Form-3 Books

This book is too much fun! It was great to read aloud when the family was in town and my husband even liked it (he plays video games) If you have dogs you will love it too. It provides new insight to the world dogs let us live in.

Was searching for "dog stories, dog comedy", and this was one of the first to check out. The video ad for the book was so funny I made everybody at home watch it. What a letdown the book was vs. the video! Don't get me wrong, because I loved the book! I just didn't have to get off the couch and put Chapstick on my cheeks to combat the tears from laughing so hard!

Great gift for dog lovers. I'm waiting for them to write one on cats.

This book is absolutely hilarious, written from a dog's point of view and is so accurate. This is a must read for dog owners or anyone who loves dogs. I laughed and nodded my head in agreement throughout the entire book. A pure delight and very light-hearted read.

This book is an endless source of levity and promotes enough loud laughter to scare your dog out of the room! It's so great I've already gotten 3 other folks hooked on it.

My husband and I were reading one of these stories aloud the other day - the one about "How to Make Your Owner Look Like an Idiot" while Scottie slept at our feet. Or so we thought he was sleeping. The next day on his walk, Scottie executed the instructions from the book to a 'T', thus turning both of us into - well, startled and laughing - but idiots nonetheless! Read page 119 for the full story, but read it silently. They listen to this book and you might be the next victim!!!

Priceless. Don't think twice -- I recommend to buy it now!

When my children were elementary school age, I used this book to augment my teaching about virtuous living. I have not looked at it for a number of years, but remember it as being a wonderful resource. It is readable and not preachy. I am now buying it for my various grandchildren and young nieces and nephews.

These tales were collected from virtually every corner of the globe and some go far back into the reaches of antiquity. Bennett and his collaborators did a fine job of finding stories of universal, fairly non-controversial appeal that we can all cite without worrying about the inherent differences in religion or politics that might otherwise divide us. Segregated according to the principles being celebrated (Honesty, Courage, etc.) these fables and true life stories demonstrate virtues of conduct far too often left unstressed in our morally-undermined society.

I had this book when I was a little kid. I honestly think that by reading it, it changed how I viewed things as a child. Partially because of this book, when I was little I had strong feelings about responsiblity, kindness, courage, perserverance, and many of the other subjects illustrated in The Children's Book of Virtues. I loved reading it and the stories affected me greatly.

My children and I just adore this book. What a lovely collection of stories all heavily demonstrating solid virtues that are Biblically rooted, not worldly. My children, ages 5 and 4, request that several stories be read time and time again. This book will grow with us through the years; they are no where near growing out of it.

Bennett compiles the stories and poems in 4 categories: courage/perseverance, responsibility/work/self-discipline, compassion/faith, and honesty/loyalty/friendship. There is a nice selection in each category of 1 paged poems, to several paged stories. There is a solid virtue to be taken from every single work.

I recommend this book highly. Fill those little minds with things that are good, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable. Also recommended by the same author are The Children's Book of Faith and The Children's Book of Heroes. Both also have wonderful collections and wonderful illustrations.

I purchased this book and a few others in the series for my 4 ½ year old. My son is very intelligent for his age, yet some of the stories were a bit long and beyond his attention span and/or understanding. However, I am not disappointment as I am confident that in time, all the stories will be appropriate. I would recommend this book!

I bought this book for my daughter when she was 12 months. Incredibly enough, she memorized it before she was two. She is now five years old, and I now have another 1 year old daughter. She also loves the book and requests that I read it to her every night.

I don't believe this book was in any way meant to be a "good parenting guide." I believe it was simply a story of a little boy who got himself into trouble, was angry at his mother and with nothing else to do in his room, he lets his imagination roam. In the end he realized he could have the best adventures far away, but he still misses the one person who loves him more than anybody else, his mother. I think this is a really good message for kids to learn, especially those who get into trouble more than usual. :)

My son is 4 years old and afraid of the dark and monsters. He enjoys reading this book (me reading it to him) since he likes the character actually visiting the monsters and overcoming them. I think its a great book for kids his age.

This was one of my favorite books growing up. I'm glad I was able to get it for my daughter in Spanish. The translation is accurate and consistent with the story as it is in English. Truly a classic!

