Here are more words, some books for you, but all of them have pix.

My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure by Tom Kraeutler & Leslie Segrete. Apparently they do some radio show, but I’ve never heard it. Large size softcover, with many colorful little bars and pockets of tips, secrets, and anecdotes show they do know good design! I’d call this a starter book for home improvement. Mostly I read the chapters on Bathrooms and Kitchens. No new ideas for me, and no examples of finished projects, which is a bummer, but I did enjoy reading them. (I used to be addicted to Pardon Our Dust when the LA Times ran that column! Alas, gone now.) Also the chapters on Curb Appeal and 50 design projects for under $50 were good.

Also, they say TWICE that good landscaping adds 15% of the property value to the home, which is why LA should sue the DWP and Street Service lowlife unlicensed tree trimmers that ruin both our air and the value of our properties.

Dream Big by Ian Falconer. This is part of the series of books about Olivia the pig that you’ve seen all over the place for a few years. Stupendous.

This designer/illustrator is the perfect combination of cartoon and design and whimsy. The pig is usually white, grey, red, and black. Such important colors. In or out of her costumes. You can’t beat that color combo, ever!! It’s a really beautiful book. I think this is a re-grouping of illustrations in his other picture books, which I was kind of disappointed in – I like a book to be whole, not some re-do. But it’s still wonderful, with matte, creamy thick paper. The cover even has textured fuzz on top of Olivia’s blanket!

Oh, and the author looks really gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…. But I notice he also designs for the ballet. Just saying. I always look at the author.

Hands and Feet: 100 Pampering Tricks (100 Tips)- 100 pampering tricks by Carol Morley. Okay, maybe not the best title. Beautifully designed little handbag-sized book, by Time-Life; my, how Time has changed their direction! Carol is the illustrator, and she does most of the work, that’s for sure. The illustrations are nice, very design-y. Don’t remember anything I read on what to do with my hands and feet.

More cartoons:

1. One-minute book reviews.
2. I’m working on cartoons for Jillian’s hot dog book.

I decided to review the Comics instead of the Editorial Cartoons as I’m a little biased in that category. (My cartoon on Gocomics is Donna Barstow Editorial Cartoons. Snappy, huh?) And since, sadly, we only get paid by hits, I’m helping all the other guys by visiting their pages! Spread the hits!

I’ll only review the cartoons that I have some familiarity with or get an instant reaction to. (Sorry for grammar – this is a blog.)

This is an...interesting layout. Argyle Sweater, by Scott Hilburn.

Also, I rarely read cartoons one by one, so it’s not really fair to either me or the cartoonist if I can’t see a bunch of them. If I like a strip I like to devour it, and I much prefer reading them in book form, if at all possible. The cartoon book, if any, after my comment.

Adam@Home is drawn by a different artist now, no likey. It used to be one of my favorites. Adam looks dumb now and has a weak chin – so do all the other characters. Artist is unnamed – that’s the spirit, Universal!  Daily Cartoonist reports on it, with a lot of feedback, but he’s closed comments there, due to his silly rule of asking for real names. Lots of cartoonists defend the new artist there, which is not exactly unbiased, so take from it what you will. If you want to change the artist, people, IT’S NOT THE SAME CARTOON. Dumbbells. Book by the original cartoonist: Life Begins At 6:40 (An Adam Collection)

Argyle Sweater. Can’t read the lettering, so I don’t read it. Marty Murphy used to start screaming every time he talked about the panel. It’s very popular though, and Gocomics is always pimping it. Book:  The Argyle Sweater: A Cartoon Collection

Bad Reporter. Does anyone get it?

The Barn. I don’t read it, but I like the simplicity. Book: Cartoons by Ralph Hagen – Vol. 1

Basic Instructions. I forgot about this, saw it once before. Funny. I wonder if it’s syndicated. It’s a good alternative paper strip. Book:  Help Is on the Way: A Collection of Basic Instructions

Big Top gets hundreds of comments, I just noticed! Hate the lettering, & I don’t get it at all. Book:  Big Top book

Bliss. I read this in the LA Times, most of the time. I know all the grey wash is a “style” but it looks dreadful in print. New Yorker cartoonists are notorious for being terrified to ever change their style, for fear the editor will drop them. And…? It’s true! Mankoff only likes “stylish” styles. Book: Death By Laughter

Bottomliners. I’ve always liked the father-son team drawing style, but the writing is stale. I would read it if it was in our paper, though. Book: Blackboard cartooning for teachers

Bozo. Some of the gags make it, some don’t. I’d read it.

Brainwaves. I read Betsy Streeter in Funny Times. I like her style. Writing is sweet, rather than funny. Book: Brainwaves While U Wait

Brewster Rockit. Traditional comic book style, well done. He’s smart and funny, but I rarely read him in the paper. I’d read his book, though! Book: Brewster Rockit: Space Guy!

Geez Louise, I’m only done the B’s and it’s already been over an hour!Gocomics has hundreds of comics, so this will take a while…

More later.

More cartoons:

1. More One-Minute Book Reviews.
2. Nancy and Sluggo – Dogs, including Doxie

But I really don’t think you’ll need them.

1960s Fashion Print: A Sourcebook
by Marnie Fogg. Flower Power up close. Beautifully designed, with embossing on the cover and semi-matte pages inside. The comments on the fabrics were interesting, though repetitive, and I liked knowing more about fabrics and how they’re designed. I love fabric, and collect way too much of it when I’m in a store or see some at a yard sale. It’s very heavy, and takes up too much room! But honestly? Wish I had the 1950′s or 1930′s fabrics instead. [/pout]

Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life
The chapters on living on the land – well, they aren’t.  The author was a web designer who lived a year in a rented house in Idaho, and pretended she had a farm! Still, she did try beekeeping, rabbits, chickens. And she sold the book, didn’t she? Totally worth it. And I like web designers. Somehow, she made these little experiments suspenseful. As she tried each new husbandry or skill I had to read to the end to see what happened.

Furry Logic Laugh at Life
The illustrations by Jane Seabrook are a kind of botanical drawing/cartoon of the animals. There are hundreds of little pen strokes for the fur ~ the animals have an expression, like people animals. Ugh. There is a (not funny) line of text or quote opposite each drawing. I’m not wild about the colors in here. This book didn’t make me feel good.

Check back later for more one-minute book reviews!

More cartoons:

1. More One-Minute Book Reviews.
2. One minute movie reviews.