encouraging Jon to read more books. For me, these books are always a nice comfort read. 3 out of 5 stars. 

 

 

 

 

Gary Larson, The Chickens are Restless: A Far Side Collection. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 1992. ISBN: 978-0-8362-1717-9. 

Overall, this is an amusing collection of Far Side cartoons. It's a nice light read with some good humor at times. There is a virus cartoon that is amusing as well and relevant in these COVID-19 times. I liked it. 3 out of 5 stars. This book qualifies for these 2021 Reading Challenges: Backlist Reader and Virtual Mount TBR. 

 

 

 

 

Jim Davis, Garfield Weighs His Options: His 49th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2010. ISBN:
9780345491817.

 

Another entry in the series I found in the public library. This part of the series is still in the early days when Jon started dating Liz. A highlight of the book is a small series of Garfield and Jon showing bachelor humor. An amusing entry in the series. 3 out of 5 stars. Book qualifies for these 2021 Reading Challenges: Backlist Reader and Virtual Mount TBR.  

 

 

Jim Davis, Garfield Shovels It In: His 51st Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2011. ISBN: 9780345524195.

 

We get a bit more of bachelor humor in this volume of the popular series. Overall, another amusing volume in the series. Nice comfort read.  3 out of 5 stars. Book qualifies for these 2021 Reading Challenges: Backlist Reader and Virtual Mount TBR.  

Gary Larson, The Far Side Gallery. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 1984. ISBN:
9780836220629.

This is the first big omnibus of the series. It collects the first three books in the series: The Far Side, Beyond the Far Side, and In Search of the Far Side. These strips were originally printed from 1982 to 1984. Overall, the humor is good, though some strips can be better than others. I like combination of surrealism and casual daily observation humor. For this volume, the strips are printed a bit larger than in regular books, which makes some of the strips look better. Overall, I really liked it. 4 out of 5 stars. Book qualifies for these 2021 Reading Challenges: Backlist Reader and Virtual Mount TBR. 

Jim Davis, Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack. New York: Ballantine Books, 2003. ISBN: 9780345464552.

This volume collects the first three trade collections of the Garfield comic strip. You can read it from the beginning. You get to meet Lyman, Jon's roommate who brought in Odie the dog. For some reason, Odie stayed and Lyman disappeared down the road. It is also interesting to see what Garfield and the rest of the gang looked like back then before Davis stylized the look and improved on it. The humor back then was actually pretty good, and while some strips may be a bit dated, the humor overall holds pretty well. As much as I like the series, these days it feels a bit like he is just dialing it in at times, so it was nice to go back in time. The work here overall is fun, amusing, light reading, and by the way, the strips are in full color. On a side note, when I looked over my notes, I saw I had read this back in 2014, so this is a re-read for me, and I still enjoyed it very much. For libraries, these 3-Pack sets do give you a bit of value in terms of acquisitions. 4 out of 5 stars. Book qualifies for these 2021 Reading Challenges: Backlist Reader and Virtual Mount TBR. 

 

Gary Larson, The Far Side Gallery 2. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 1986. ISBN: 9780836220858.

This is the second gallery collection of Larson's comic strip. This one collects his books Bride of the Far Side, Valley of the Far Side, and It Came from the Far Side.  As before, good humor combined with that unique brand of surrealism that Larson does very well. Also as before, I enjoy that the strips are printed a bit larger than in the regular books. Some highlights include: the vampire parents warning their daughter's boyfriend, a human, to have her home before sunrise, Carl Sagan as a kid, which I thought was very cute, and one of my personal favorites the scientists trying to communicate with the dolphins. Overall, I really liked this one as well. 4 out of 5 stars. Book qualifies for these 2021 Reading Challenges: Backlist Reader and Virtual Mount TBR. 

Gary Larson, The Far Side Gallery 4. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 1993. ISBN: 9780836217247.