This is one of the best books my daughter has. The translation is perfect...my daughter loves it!!! The illustrations are excellent and she totally gets the point of the story which is not to be afraid of monsters because they are probably more afraid of her 8-)

I bought this online guided by the good reviews, but the book proved dissapointing. Though pictures are very good, the story of a boy that gets sent to bed for bad behavior and travels to an island where mosters live, and where he reigns as his king, has absolutely no soul nor magic. Story starts with the boy mother calling the boy "a monster". I know raising a boy is challenging, but I felt uneasy about that language from a mother to his son. In short, the very short story seems focused on the boy getting away with everything he does: no moral, no tenderness, no warmth. AND my kids found the pictures alluring but the book boring. I bought three books, read all of them to the kids and asked them to choose their favourites to keep, and this one was last.

I bought this book at a dollar store and it was worth every penny. Oh well, now that you've suffered through my lame attempt at humor move on to Bob Smith's genuinely funny and frequently moving collection of memories of childhood and busted romances. I usually avoid humor books of this sort (the authors usually concoct nothing out of nothing) but Smith has a engaging style of writing and vivid insights that can really take you back to your childhood, especially if you are in the same age range as him. The funniest are his memories of his fourth grade teacher, Mr. McGaffin. "I quickly realized one of the benefits of having a male teacher was that I could look at Mr. McGaffin as much I wanted while he taught...I studied Mr. McGaffin as if I was going to be tested on the geography of his face." Later that year, Smith discovers his semi-conscious crush has a "friend" Jeffrey and is curious about their relationship but too shy to pry, fortunately for him he is around when "Debbie Gruber...a loudmouthed girl and every thought that came into her head fell from her mouth like a letter through a mail slot" bluntly asked "Mr. McGuffin, do you live with Jeffrey?" Later, Smith learns the men live nearby his home and rides by their own their bike and spots Mr. McGuffin mowing the lawn. "I regretted I hadn't asked the inquisitive Debbie Gruber to tag along. She would have demanded, 'Can we see the inside of your house?'"

This book is so funny I might save up a dollar and buy his other one.

I had high hopes for this book. It started off really well. The stories of Bob's break-up from Tom was actually interesting to read, and was a story I could follow and invest in. I was hoping for a happy ending at the end--perhaps taking this sad event and finding the humor and of course life lessons in it.

Halfway through the book, Bob resorts to childhood memories. It almost seemed as though he was writing two different books, one of memories and the other of his current life. I felt somewhat lost at times. The stories were entertaining, but didn't seem to make sense being plopped down in the middle of the rest of the current day situations. He ends the chapter with "Mom, I have a date." What a great line! It allows the reader to find out with who?? Is he moving on? Is he the man of his dreams? We never get to find out.

Instead, he moves quickly into his childhood, relating stories that are amusing in their own right but highly out of place. It almost makes me wish that the author would take a chance and finish that third book, finish the second book, and rerelease them.

He then skips back to current day with his misadventures of dates...which sort of leaves me wondering what was going on with the childhood chapters in the middle of the story. They didn't seem to go with the rest of the text.

It was enjoyable...but it left me wanting more.

I picked this book up at a booksale and really enjoyed it. Bob Smith is a very funny guy that talks about his failed relationship of 10 yrs, his relationship with his family and how he's beginning to date again and getting on with his life. I think his feelings on a relationship ending, on his mother, etc, are very universal and not limited to gay people. I think gay and straight alike can enjoy this very funny book. Find a copy and try not to crack a smile!

What makes a good author, in my opinion, is his or her ability to capture the human condition in such a way that it comes across as real.

What makes a good comedian, again in my opinion, is to take slices of ordinary life and see the humor in them. Mr. Smith is clearly capable in both areas. While he's not the only person (let alone gay one) to see a relationship end, his ability to harness all of the involved elements (the concerned family, division of the utensils, joint custody of mutual friends and the eventual return to the single's scene) and make them both funny and touching.

It may not be as funny if you can't "relate" .. but for anyone who has ever addressed and gotten through a painful situation through humor, this book is a treat.

I love this book. Actually, I love all three of his books. This book is a must read for anyone who has recently broken up with a boyfriend and needs a chuckle and a little hope. I love everything Bob writes. I subscribe to 'Out' magazine just to see what he writes next. I'm ready for the next book. Keep 'em coming, Bob.

All this book is, is a collection of the daily comic from the last book with very little new material. I don't think they've created any new material for this strip sense Liz and John ended up together.

This is a great book. I hope Jim Davis makes a 50th.

