From start to finish all laughs. Which is good, because that is the point of this 'book' right? The odds are good you'll find a good chuckle on every page, seeing as there are on average 4 comics per page. What I found interesting was over the hundereds of 'funnies' in the collection, there was really only a small range of humour; animals in human situations (funny), violence or implied violence (funny), & cruel situations (funniest)...actually, if you take a step back this does not sound funny at all. That's the sign of a good humour, it can skate the line the between rude and just plain mean and split your gut hilarious.While reading this book I found out how hard it is to describe a 'funny' situation without making is sound horrible. This happened when my five year old asked what I was reading (and laughing at). So, I tried to explain, "you see this? These guys are stuck on a deserted island with only a basketball hoop and ball. Now, look, there ball has popped. Isn't that funny?""Oh this is another funny one. See all the people in the airplane are scared b/c they think they are going to crash..."From the eyes of a five year old these 'jokes' must look very different.This brings me to the deeper meaning of the book. It is obvious now that this is a very critical view of humanity and our view as being a superior being. It brings to light the fact that our world is full of violence and unjust situations. Larson conveys this message in the best possible way - humour. Thanks oh wise one Gary!http://bookwormsfeastofbooks.blogspot...
In an age when everything seems sacred, immune to jests and teasing, a cartoonist dares to push the envelope, and gives Readers a small sanctuary to retreat to--actually, he ultimately reminds us of a time when nothing was sacred and everything was funny. (I think I made sense there.) Enter Gary Larson. (If you have never heard of Gary Larson you need to stop reading this and go immediately to a busy street and start playing in it.) His satirical humor illuminates the many problems society so dutifully tries to avoid. I appreciate this cleverness. Whether it is aliens, scientists, animals, nerds, or the Old West, Gary Larson provides a memorable image that is sure to last at least the duration of a day. Not to mention there is a pretty funny introduction provided by Uncle Stevie. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
What do You think about The Far Side Gallery 2 (1986)?
People have referred to me as a "cartoon psychic". At least I think they have. I often know what a comedian is thinking.So, of all the excellent Far Side cartoons I've seen as a young man, my mind always circles around the cartoon "Beware of Doug". I used to think that the genius of the Far Side is that cartoon characters have exceptionally wide eyes and therefore long reaction shots.But I've recently read that Gary Larson credited growing up with a cruel older brother for his "paranoid sense of humour". Just because a cartoon is funny doesn't mean it's not telling you something...http://www.flickr.com/photos/eclectip...
—Travelin
"When asked to describe the famous glass of water, there can only be 4 answers and they will reflect the character of the person, they are: a) half empty. b) half full. c) half empty, no...half full, ...I mean empty, ...what was the question? d) hey, I ordered a cheeseburger!"-- Gary Larson Welcome to the bizarre and twisted world of Gary Larson.I will still stick to what I said before for The Far side Gallery(part1)"This is some serious shit. Filled with Dark Humor and Situational Irony.Highly satirical and thought-provoking content .."It will show you some odd and surreal views of the world. And trust me,it made more sense than our normal mentality..Enjoy ..
—Inder Suri