The fourth gallery collection of Larson's comic strip. This volume collects his books Wildlife Preserves, Wiener Dog Art, and Unnatural Selections. Robin Williams provides a short foreword for this one, and as he writes, Larson is "the best of a weird breed." Larson certainly proves that in this series. Two of my favorites in this volume are the primitive think tanks and the vaccination man, which I think may be just what we need to get more people vaccinated for COVID-19. Larson may have been a visionary with that. As always, the comics have that nice blend of the bizarre and humorous, and for me, they make for nice comfort reading. Another volume I really liked. 4 out of 5 stars. Book qualifies for these 2021 Reading Challenges: Backlist Reader and Virtual Mount TBR.

Gary Larson, The Far Side Gallery 5. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 1995. ISBN:  9780836204254.

The fifth gallery collection. This volume collects his books Cows of Our Planet, The Chickens are Restless, and The Curse of Madame C. It includes a foreword by Jane Goodall that explains the small controversy over Larson's strip about her. Turns out she herself was quite amused. A favorite strip in this volume was the one about "be a virus, see the world," which in our times of COVID-19 remains seriously relevant. As in previous volumes, this book features a selection of strips in full color. This continues to be nice comfort reading for me and always worth reading for the bizarre humor. 4 out of 5 stars. Qualifies for these 2021 Reading Challenges: Backlist Reader and Virtual Mount TBR. 

 

 

 

 

Miscellaneous short booknotes

These are some short quick reviews of items I've read recently, but that may not need a regular review, or I just do not have the time to write a long review or feel like writing one. Anyhow, here we go.

Kia Asamiya, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace- Manga. Volumes 1 and 2. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse Comics, 1999.

This is the two-volumes manga adaptation of the film. Dark Horse basically
takes the Japanese manga adaptation and translates it into English. Overall, the manga looks good, and it is pretty faithful to the film. It's an easy and fun read overall, and I really liked them.

4 out of 5 stars.

ISBN (Vol. 1): 1-56971-483-5.
ISBN (vol. 2): 1-56971-484-3.


Randel Plowman, curator. Masters: Collage: Major Works by Leading Artists.. New York: Lark Books, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-60059-108-2.

Another volume in the Masters series of art books from Lark Books. This one looks at 40 artists who create collages in a broad range of forms from retro art to abstract art. The curator/editor picked these forty artists from a list of 200 plus artists to present "the work of some of the most exceptional collage artists working today" (7). Overall, it is a nice book to look over. Quality in the art can vary; I liked some of the pieces better than others, but your mileage can vary.

3 out of 5 stars.


Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, Are We Out of the Driveway Yet? Zits Sketchbook 11. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-7407-6199-7.

The 11th sketchbook collection in the popular series where the authors catch teenage character and
angst oh so well. Maybe a bit too well because I'll be honest, if I was Jeremy's parent, I might have smacked him once or twice for his misbehavior. The authors also catch well what it is like to be parents of a teenager. Highlights in this volume include Jeremy learning to drive, online package tracking, and other hijinks. Overall, I really liked it for a light and entertaining read.

4 out of 5 stars.


Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, Dance Like Everybody's Watching. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2018. ISBN: 978-1-4494-9511-4.

This collection is an oversized volume. If features weekly strips in black and white and full color for the Sunday strips. Highlights here include Jeremy working at the grocery store missing the plantains (believe me, for Puerto Ricans and other Latinos, that is funny), Jeremy losing his cell phone (how can you tell time without it?), and looking over DNA results. Again, if you enjoy this series, you'll like this one. It is fun, light, and humorous reading. I really liked it.

4 out of 5 stars.


Jim Davis, Garfield Slurps and Burps: His 67th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781984817730.

The series keeps on going. Strips in this volume start on Christmas season, which felt timely for me
as I read it around Thanksgiving at the time. There is not much really new here. These comics are basically comfort reading; by now you know what you are getting. A highlight in this volume is Jon not knowing what to do with the telephone land line he forgot he had.  Made me wonder if there are people like that out there. In the end, I liked it. It's cute, amusing, and a quick read.

3 out of 5 stars.


Christine Heap, Big Book of Trains. East Rutherford, NJ: DK Publishing, 1998.  ISBN: 978-0-7894-3436-4.