Other than now being in full color instead of black and white, Garfield hasn't changed much over the years. He still picks on Jon and Odie, sleeps all the time, loves food, and can't help being nasty, incorrigible, and hopelessly loveable. This book is a thick, beautiful, and easily readable tome to everybody's favorite cat.

Highly recommended.

I have been reading Garfield books for a long time now, and I have wathched him evolve in his animation and personality. He is truly still just as funny as he was when he first started. He has made us laugh through all these years, and is still making books. The book was truly classic Garfield. I hope Jim Davis makes a 50th.

Okay, there's not many days left until Xmas but let me assure you that this Garfield book makes an excellent last-minute gift. Everyone I know loves Garfield and would be thrilled at getting a book like this.

It's rather thick and taller than usual. Plus it's in full color. As long as I can remember I've loved reading Garfield, even when I was a little kid reading the black and white pocket books. So kids will appreciate this too. Trust me.

It opens with 'Garfield's code of Nevers', such as 'Never Eat the Mystery Meat. And ends with 'Garfield's Top Ten Suggestions for New Athletic Events, such as 'The Fridge Lift' and 'Eat till you Explode'. Crammed inbetween are hundreds of hilarious comic strips. Plus there is information on the last page on how to join the Garfield fan club. And why not?

This book was great on wit but,left me hanging on length could have gone a few more directions on character expansion but,good overall.

This is a compilation, like the previous works by Mr. Magruder, but it retains its vitality and insight. Although his work continues to show a liberal bias, he doesn't hesitate to point out the fallacies and misrepresentations of all sides in the political and social arenas. Worth buying, reading, and keeping.

This is the final installment of McGruder's Boondocks comic strip. It's a bit weaker than the other two large volumes, but still very strong. There were some strips from the first collections scattered throughout, and not necessarily in order. That threw me off here and there. There's a large section of articles and interviews which are quite interesting. And finally there is an anticlimatic "controversy" section. We've seen these before and McGruder adds nothing new. Still, even though this is a weaker collection than we've seen before, it's still worth reading.

All The Rage covers the different formats that Aaron McGruder's comic has undergone as it transitioned from a newpaper strip to animation. In this reviewer's humble opinion, some of his very best strips are included in this volume. I own all of the Boondocks books and this is by far my favorite.

I love the strip and I'm sad that it's over.
That being said, this pieces all the "best of" non-comic moments together. I read that it was 200+ pages, and thought, "Wow! That's a lot of comics!"
Well, the current comics comprise about 1/2 of the book, 1/4 goes to interviews, and 1/4 are "controversial" strips. Ooh, controversy!
These are great. If you have seen the first or second season of the shows, you will recognize some story arcs a little too well, even down to the line. Awesome.

Fresh off a heated election season, I find myself more interested than usual in historical figures, but also a little tired of the heavy-handed nature of the Obama-McCain contest. This book adds just the right kind of levity and humor into the mix in a way that reminds me of Neal Pollack's "Never Mind the Pollacks" in which Pollack travels the world and hangs out with the reality-based characters like Iggy Pop, David Bowie, and Kurt Cobain. Stusser has a real knack for being witty and informative without the implied smugness I find in most good humorists. The Dead Guy Interviews brings a thoroughly enjoyable blend of humor and education, which makes for one great read. Highly recommended as a stocking stuffer.

This little book is laugh-out-loud entertaining. If you don't already "know" the persons in the pseudo-interviews, you'll want to Google them to get the humor. Very clever!

I'd been following Michael Stusser's column in Mental Floss Magazine for some time when I heard that the book was being released, so naturally I was one of the first in line to pick up a copy. I haven't been disappointed. Stusser's book delivers on all of the important levels.

For the history buff, "Interviews" packs the punch of obscure anecdotal insight into our favorite dead celebs.

For the casually knowledge hungry, the book keeps the reader laughing while it teaches (something our school systems might learn from).

All in all: an fun read and a Jeopardy field guide packed into one paperback with a clever cover.

I have read all of the Mental Floss books, and this may be the best yet. The "Dead Guy Interviews" are short (2-6 page) conversations between author Michael Stusser and famous figures from history. His imagination is so colorful and the statements from the "interviewees" so realistic that I had to keep reminding myself that these were not real interviews.

