The Questionable Mad

by Al Feldstein (Editor)

Vintage paperback

Genres: Humor

Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1967

About the author

Albert Bernard Feldstein was an American writer, editor, and artist, best known for his work at EC Comics and, from 1956 to 1985, as the editor of the satirical magazine Mad. After retiring from Mad, Feldstein concentrated on American paintings of Western wildlife.

Reviews

[Leonard Mokos]

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[Gig Wailgum · Rating 4 out of 5]

go to see this book from my youth again.
a treat!

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

One consequence of some of the humor that appears in Mad Magazine is that it becomes dated. For example, any item that is based on a current event or an active public figure will make little sense to a young reader thirty years later. There is little of that in this collection. Another item of humor that can also be rendered obsolete over time is something based on a social norm that has changed. There is one of that type in this book, it is “The Lighter Side of Smoking.” Reflecting the times, smoking indoors and at parties and the paraphernalia are depicted as a socially respectable action.
Despite this caveat, this is overall a fun book to read, a look back on what was humor on the edge in the early sixties. There is no better parody of the Cold War than the recurring saga of “Spy vs. Spy.”

[JSK · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of MAD magazine material from 1962, then compiled in book form in 1967, and as such, some of it is a bit dated. One cartoon has to do with the Berlin Wall and another spoofs the contents of Frank Sinatra's wallet. Both long gone now. This isn't to say they weren't funny, because they were, but just not very topical. Some other sections were timeless and hilarious. One had to do with 'if comic strip characters (like Superman) were as old as their strips' and it had me tears it was so good! The 'Do it yourself TV repairs' was both really funny and dated at the same time (who is even trying to repair their own TVs anymore?). Summing up, I do recommend this, but its best to try to imagine you're in the 1960s when you read it.