An oversize book from the National Railway Museum in York, England. It is a big picture book for
children, and it is pretty good. The book features some good photographs of historical and modern trains. In addition, the book offers a good amount of information and trivia on these trains. It may be written in simple language for children, but I found myself learning quite a bit from it. The book even features some pull out pages. Though geared for children, I think that children of all ages who like trains will enjoy this book, I really liked it.

4 out of 5 stars.

Jim Davis, Garfield Chickens Out: his 61st Book. New York: Ballantine, 2016. 

I thought I had read this before, but it turns out it was new to me when I picked it up at the public library. Another nice comfort read. If you are a fan, you'll like it, but this is just good overall for anyone looking for nice and light humor. 3 out of 5 stars.



Charles M. Schulz, Snoopy: What's Wrong With Dog Lips? A Peanuts Collection. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2017.

This is a Peanuts collection with a bit more focus on Snoopy. In this series, Snoopy fractures a foot, gets a visit from his brother Spike, and travels to Wimbledon but ends up in Kansas City. It's a nice collection, and it is also in full color. It does have one or two fairly dark strips such as Charlie Brown wanting to be black topped on his pitcher's mound (hints suicide). Of course, Lucy remains the bully she always is but that is toned down a bit here. Otherwise, most of the comics are amusing. I liked it overall, and it was a nice light read. 3 out of 5 stars.

Booknote: Pearls Blow Up

Stephan Pastis, Pearls Blows Up: a Pearls Before Swine Treasury. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2011. ISBN: 9781449401061.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: humor
Format: large paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This is a Pearls Before Swine treasury with a bit over 200 pages. The daily strips are in black and white, and the Sunday strips are in color. The volume also includes a small collection of author photos from younger days.

This is a comic strip I do not see often. I may see it in the local newspaper once in a while, but that is about it. In reading this book, I found the humor can be inconsistent. The puns now and then are not that good, like Pastis may be trying too hard. Some of the cynical humor can be pretty good when it gets it right. Some highlights in the volume include:

• Rat decides to turn off the Internet.
• Rat gets a "no stupiding sign" (I can relate to this one).
• Rat as "corporate counsel." 
• Rat and Pig meet a tenured professor (I am sure a few professors have that strip cut out and stuck on their office doors). 

Rat and Pig are my favorite characters in the series. Rat embodies the cynicism and Pig an optimist sense of wonder.

In addition, Pastis includes text commentary on most of the strips in the volume. To be honest, the commentary often does not add much, and at times it drives jokes to the ground with unnecessary explanation. If you need to explain the joke, it is not that good nor funny.

Overall, despite parts of the volume being a bit slow and inconsistent, I still liked it. When it worked, the humor was good. However, when it did not, it was bad. I'd say, if you are a fan you'll probably enjoy this. For casual readers, this is  more optional, borrow it. '

3 out of 5 stars.

Qualifies for this 2020 Reading Challenge:

Booknote: A Zits Guide to Living with Your Teenager

Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, A Zits Guide to Living With Your Teenager. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2010. ISBN: 9780740791680.

Genre: comics and graphic novels
Subgenre: humor, family, teenagers
Format: small hardback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library


This is a small, cute book of Zits comics with comics providing lessons for parents with teenagers.
The comics are amusing and in full color. The author and artist provide a comic strip that goes across two pages and then the lesson the comic strip illustrates. Some lessons include:

• Relish your new role as profound embarrassment to your teenager. 
• The teen years are a worry marathon. Pace yourself, and drink lots of water. 
• Love to love the sheer chutzpah. 

Overall, it is a cute little book that is amusing. If you have teenagers, you'll probably appreciate this. For parents entering into their children's teenage years, this book may make a good gift to help the parents be ready. I really liked this one.

4 out of 5 stars. 

Qualifies for these 2020 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: Book Love

Debbie Tung, Book Love. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 978-1-4494-9428-5.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: bibliophile, books, humor, reading
Format: small hardback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This is a very amusing and cute collection of book and reading comics by Debbie Tung. If you are a bibliophile or just a reader, you'll appreciate the humor and warmth in these comics. The book has no fillers. It is all comics in various forms from beginning to end. The comics can vary in format from multiple panels to full page single pieces. The art is black and white with some grey as needed.

