Prehistory of the Far Side

Book Description

The Far Side® and the Larson® signature are registered trademarks of FarWorks, Inc.

Customer Reviews:

Essential book for "Far Side" fans.......2007-01-01

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 Larson also shares some UNpublished panels, some of which are hilarious.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.

Hysterical look into a fabricated and all-to-real history of one of the most popular comics of all time........2006-03-03

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!

Essential.......2005-10-29

This book is fantastic. I've had it for years and just re-discovered it. It's essential for any far side fan because it's more than just a compilation. I think it may even be a good introduction if you're just learning about the far side from the calendar (since the panel strip isn't in circulation anymore). If you'd like to own one book but aren't sure which to buy or where to start, start with this.

Interesting..........2005-10-24

This book goes through the interesting history of Gary Larson and his Far Side books. Great book to read.

A Peek Inside Genius.......2005-09-15

When I first saw "The Far Side", my brain ceased firing, and went into mental collapse. When sufficient cells started functioning to generate thought, it was "What the ****?" I believe I had run into the "Cow Tools" cartoon, so that might have had something to do with it.

Over the years, I have grown to love Gary Larson's humour and sometimes warped way of seeing the world around him. Larson is one of the undoubted greats in humour and it was a sad day when all the bugs, cows, fat kids and dogs went their own ways.

For anyone who has similar nostalgic feelings and longings for "The Far Side", "THe Prehistory of the Far Side" is an essential addition to the collection. The book covers pretty much everything, and includes a lot of cartoons in their original forms before the editors backed off publishing them in fear of the public outrage.

The book oozes Larson's humour and wit, and not only informs, but it is a good laugh as well. Larson is not only a good cartoonist, but he is also good and writing something a little more narative and informative.

"The Prehistory of the Far Side" is a must for any fan.

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Prehistory of the Far Side

Manufacturer: Macdonald & Co (Publishers) Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

The Prehistory Of The Far Side - A 10th Anniversary Exhibit

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The Prehistory Of The Far Side - A 10th Anniversary Exhibit
Gary Larson
Manufacturer: Andrews and Mcmeel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Far Side | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000TDKXIC

The Prehistory of the Far Side : A Tenth Anniversary Exhibit

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The Prehistory of the Far Side : A Tenth Anniversary Exhibit
Gary Larson
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Far Side | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000NXSLZ0

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THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE A 10TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBIT
Gary Larson
Manufacturer: Andrews and Mcmeel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Far Side | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000IOH65A

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THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE: A 10TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBIT
GARY LARSON
Manufacturer: WARNER BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Far Side | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000S5WFUA

Average customer rating:

how do I love Gary Larson? Let me count the ways......
A 10th Anniversary Retrospective

The PreHistory of the Far Side: A 10th Anniversary Exhibit
Gary Larson
Manufacturer: Andrews and McMeel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Far Side | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000HTBBYS

Customer Reviews:

how do I love Gary Larson? Let me count the ways.............2007-05-04

Well, actually, there are FIVE ways to tally up the ways I love this great cartoonist and satirical humorist, and they are broken up into five concise and compelling sections in THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE: A 10TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBIT, a retrospective look at Larson's humble background, as a kid who endured a great deal of teasing and childhood torment, and went on to channel his wit and wry look at the world into the cartoons of his beloved FAR SIDE comic strip series. One question that still lingers in my mind is "What does Gary Larson REALLY look like?" Whenever we see him in this book, he is depicted as a cartoonish fat boy with an unflattering crewcut and goggle-like glasses. Just something to ponder.........

A 10th Anniversary Retrospective.......2006-09-26

If you have ever wondered how Gary Larson started coming up with ideas for "The Far Side," this book offers a retrospective back to Gary's childhood days. This book is divided into five portions. The first portion takes Gary's past from his first drawings to syndication of "The Far Side." Along the path was a pre-Far Side comic called "Nature's Way."

In the second part of the book Gary offers his original sketches and captions in comparison to how the comics actually came out. In most cases the final version was better, but not always. At the end of this portion of the book is a short section titled "stories" that is what it says, comics with a lengthy caption that is at the very least a short story. In some cases the caption could be a novel, if you think about the concept for very long, which I do not recommend. You might suffer further brain damage.

The third part is really interesting. It shows how Gary or newspapers made mistakes. The mistakes were often subtle, sometimes blatant. Some of the more interesting mistakes happened when the caption of adjacent comic was switched with that of "The Far Side."

The fourth portion of the book is humorous independent of the comics. Gary offers comments from various people offended by his art. Considering the art and the comments offered, I suggest that in many cases people saw something that was not there, which makes me wonder where THEIR mind was at. In other cases, people need to remember that Gary is offering a perspective on the world, in comparison to how people see things. It does not mean that Gary is interested in actually seeing the things in his comics happening; usually.

The fifth and last portion of the book offers Gary's favorites. I concur that most of them brought a smile to my face, and in a few cases an out right laugh.

Gary Larson succeeds in thinking outside the box, something that he does with great regularity. I suspect that he would be great at inventing. Of course, he is a self-described nerd, and I believe it. He also seems quite pleased that his comics find substantial popularity amongst scientists. Probably engineers too. If you think "The Far Side" is one of the greatest comics ever created, you will love this collection for its explanations. I recommend this collection highly for Far Side fans.

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A 10th Anniversary Retrospective

The PreHistory of the Far Side: A 10th Anniversary Exhibit.
Gary Larson
Manufacturer: Futura 1991.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Far Side | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000L62W40

Customer Reviews:

A 10th Anniversary Retrospective.......2006-12-31

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THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE
GARY LARSON
Manufacturer: WARNER BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Far Side | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000S3T22G

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THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE
Gary Larson
Manufacturer: Andrews and Mcmeel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Far Side | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000INOVNQ

Book Description

Havana casts its spell on all who visit. These 150 evocative black and white photographs, both recent and vintage, have been brought together to tell the story of this extraordinary city. They capture not just the stunning architecture but also the people, the music, the ageless traditions, and the turbulence and tenderness that is the real Havana. These never-before-published photographs come from an array of Cuban photographers including Osvaldo Salas, Alberto Figueroa, and Alberto Korda, among many others. Illuminating the soulful images are texts chosen from a wide variety of authors and observers, both Cuban and foreign, including Ernest Hemingway, Graham Greene, and Federico Garcia Lorca.

La Habana mesmeriza a todos que la visite. Estas 150 fotografías blancos y negros evocativas han sido compiladas para relatar el cuento de esta ciudad extraordinaria. Ellas capturan no solamente la arquitectura pero también la gente, la música, las tradiciones sin época, la turbulencia y la ternura que es la Habana real. Estas fotografías nunca impreso antes vienen de unos fotógrafos cubanos incluyendo Osvaldo Salas, Alberto Figueroa, y Alberto Korda. El texto viene de una gran variedad de autores y observadores extranjeros y cubanos como Ernest Hemingway, Graham Greene, y Federico García Lorca.

Customer Reviews:

I never really liked that cat.......2005-04-04

Heathcliff was America's favorite cat until Garfield came along, but personally, I just don't see the appeal. Heathcliff has some style and pizzazz, but the fact that he never speaks really limits his character, and there aren't enough strong supporting roles to pick up the slack (ala Snoopy in Charlie Brown).

I suppose if you're considering buying this, you're probably familiar with the comic strip, and all you need to know is that this is a small paperback which contains a collection of a bunch of his strips. Unlike many compilations, which fit one strip to a page, this has largish panels and spreads each little story out over a few pages. For example, on one page we see Heathcliff and an opossum meet and glower at each other. On the next page, Heathcliff is playing basketball with the possum, ending by throwing the curled up possum through the hoop. On the third page, a group of kids wonders aloud how a possum got caught up in their net.

Is that funny? You be the judge.

Average customer rating:

Heathcliff at Home
Geo Gately
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8E4IM

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Heathcliff at Home
Geo Gately
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associate Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RVYPHG

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Heathcliff at Home

Manufacturer: Windmill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000H6W8M0

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Heathcliff Home-Can: Out on Limb-Cn
Iain Gately
Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0812568036

Book Description

Now here's a golf book with lots of muscle. This small, tongue-in-cheek volume takes the "new golf" popularity represented by Tiger Woods and John Daly and shoots it way over the top. Sure to be a hit with guys who play the game for fun, Manly Golf will also give them plenty of ideas to keep them one-upping their regular foursome. For example, Tip #1 suggests golfers get plenty of manly tattoos. This will add four strokes to each distracted opponent's score because they will be busy reading your painted body instead of the green. Other ideas? Demonstrate golfing manliness by wearing the Austin Powers - approved "chest rug." Install a gun rack in your cart to cradle your driver. A sequel to Golf Dirty Tricks, Manly Golf gives golfers lots of ways to shock, impress, and beat opponents. The book comes with manly tattoos (temporary), just to get them started.

Book Description

Offers no-nonsense, authoritative instructions for packaging and pitching songs and music. Includes dozens of sample letters that will help songwriters and musicians get a foot in the seemingly impossible-to-open door.

Customer Reviews:

Good Old Book.......2002-03-27

Excellent book except it is out of date...I was also surprised at the 1994 date and the detailed discussion of cassette tapes and other things. The book is straightforward and has a lot of inside information that will keep beginners from wasting time and making the wrong first impressions. It's just hard to tell what is out of date and what's not. You get the "inside scoop" that the registration fee for a copyright is scheduled for an increase in 1995! So it does make you feel kinda stupid that you bought this as a "new" book.........