Stusser really brings these characters to life. He captures their mannerisms, speech patterns, and idiosyncracies. And his humor is wonderful. Some of the funniest moments are when he tells J. Edgar Hoover that his bra strap is showing and asks artist Frida Kahlo if she ever considered getting her mustache waxed. I was left entertained and wanting to know more about some of these famous characters.

For anyone who thinks history is boring, if they read this book, they're sure to change their mind.

The Dead Guy Interviews is based on the intriguing premise that forty-five of history's greatest, and most interesting, people can be summoned back to life long enough to sit for an interview with the author. The theory goes that Michael Stusser will ask the hard questions, questions that would have in some cases probably gotten him killed if he had dared to ask them during the actual lifetimes of his subjects. Stusser will combine insightful questions and humor in his interviews in a way that will provide the reader with forty-five painless little history lessons. So much for the theory, because in reality, this hit-and-miss book is more miss than hit.

Stusser interviews Beethoven, Napoleon, Churchill, Einstein, Darwin, Freud, Hoover, Poe, Mae West, Wilde, Crazy Horse, Washington, Lincoln, Julius Caesar, Buddha and thirty others. Each interview runs five or six pages and is introduced by a one-page biography of the person being interviewed. The interviews seldom fail to offer at least one or two lesser known, but intriguing, historical facts about their subjects but so many of the questions are phrased in such a sophomoric style of humor that the facts are soon overwhelmed by the silliness. And because Stusser sometimes has his historical figures respond in the same tone in which the questions are asked, many of them seem to have the same personality regardless of what they accomplished in life or in what era they lived. After a while it starts to seem that everyone who comes back to life does so with the personality of Don Rickles.

Although many, if not most, of the interviews stress the sex lives of those answering the questions, with Stusser seeming to take particular delight in pointing out how many great figures of history were either homosexual or bisexual, some of the conversations do serve as good capsule histories. Unfortunately, because of the numerous sex jokes and the constant trading of insults between interviewer and interviewee, those conversations do not happen as often as they could have.

More typical is the way that the interviewer begins his session with Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

Michael Stusser: Gotta ask about the facial hair. Why not trim up the old mono-brow and wax the `stache, you know?

Frida Kahlo: Yes, I now see this is going to be like sitting with a pig for an hour. Why don't you shave your back?

But along the way we are reminded of Beethoven's deafness, that Mozart may have suffered from Tourette's syndrome, that only seven of Emily Dickinson's poems were published in her lifetime, and we learn how Harry Houdini (and Siegfried and Roy) made an elephant disappear on stage. Stusser provides the kind of historical trivia that puts a human face on history's legends but the book is ultimately less a history lesson than it is a book filled with jokes written at the expense of those legends.

[...]

All this book is, is a collection of the daily comic from the last book with very little new material. I don't think they've created any new material for this strip sense Liz and John ended up together.

I got this book in a 3-pack and could hardly stop laughing. Jim Davis has really reached his pinnacle of humor! Buy the book!

Garfield is funny when kicking odie off the table,playing with mice,being lazy,and hating mondays all in in this book...... Garfield feeds the kitty

No matter what kind of a mood I'm in, I'm always entertained by reading Garfield comic strips. I have no problem admitting that, even though I'm in my early twenties. I think it's a very hilarious strip and it gets better with every year. "Garfield: Feeds the Kitty" is yet another very amusing collection of funny Garfield strips.

Laugh along as Garfield takes on dieting, Mondays, his owner Jon, the very not-so-bright Odie, smart-aleck mice who always get the last laugh, and much more. With Garfield, you know it's never a dull day (even if HE finds it dull).

Again, Jim Davis never misses a beat with making Garfield funny and entertaining. While some strips are funnier than others, the overall product is very satisfying. You'll want to re-read the book over and over again. It's a great read, especially when you need some cheering up.

The 35th book in the Garfield series, "Garfield: Feeds the Kitty" is a very hilarious collection of Garfield hijinx that you won't want to miss out on. If you're a Garfield fan, I highly recommend you checking it out. Always nice to have something that is bound to get a laugh or two from you.

I have two cats. They are both fat and lazy. I think the only difference between my cats and Garfield is they these do not particpate in the weddings of the mice. This is book is funny. Buy it! Read it! Enjoy it! and don't forget to LAUGH!