Overall, there is not much more to say. It is a sweet, beautiful book and a gift to book lovers and readers anywhere. Definitely highly recommended for everyone, and a must have for bibliophiles. This is one I'd love to add to my personal collection.

5 out of 5 stars.

Short booknotes on graphic novels 25 plus an extra or two

This is another list of comics and graphic novels that I have read recently. These are mostly quick reads, so I am just doing some short review notes. Most of these came from the Madison County (KY) Public Library unless otherwise noted.

Lincoln Pierce, Big Nate: Great Minds Think Alike. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4494-36353.

In this volume, Nate's dad basically ruins Halloween by handing out soy nuts. Believe me, you do not want to have him for a dad. The plot with Mr. Ross the art teacher was pretty amusing. In the end, it was an amusing collection, some strips better than others. I liked it, but this is basically a volume to borrow.

3 out of 5 stars.


Kris Wilson, et.al., Cyanide and Happiness: Stab Factory. Los Angeles, CA: Boom! Box, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-66886-769-1.

This is a collection from the webcomic. It features comics you probably saw online plus 30 strips new for the book. Honestly, it amazes me this comic survives. It tries to be subversive, edgy, and dark, but if this book is an indicator, most of the strips' humor just falls flat. As I read, I counted about five strips in the whole collection that could be considered humorous. The rest are just blah overall. They are not bad, but they are nothing to write home about.  Do note the book has an advisory that  it is for mature readers.  But to be honest, it's not really that edgy. As kids would say, it was mostly meh. Borrow it if you must, or just read the comic for free online if you have to.

Borrowed from Hutchins Library, Berea College.

2 out of 5 stars (barely).


Jim Davis, Garfield Cleans His Plate: His 60th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2015. ISBN: 978-0-345-52608-3.

By now, Davis is in his stride. Jon continues getting along with Liz, and Garfield is up to his usual antics. Some highlights in this book include Jon losing his cellphone (and liking it, a feeling I can relate to), Garfield watching the Laughing Baby Channel (now there is an idea for a television channel), and Jon calls a fortune teller. Overall, I liked it. Nice easy read.

3 out of 5 stars.

Jim Davis, Garfield Cooks Up Trouble: His 63rd Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2017. ISBN: 978-0-425-28562-6.

Though the title suggests this book might emphasize food and cookery humor, it is just another basic compilation of strips. It is a nice, easy read but no big deal. Highlights include Jon having a smart ass mobile phone assistant (think Siri), Garfield watching scary movies, and Garfield trying to convince Santa Claus he's been good.

3 out of 5 stars.


Jim Davis, Garfield Feeds His Face: His 64th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2017. ISBN: 978-0-425-28567-1.

It was a nice and light read with some cute and amusing moments. Davis does strive to keep up with trends such as cellphone use. Otherwise, the book is not much different from others. I am enjoying Jon's interactions with Liz.

3 out of 5 stars.


Jim Davis, Garfield Eats and Runs: His 65th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2018. ISBN: 978-0-425-28572-5.

Another Garfield collection. Still amusing and entertaining though the humor can be a little inconsistent on this one. A nice easy read.

3 out of 5 stars. 


Greg Farshtey, et.al., Night of the Nindroids (LEGO Ninjago #9). New York: Papercutz, 2014.

This is a nice little comic featuring the Ninjago ninjas from LEGO. In this issue, Zane, the droid ninja, is tempted to join the Nindroids. Will he betray his friends? The book has a few twists and turns. It's a good story, but it does not feel to be among the better ones in the series. The art is nice and very colorful. The volume also features a bonus story with Lloyd the green ninja. Fans will likely enjoy it. For me, it was a quick read. Unless your kids or you are fans, it is better to borrow this one. For libraries that already get LEGO books for children, this is likely a good option.

3 out of 5 stars.


Joel M. Hoffman, The Bible's Cutting Room Floor. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2014. ISBN:  9781250047960. 