How about a revised edition, please!.......2001-02-17

I was so excited to have a chance to finally learn how to put together a demo package to send to publishers, producers, etc. When I received my book, I was disappointed to find that it was published in 1994, so I hardly think the information is up to date. The author begins by informing the reader that the industry standard of submission is a demo cassette tape. Yeah, right! Even if that were true, how on earth could that information be trusted seven years later. Some of the information is helpful, like putting together a promotional package or contacting A&R people and such. Mostly, however, I feel rooked because I bought something that is completely outdated. My advise to the consumer--wait for the updated version.

very informative for people just breaking into the business.......1999-06-02

This book is very informative. It tells you basically how to put together your demo package when your submitting your material to record labels, producers and etc. Its a great book for people that just may be starting to try to get themselves out there and don't know industry standards. I recommed this book for those individuals.

Book Description

Framed Visions analyzes the pivotal role American mass media and popular culture have played in shaping the political, social, and psychological identity of postwar Germans and Austrians. Through detailed readings of films, novels, plays, and poems of a variety of contemporary artists--including Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Wim Wenders, Elfriede Jelinek, Herbert Achternbusch, Monika Treut, Peter Handke, and Rolf Dieter Brinkmann--Gerd Gemünden reveals the paradoxical stance of this generation toward American politics and Hollywood aesthetics. On the one hand, they are pulled toward a culture that has shaped childhood images, tastes and desires; on the other, they reject American politics and the colonizing effect of its mass culture.

In contrast to most scholarship about the reception of U.S. culture abroad, this study underscores the imaginary relation of contemporary German and Austrian artists to America. Topics such as "Americanization" and "cultural imperialism" are therefore treated not as a foreign principle imposed from the outside but as ways that German and Austrian artists have tried to come to terms with their own problematic culture and history. Gemünden's study elucidates how the culture of the United States has been mapped in contradictory ways onto questions of national and cultural identity in Germany and Austria over the last thirty years.

Gerd Gemünden is Assistant Professor of German and Comparative Literature, Dartmouth College.

Customer Reviews:

As boring a text book as you'll ever find.......2002-02-02

Reader be warned - this is a text book that examines a very narrow topic and for 99 out of 100 readers, will be incredibly boring.
At first, I thought the topic of examining American influence on the modern and post-modern German arts and social culture may be interesting but Gemunden's drab writing quickly ended any notions of that.
Gemunden breaks the book down into three major sections:
-" Between Avant-Garde and Popular Culture" which delves into the influence of Andy Warhol's work among a number of German artists.
- "Hollywood Made in Bavaria" which examines influences on Rainer Werner Fassbinder's and Herbert Achternbusch's projects.
- "Subjectivities in Motion" which looks into the films of Peter Handke, Wim Wenders and Monika Treut.
Although these subjects may seem intriguing, Gemunden's aimless wandering writing style will quickly turn the reader off.
I can only recommend this book to one kind of reader - a college student who is writing a paper on this very subject. Although it's as tough a text book to get through as I've ever read, there would be pertinent information for a researcher who is tackling the task of comparing the Cold War American Pop Culture influence on prominent German film makers. And for any student assigned this as a text book, I feel sorry for you. This will definitely be one you will sell back.

Framed Visions: Popular Culture, Americanization, and the Contemporary German and Austrian Imagination

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Framed Visions: Popular Culture, Americanization, and the Contemporary German and Austrian Imagination
Gerd Gemunden
Manufacturer: University of Michigan Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PS5UP2

Book Description

Offering fresh insights into the history of labor policy, the New Deal, feminism, and southern politics, Landon Storrs examines the New Deal era of the National Consumers' League, one of the most influential reform organizations of the early twentieth century.

Founded in 1899 by affluent women concerned about the exploitation of women wage earners, the National Consumers' League used a strategy of "ethical consumption" to spark a successful movement for state laws to reduce hours and establish minimum wages for women. During the Great Depression, it campaigned to raise labor standards in the unregulated, non-union South, hoping to discourage the relocation of manufacturers to the region because of cheaper labor and to break the downward spiral of labor standards nationwide. Promoting regulation of men's labor as well as women's, the league shaped the National Recovery Administration codes and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 but still battled the National Woman's Party, whose proposed equal rights amendment threatened sex-based labor laws.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Southern Historical Association on May 1, 2002. The length of the article is 589 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Civilizing Capitalism: the National Consumers' League, Women's Activism, and Labor Standards in the New Deal Era.
Author: Maureen A. Flanagan
Publication: Journal of Southern History (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 2002
Publisher: Southern Historical Association
Volume: 68 Issue: 2 Page: 492(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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