Strange Creature

by Michael Leunig

This collection sees Michael Leunig at his fiery, passionate best-protesting the war in Iraq and Australia's current 'leaders.' Strange Creature is irreverent, iconoclastic, scathing, and-as always with Leunig-deeply perceptive. But even when he's ridiculing the enemy, he can't help being delightful. This volume is big, bold, and more colourful than ever-a kind of up-market scrapbook of humour and dissent. It includes newspaper headlines from relevant stories at the time, photos, and some exquisite, full-colour paintings. All in all, a new and slightly different look for the annual Leunig collection.

Genres: Australia, Humor, Comics, Art

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 22, 2005

About the author

Michael Leunig, typically referred to as Leunig (his signature on his cartoons), was an Australian cartoonist. His works include The Curly Pyjama Letters, cartoon books The Essential Leunig, The Wayward Leunig, The Stick, Goatperson, Short Notes from the Long History of Happiness and Curly Verse, and The Lot, a compilation of his "Curly World" newspaper columns. Leunig also wrote a book of prayers, When I Talk To You.
He was declared an Australian Living Treasure by the National Trust of Australia in 1999.

Reviews

[Keen Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Last night I had an amazing dream. I dreamed I was an American and I could do anything I wanted and nobody could stop me.”

Leunig is on blistering political form here. The illegal invasion of Iraq comes in for particular treatment but there is also plenty of room for consumerism, neo-liberalism and privatisation and the continuing dumbing down of Australian culture and old Johnny Howard.

FIRST MAN: “What can you recommend for a man who has everything but is still deeply unsatisfied?...SECOND MAN: “A war…!”

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots and lots of the War On Terror in this one.
Strange creatures indeed. We are all strange in our own ways. You are strange to me, I am strange to you. But maybe we could try and get on together.

[novia · Rating 5 out of 5]

we're not that strange after all

(fisrt book brought abroad)

[Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the price alone for the piece featuring George Bush and John Howard ... "George, that's hilarious! Who said that?"

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seething critiques of war, injustice and unquestioning resignation to the norm that are entirely satisfying.