A look at the many books and parts of what we know as the Bible that got left out, cut out, edited out over time for a variety of reasons, but often to enforce control and uniformity. Sure we know that Adam and Eve got kicked out of Eden, but did you know there are stories of what happened to them right afterwards? Also, there are way more psalms than the 150 you find in the Bible.  The book looks at various old texts that did not quite make it to answer a variety of questions. Like most scholarly books, it is fairly dry and not easy to read. I wanted to like this, and the topic seemed interesting, but it was a drag to read. Professor Hoffman does provide a good section of notes and bibliography for folks wanting to learn more. 2 out of 5 stars.

 
Tom Taylor, Star Wars: Darth Maul-- Death Sentence. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse Comics, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-61655--077-6.

Darth Maul, after being rescued and restored from his almost lethal duel with Obi Wan Kenobi, is wreaking havoc with his brother Savage Oppress. When mining magnate Ja'Boag puts a bounty on their heads, they decide to target him. However, Ja'Boag has his own private army, and the Jedi are willing to help him.

The story is a quick read with a good amount of action. It takes place after the events of Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace. It is entertaining and a light story overall. Fans will likely appreciate it. I liked it overall.  3 out of 5 stars.

Max Bemis, et.al., Centipede. Volume 1: Game Over. Mt. Laurel, NJ; Dynamite Entertainment, 2018. ISBN:  9781524105860.

I do not have much to say about this book. It took me so long to post feedback because honestly I wanted to like this, and it was just a disappointment. I grew up on the classic Centipede game of the 80s, and this comic just does not do any justice to that. It starts out well, then it turns into a convoluted incoherent mess that one just does not know what or where to focus on. Overall, I usually like Dynamite Comics (often a lot), but this was not good. Oh well, I will wait for something better down the road. I do not recommend libraries adding this to their graphic novel collections (I am not adding it to ours).  1 out of 5 stars (barely). 

Booknote: Big Nate: What's a Little Noogie Between Friends

Lincoln Peirce, Big Nate: What's a Little Noogie Between Friends? Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2017. ISBN: 978-1-4494-6229-1.

Genre: comics and graphic novels
Subgenre: humor, children and young adult
Format: trade paperback
Source: Berea branch  of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This is another collection of the comic strip series, and it is still an entertaining read. In this volume, his soccer team manages to lose to a school with a 60-games losing streak, and a classmate Nate has a crush on is moving away. So, what's our hero to do? He keeps his chin up, and he does have his friends to cheer him up. Overall, a nice and amusing book with humor for all ages.

4 out of 5 stars.

Booknote: Big Nate: Revenge of the Cream Puffs

Lincoln Peirce, Big Nate: Revenge of the Cream Puffs. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2016.  ISBN: 978-1-4494-6228-4.

Genre: comics and graphic novels
Subgenre: humor, children/YA
Format: paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This is a collection of Big Nate comics. The main storyline in the collection is about Nate and his baseball team, known by the embarrassing name of Cream Puffs. When the big game comes, they lose their star pitcher. Their hopes now lie in their most unlikely player. In addition, the book features other stories such as Nate and his friends attempting to write a romance novel, Nate doing Yo Mama jokes, and him trying to enjoy his summer away from school.

This is a light and entertaining collection with good humor and amusing moments. It is easy to read, and it will often make you smile. If you enjoy the comic from newspapers, you'll likely enjoy the book as well.

4 out of 5 stars.

Booknote: Clean Up on Aisle Stupid!

Darby Conley, Clean Up on Aisle Stupid! A Get Fuzzy Collection. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2015.  ISBN: 9781449462949.

Genre: comics and graphic novels
Subgenre: humor, pets
Format: paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

I do not often post negative reviews, but I am jotting this down to make sure I remember this. This book is a collection of Get Fuzzy comic strips, and I honestly do not see the appeal. I picked this up because I have seen  the strip in newspapers here or there. Rob is an ad executive who lives with Bucky Katt, a not so humble genius feline, and Satchel, a loyal but very clueless dog. It sounds like a good premise, but the humor is just not there. I have no idea if the comic was trying to be serious because it sure was not making an effort to be funny. If this collection exemplifies the author's work, I could not care less and recommend readers skip it.

1 out of 5 stars (barely).

