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Think Good Thoughts About a Pussycat
The New Yorker and Playboy cartoonist captures telling moments in the dogs' lives of the well-to-do, the intrepid poor, the committed, the committable, a cat-tormented dog, and other put-upon souls
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First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 18, 2010
The adjective "off-beat" does not tell a person much about a book of cartoons. This wonderful collection of George Booth's cartoons is ....what ? Off-beat, certainly, but what, then ? Just what drummer Booth hears I find myself powerless to say. Derisive ? Too harsh. Anti-establishmentarian ? Not really. Perhaps "moribund" is the word, moribund but not morbid. He finds delight in old codgers telling their dogs about the adventure they had on the bus watching a grape roll down the aisle. Or a daft older lady giving her dog a pep talk about the imminent arrival to their household of a pussycat. That and the pet dog's expression of incomprehension. ....See ? I told you I found it impossible. How can this be humorous, much less what it is, wickedly hilarious? In the very darkest center of our lonely human condition, Booth finds material for comedy. His are very definition of "New Yorker" cartoons....you have to see them. Everyone ! It's like staring at a naked light bulb and finding it hysterically funny. Do check this one out.
September 12, 2008
booth's batty old ladies, dispeptic senior citizens, barfy dogs and scraggly cats are the best.
August 14, 2024
I loved finding this book, but not all of the cartoons landed for me.
January 18, 2023
I just read three collections by the same author. They were separately reviewed. The introduction is the same for each book. Following that are sample images and brief comments specific to each book. Thenk u veddy much—r.n.
Something triggered in me (perhaps it was that alien probe appointment two Wednesdays ago?*) a renewed interest in longtime New Yorker cartoonist George Booth. Rather than sensibly spreading them out over time, I ordered everything my library has. Bring on the George! Three volumes of his cartoons showed up at once. I read them all in short order (not a difficult task), three sessions, multi-tasking on the elliptical bike. Many of these cartoons were familiar, as we were subscribers for maybe 15 years, plus many of these turn up on the web and/or were reprinted elsewhere (such as in Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Renni Brown & Dave King—a terrific and practical book, btw). Without question, the art is fantastic throughout; weird, and beautiful. Humor, of course, is so very, very subjective. Consequently, many of his cartoons sent me into hysterics, nearly causing me to tumble from the elliptical bike, while others drew mild chuckles, and assorted others a silent meh, and rarely, a mouth-whispered wtf?
The combination thereof was somewhat variable for each collection, hence the ratings range from 3.5 to 5 stars. Each is named after the title of the opening cartoon.
*Unlike conventional doctors, aliens don’t take Wednesdays off.
(What, you were expecting maybe details re how the appointment went? For that, you’ll have to read the book. Coming in 2037. Penguin, orange cover of course.)
…………………
Next, after Rehearsal's Off!, I read Think Good Thoughts About A Pussycat. This ended up my favorite, not due to the fact that I’m a cat-lover. Only a minority actually feature cats; again, it’s titled after the opening cartoon. A few of the cat cartoons are repeated in About Dogs. Several are about mechanics; several repeat the scene of a man in a tub talking to his wife who is always doing something different out in living room: silently ironing, or sitting at the table. Among my favorites were the cavemen cartoons, including this one.
“Ip Gissa Gul”:
“Have you and your bear ever had a loan with us before?”:
“We’ll have to keep your car another day. There’s a devilled egg in the carburetor.”
Not necessarily a favorite, but it depicts a recurring motif: the light fixture at angle, dangerously affixed to a toaster or here, a desk lamp. (In ritzy residences, Booth often includes a chandelier).
“I’ll run through it again...”
Something triggered in me (perhaps it was that alien probe appointment two Wednesdays ago?*) a renewed interest in longtime New Yorker cartoonist George Booth. Rather than sensibly spreading them out over time, I ordered everything my library has. Bring on the George! Three volumes of his cartoons showed up at once. I read them all in short order (not a difficult task), three sessions, multi-tasking on the elliptical bike. Many of these cartoons were familiar, as we were subscribers for maybe 15 years, plus many of these turn up on the web and/or were reprinted elsewhere (such as in Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Renni Brown & Dave King—a terrific and practical book, btw). Without question, the art is fantastic throughout; weird, and beautiful. Humor, of course, is so very, very subjective. Consequently, many of his cartoons sent me into hysterics, nearly causing me to tumble from the elliptical bike, while others drew mild chuckles, and assorted others a silent meh, and rarely, a mouth-whispered wtf?
The combination thereof was somewhat variable for each collection, hence the ratings range from 3.5 to 5 stars. Each is named after the title of the opening cartoon.
*Unlike conventional doctors, aliens don’t take Wednesdays off.
(What, you were expecting maybe details re how the appointment went? For that, you’ll have to read the book. Coming in 2037. Penguin, orange cover of course.)
…………………
Next, after Rehearsal's Off!, I read Think Good Thoughts About A Pussycat. This ended up my favorite, not due to the fact that I’m a cat-lover. Only a minority actually feature cats; again, it’s titled after the opening cartoon. A few of the cat cartoons are repeated in About Dogs. Several are about mechanics; several repeat the scene of a man in a tub talking to his wife who is always doing something different out in living room: silently ironing, or sitting at the table. Among my favorites were the cavemen cartoons, including this one.
“Ip Gissa Gul”:
“Have you and your bear ever had a loan with us before?”:
“We’ll have to keep your car another day. There’s a devilled egg in the carburetor.”
Not necessarily a favorite, but it depicts a recurring motif: the light fixture at angle, dangerously affixed to a toaster or here, a desk lamp. (In ritzy residences, Booth often includes a chandelier).
“I’ll run through it again...”
April 16, 2018
Always enjoy his work - distinctive & off-the-wall
May 24, 2023
Genius. Hilarious genius.
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January 16, 2012I think this is the edition I read. Booth is one of a long tradition of creators of pop-eyed eccentrics. Having seen many such collections (and old issues of Punch and New Yorker), I often confuse Booth and Geo Price, who is of an older vintage.
I'm pretty sure Booth is the one who shows a man in the bathtub, commenting that he's like a duck, calm on the surface, but paddling like hell underneath.
Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of this collection, though I have several Booth cartoons in my private collection, so I don't remember if that particular cartoon is in this book.
I'm pretty sure Booth is the one who shows a man in the bathtub, commenting that he's like a duck, calm on the surface, but paddling like hell underneath.
Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of this collection, though I have several Booth cartoons in my private collection, so I don't remember if that particular cartoon is in this book.
September 12, 2011
Hit and miss - some cartoons were overwhelmingly funny and made me laugh out loud, and some were just blah, or I would stare at them for minutes and still not get it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews