OSMITH*at*cex.co.uk from London , June 16, 1998

A classic of modern cartooning Burt Kliban is one of the unsung heroes of modern cartooning. 'The Far Side' and dozens of similar strips are pale imitations of this. A great sense of line and shade, wicked humour and wonderful strangeness make this unmissable. Buy it NOW!

Keith Perkins (keith000*at*hotmail.com) from Texas , February 23, 1999

I grew up laughing at Kliban books in the bookstore. When I was young, I used to pick up the Kliban books at the bookstore and laugh myself silly. Among my friends we often referred to the humor in his books when we were clowning around. It was on par with Monty Python to us. Kliban was an astute and very sublime artist who was as fond of cats as I am. >^..^<

A reader from seattle, wa , January 21, 1999

Great! it is the funniest book I've ever read! I have never been more happy with a book of "whack your porkupine's" type. By far the funniest book I've ever read!

webmaster*at*elevenland.com from Boston, Massachusetts , January 8, 1999

Intelligent, absurd, and subtilely twisted Kliban's cartoon style is a predecessor of Gary Larsen's. However, what Larsen's work doesn't contain is the underground-type of absurdity that Kliban's work does. Some of the cartoons are hilarious, some show his eye for the art of cartooning (i.e. exaggeration of certain key traits), and some make fun of cartoonists or humor in general (you look at them and say, "wait a second, that wasn't funny" - which is exactly why it IS funny — because it's very aware of the way humor works in our society and is exaggerating that in a funny way). The reasons that it is good are exactly those that you can't express through words, because a lot of the cartoons don't have "punchlines"; they're just funny because you imagine him drawing the pictures and because you find yourself laughing without knowing exactly why. Of course, it's not for everybody. One good example of his comic-style is called "Debutants and Centipedes". It shows 6 frames, some of them containing snotty-looking people, and some of them containing centipedes.

A reader from London, England. , September 7, 1998

Boffo Belly Laughs! The funniest cartoonist ever. Fact. Having said that, you might be one of those people that flick through the book bewildered thinking, "...I don't get it!?!" If you do - unlucky!

A reader from United States, East Coast. , August 23, 1998

Uniquely demented satire that goes beyond the norm There are many styles and many approaches to the tickling of the funnybone. But never in my relenless quest to laugh have I come across a cartoonist as unique and pleasantly surreal as the works of B Kliban. His usual one frame cartoons, in my opinion, set the pace for many other forms of satire and is at the top of the list as far as a picture is worth a thousand words. The man has an uncanny ability to leave the "reader" laughing even if he/she does not know quite what he she is laughing at. You can take his works in two ways. One, try to find some meaning in his art I.E satirical value or implications. Or you might simply laugh at the visualizations he portrays. Either way its easy to laugh at a man who so essentially captures the nature of mans most beloved domesticated creature, the cat. Some recommended works that are my favorites include "Cat", "Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head", and my favorite "Whack Your Porcupine". For a taste of something that goes beyond the innocence of Larson yet equals him in Originality, check out Kliban's work. You will be pleasantly surprised.

StephenCharles*at*Prodigy.net from Atlanta Ga , June 26, 1998

Seminal work this area of humor If your were a college student of the 70's this work will hit the spot. I know what I was doing when reading it - you find your own 'mood maker'. This, along with Kilban's Whack Your Porcupine, is the most hilarious cartoon book I have ever seen. Larson et.al. should thank the publishers of Kilban for not promoting this true genius half well enough. If you didn't laugh when the coconut clappers came over the hill in Monty Python's "Holy Grail' perhaps you should find another read!

askedtoberemoved*at*bellatlantic.net from London , April 27, 1998

You either get it or you don't The first time you look at a book of Kliban drawings, you will spend ten minutes bemusedly turning pages. After that first ten minutes you'll either put the book down and never touch Kilban again or else you'll be hooked for life on the world's most surprising, delightful, profane, ailurophilic, and rewarding cartoonist. Fans of "B.C." and "Family Circus" need not apply.

toby_barlow*at*tbwachiat.com from Brooklyn, New York , April 22, 1998

I love this book!!! fantastic! This is where it all began! Gary Larson owes a ton to Kliban (I'm sure he'd be man enough to admit it too). This is orginal truly whacked out hilarious fall out of your chair great stuff. In my opinion, the Cat work he did wasn't even close to being as original and inspired as this!

OSMITH*at*cex.co.uk from London , June 16, 1998

A classic of modern cartooning Burt Kliban is one of the unsung heroes of modern cartooning. 'The Far Side' and dozens of similar strips are pale imitations of this. A great sense of line and shade, wicked humour and wonderful strangeness make this unmissable. Buy it NOW!

reader from London , September 7, 1998

Kayaks or Tortillas or what? Laugh out loud and know not why with the undisputed King of Cartoon Comedy. If you like Larson then that's no guarantee you'll like Kliban. However, if you take the time to investigate, you will enter a strange and enchanting new world. If you are lucky, you might meet 'Roger Wilco', or learn how to identify classic 'Fool Traits'. You may even be let in on the secret behind the 'Old Rabbit Hoax'. Buy all of his books now.

melanie_harrison*at*juno.com from Berkeley, CA , September 1, 1998

B.Kliban rules!!! I've been a huge fan of this cartonist since 1981, when I first acquired some of his books. He is absolutely hilarious - spot on in his social critique, and outrageously funny in his more fantastic pieces. I heartily recommend any of his books.

You've Got To See This Review

askedtoberemoved@webtv.net from Allentown, PA USA , April 12, 1998

Great book for people with a demented sort of humor.. Well, actually not that great. Go with The Far Side or Calvin & Hobbes or Anything Else before you go with this book. The titlees are hard to read, the art is OK to say the most, and the humor is horrible... Don't waste your money..

Titlees? Hell, why not? Titlees!

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