Booknote: Zits: Sketchbook 1

Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, Zits: Sketchbook 1. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 1998. ISBN: 978-0-8362-6825-6.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: humor, family
Format: trade paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This was a nice find I borrowed from my local public library. According to the book's description, the comic debuted in 1997. This book was published in 1998, so we are looking at the early times of the comic.

The comic is fun, but some of the humor in this volume is getting dated fast. If you remember the early days when the Internet was new, and Netscape was the browser to use, you will appreciate some of the jokes. On the other hand, much more of Jeremy's travails as a teenager with caring but clueless parents make for pretty universal humor. Plenty of parents will likely relate, especially of they have a teen or two. Still, it is early in the comic. Having read later volumes, I feel the comic hits its stride later in time.

A detail I did not know is that Hector, Jeremy's best friend, is Latino. His parents are Mexican immigrants, and his grandparents live with  them. Apparently the author for some reason or another gradually dropped those details from later comics as there is no mention or reference in later books. I  had no idea Hector was Latino until I read this early volume. Part of me cannot help but wonder if that later omission was intentional or not. Seeing Hector's family now and then was a nice touch you do not get in  later volumes.

In the end, it was an entertaining read. I always find this comic to be amusing, and this volume certainly provided amusement. This particular book is a nice glimpse into the early days of the comic. Only real issue, as I mentioned, is that part of it are getting very dated. It is getting to 20 years now. Still, it makes a good read, and it may make you want to read more. I liked it.

3 out of 5 stars.

This book qualifies for the following 2017 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: Yuge! 30 Years of Doonesbury on Trump

G.B. Trudeau, Yuge! 30 Years of Doonesbury on Trump. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-4494-8133-9.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: humor, political humor
Format: paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County Public Library

Note: I read this shortly before the 2016 elections in the United States.

Doonesbury has been warning us about Donald Trump for a while now. This compilation is divided by decades: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, which brings us pretty close to today. The last comic in the collection is dated April 24, 2016.

What I really found amusing about this collection was not so much Trump himself, but how he touches the lives of the other characters in the comic. From Duke getting hired as captain of Trump's giant yacht to Boopsie working as hired eye candy, their misadventures and situations make the comic work as political commentary and humor. Very often Trump is in  the background, but his huge presence can be felt. As for Trump himself, he is larger than life in the book.

Unlike a lot of people in the United States, the author has been paying attention. The comic is actually a pretty good document of Trump's bad business deals, his womanizing, and  his other terrible traits. Trump did not just emerge out of the ether; he blustered and bullied his way to his presidential run (and as of this post, President-Elect of the United States). You may laugh at some of his antics, because some are ridiculous, but then you realize the guy was serious.

The volume makes for good timely reading in the election season. This is one public libraries, and some academic libraries, need to pick up for their collections.

4 out of 5 stars

This  book qualifies for the following 2016 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings

Sarah Cooper, 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings.  Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2016. ISBN: 9781449476052.

Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: humor, office politics, business
Format: e-book galley
Source: NetGalley

On the one hand the book can be amusing for some of its at times ridiculous suggestions. On the other hand, the book can be quite depressing when you notice it captures the reality of meetings pretty well. It is a case of "it's funny because it is true" though the book is not really funny. It is amusing at times, very accurate at other times, but it does not rise to funny. It's just enough to give you a smile here or there.

Like many of these light books, this one started out on the Internet as one of those listicles you see often. The book came from the author's listicle of "10 Tricks to Appear Smart at Meetings," which is supposedly a viral sensation with millions of views and shares, though apparently no one saw fit to share it with me before. I suppose I could goggle the list, but I already read the book. It's a book that I get the feeling draws from other listicles and humor out there as I get a it of deja vu reading it. I am not saying the author outright plagiarized, but she is likely drawing from a communal well at least For instance, I'd say Scott Adams' Dilbert has presented some of these "tricks" over the years. By the way, this book is in fact published by Dilbert's publisher.

The book is arranged in three parts. setting the stage, core conversation, and next steps. The tricks are then presented under each part. The book is illustrated to provide some visual elements.