This isn't Larson's best book but being his last Farside cartoon collection before retirement is a collectors piece. The 140 cartoons in the bulk part of the book contain some classics such as the Inferiority Complex Sufferers cartoon and the ACME Wingbaby cartoon. The majority are good but there are some that you can tell were being left out of earlier books due to their standard. I love the two cartoons on page 80 (the end of the general cartoon section) that tell us The Far Side cartoons were all a dream of a man and the cavemen, cows, nerdy kids all looked like members of his family. The 13 full page cartoons at the back of the book are drawn after retirement and in most cases I would say aren't up to Larson's usual brilliant standard.

There is also an Afterword by Gary Larson that tells a tale his father drew on his kitchen table about a kid in school, drawing a box that becomes a lightbulb then becomes his mum bending over. Interesting story but I would have preferred a few more cartoons.

There are better Far Side collections than this one but if you own the rest you need this to complete your collection. There are plenty of good cartoons here.

Gary Larson has a macabre and twisted sense of humor and I commend him for it. His "The Far Side" comic strip was one of my favorites from the first time I read it until he retired the strip. This book contains the cartoons of the last six months of the strip as well as 13 additional cartoons drawn by Larson after he retired. They all have the twisted look at life that was Larson's trademark. If your funnybone is twisted into a similar contortion, then this is a book that you must read.

its like a drug. once you read 1 you cant stop. you got to read more and more AND MORE. till you read them all,then it starts slowly you feel unforfilled then you go in to denile"thair has to be more!!!!!!!!!!!" then anger"i need a (...) FAR SIDE BOOK!!!. then you find more and joy is restored. i just finished Winer Dog Art. now,i am in a state of peril. I NEED A (...)Far Side book. Larson RUN FOR PRESIDENT,you my not no this but you thousands of bystanderdeds who are willing to rise up and carry you to power.i know i would

This book is the last six months of Far Side cartoons. Plus 13 new cartoons. They are phenomenal. And now, a moment of silence for The Far Side...

For those of you Larson~FarSiders like me, this is a must have. You need to love and see FarSide on your daily life to understand and enjoy Larson's humor. This last book has more of what we all wished he could and would continue giving us. On a scale of one to ten farsides, and compared to previous FarSide books, this one is an "8". Buy it!

More of Patrick McDonnell's gentle humor. The artwork is subtle and the strip, while making insightful comments about animals and the range of care and commitment they receive, is never preachy.
If you love animals, you'll love Mutts.

I LOVE Patrick McDonnell! Without arrogance, profanity, or the modern deluge of grotesque vernacular, he took two wonderful characters (Mooch and Earl), their "families" (em, packs) and made them timeless.

Having 6 cats, two dogs, four ferrets, a half-dozen rabbits, and a few fish, I see Mooch, Earl Stinky Puddin', Woofie, Doozy, Millie, and all the other wonderful beings in McDonnell's books as a reflection of REAL people. Not fashion models, rock stars, and other modern pop icons...real people who really love their pets...friends.

I also like McDonnell's subtle and thoughtful animal issue strips: One can be political without being in-your-face. Overpopulation, how mankind has affected THEIR world, man's inability to care for our sentient frinds...

I certainly hope he never retires: Every morning I take one of my dogs, Google, down to the paperbox to get the daily paper, and our daily dose of MUTTS.

You will LOVE this book. The strips on pages 8 &9 will make you think. Page 15 is how EVERYONE should feel! Page 76 is farm-time funny. Pages 104 & 105 are timeless and funny. But the center strip on page 119...All I can say is YESH!!!!

Patrick McDonnell's "Mutts" is one of the best comics in the papers. Nothing could be finer then, than to have a book (or several) of the collected strips to peruse at one's leisure. "Mutts" is funny, warm, clever, honest, and this collection has been nicely printed. I was especially amused by the Sunday strips' clever references to comics of days gone by. I hope that in the future, colored collections will be available.

... that I can't rate this higher than five stars!

This is the sweetest comic strip ever. Its innocent characters, pet antics, and angstless plotlines make me feel that the world is a beautiful place. Amidst a thousand cynical strips, this one matches "Peanuts" for charm.

All five publications by Patrick McDonnell are a joy to own, read and re-read! With the premature departure of Bill Watterson, Gary Larson and the retirement of the beloved Charles Schulz, Patrick McDonnell has filled the void with his wonderfully witty and wise panels both hilariously funny and yet reminding us of our responsiblity to those who cannot speak for themselves. His work is both satisfyingly current and yet contains the best essence of the earliest cartoons (Krazy Kat, etc.) I await the next compilation! Cheers, Patrick!