In the end the book was OK; I did not think it was a big deal. As an academic librarian, a lot of my workdays are devoted to meetings that could have been e-mails. So there are some things in the book I could relate to now and then. I still would not go so far as calling it funny.

2 out of 5 stars. 

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Additional reading notes:

What you could get out of this book according to the author:

"By learning, internalizing, and actionizing all of the strategies here, you'll be on your way to becoming a major player at your company without ever knowing what that means" (vii). 

The thing is I have already seen some of those "major" players, including a few in my profession who are "major" players (or pretend to be "major" players), and it can be scary often due to their incompetence, stupidity, arrogance, or all of the above.

This next point is sad but oh so true:

"No one pays attention at meetings. So, to get ahead, you need to not pay attention better than everyone else. The fact is meetings are one of the few opportunities you have to show leadership potential, soft skills, and analytical creative thinking abilities" (viii, emphasis in the original). 

Trick #26 is "Take the call using some 'cutting-edge' technology." This trick is dedicated to all those bushy eyed technolust freaks who just feel a need to show off their Apple watch or whatever gizmo they overpaid for in a pathetic attempt to show status. You know the types, and yes, librarianship has its good share of those.  

Library directors are often particularly fond of regularly scheduled time suckers with various names.. If you are a librarian, you may recognize these, especially in academia:

"Whether it's called a stand-up, status meeting, or all-hands, these time suckers are those inescapable daily, biweekly, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly requirements that never, ever go away, long after everyone's started wondering why it's still on the calendars" (58). 

Trick #74 is "Don't wear your nametag." This applies to events; it's  usually some self-important dick who thinks his belief of people should just talk makes him a maverick. Actually, it just makes him a rude, obnoxious prick others ignore. Come on. Everyone by now knows you assess ranking, social standing, and pedigree by nametag.

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This book qualifies for these 2016 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: When Did Ignorance Become a Point of View?

Scott Adams, When Did Ignorance Become a Point of View? Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2001. ISBN: 0-7407-1839-8.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: humor, workplace
Format: Trade paperback
Source: I bought this one, on clearance, at my local Hastings. 


I do enjoy the Dilbert comic strip, but this volume was underwhelming, and I was not impressed. Many of the strips just felt flat. Allow me to post a bit from the book's description:

"In his eighteenth collection, Scott Adams still has the corporate world guffawing about the adventures of Dilbert. . . " .

Guffawing is way too much wishful thinking for this volume. Yes, the Dilbert comic strip can be funny and make you laugh at times. Heck, there have been strips I've related to and strips I've shared with coworkers to ease the pain of work a bit. Unfortunately, none of those strips were included in this volume. Even the strip that provides the title of the book was not funny. It was relevant, especially in today's social climate, but it felt a bit flat and depressing rather than amusing.

Overall, I've read better volumes of this series, and you should seek those instead, especially some of the earlier ones. This volume pretty much felt like Adams was just phoning in the work. The snappy humor and situations that you often shared with colleagues are just not there. It feels more like something the author put out just to grind something out (and probably make a few more bucks in the process).

At least I do not feel too bad having paid for it. It was on the clearance shelves at my local Hastings for a buck or so. Given the quality, I am starting to see why. If you must, just borrow it.

2 out of 5 stars, barely.

This book qualifies for the following 2016 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: ZIts Unzipped

Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, Zits Unzipped. Kansas City, MO: Andrew McMeel Publishers, 2002.  ISBN: 978-0-7407-2322-3.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: humor, teens, family life
Format: paperback
Source: The Berea branch of the Madison County Public Library

This is a comic strip that I often read in newspapers, so when I saw my local public library had some of the book, I checked them out. The strips are drawn in black and white, so in a way it feels like I am reading them in the newspaper.

Jeremy is a 15-year old boy in high school dealing with the travails of being a teenager: parents, friends, school, family life, etc. The strength of the comic strip is that it captures daily life so well. Very often the comic strip reminds me of something in my own family, and I am sure that is the case for many readers out there. The comic is very amusing overall, and I found myself laughing often as I read through it. This was a nice relaxing read that I really liked for its good humor.

4 out of 5 stars.

This book qualifies for the following 2016 Reading Challenges: