Garfield Keeps His Chins Up: His 23rd Book

Garfield #23

by Jim Davis

What are calories to a cat? For Garfield, they're a delicious way of life. But what do you expect from a feline who is able to eat tall lasagnas in a single gulp? So whether he's chaperoning Jon on a date, sleeping 'til noon, or tormenting the odiously lovable Odie, Garfield will never miss his next meal--or the chance to make us laugh!

Genres: Comics, Humor, Comic Strips, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comic Book, Cats

96 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 1992

About the author

James Robert "Jim" Davis is an American cartoonist who created the popular comic strip Garfield. Other comics that he has worked on are Tumbleweeds, Gnorm Gnat, Slapstick, and a strip about Mr. Potato Head.

Jim Davis was born in Fairmount, Indiana, near Marion, where he grew up on a small farm with his father James William Davis, mother Anna Catherine (Carter) Davis, brother Dave, and 25 cats. Davis' childhood on a farm parallels the life of his cartoon character Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, who was also raised on a farm with his parents and a brother, Doc Boy. Jon, too, is a cartoonist, and also celebrates his birthday on July 28. Davis attended Ball State University. While attending Ball State, he became a member of the Theta Xi fraternity. He earned the dubious honor of earning one of the lowest cumulative grade point averages in the history of the university, an honor incidentally shared with Late Show host David Letterman.

Davis as of 2007 resides in Muncie, Indiana, where he and his staff produce Garfield under his company, Paws, Inc., begun in 1981. He was married to Carolyn, a singer and elementary teacher whom he met while both were attending college, and has a son named James with her. However, the couple divorced, and Davis since 2000 has been married to Jill, Paws' senior vice president of licensing, who has worked there approximately 25 years.

Ironically, Davis did not own cats when he started Garfield because of Carolyn's allergies, but they owned a Labrador retriever named Molly. With Jill, the family has expanded to include children Ashley and Chris; three grandchildren, Chloe, Carly and Cody; cats, Spunky and Nermal; and a dog, Pooky.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad to say that this collection of strips was better than the last one. Not only was there plenty of great humor, but there were story arcs and some Yuletide strips thrown in as well. Some of these I had forgotten about; however, I remember one of them being so funny the first time I read it, I posted it on an online forum I was a member of back in the day.

[Neil Franz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a good laugh.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim Davis is like a fine merlot. Although most readers think that he peaked with volume 12 (Garfield Out to Lunch), I really feel that Davis came into his own with book 23. The story lines are crisper, and the dialogue is more biting. Nermal, who I always thought of as Davis's attempt at jumping the shark, is no where to be found. Thank God. It's just Odie, Garfield, John, and the occasional tray of lasagna. But don't count out a few trips to the vet, which mean shots for Garfield and a shot of love with John's love interest, Liz. All things considered, I consider this to be Jim Davis's tour de force. If Jim Davis ever decides to stop writing these books, I will force him out of retirement at gunpoint.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really the most complex, layered effort by Mr. Davis in the Garfield series. Oozes with nuance and subtle irony. Challenges the prevailing, stale "man as feudal master-cat as obsequious servant" paradigm. Visually arresting.

A must-read for any po-mo pop culture intellectual.

[Remo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bueno, qué decir de los Garfields, uno de los compañeros de nuestra infancia (y adolescencia y parte de la vida adulta, recuerdo haberlos leído hasta bien después de acabada la carrera). Recuerdo haberme encontrado el primero en casa de un amigo y habérmelo devorado de una sentada, con 5-6 años, sin entender varios de los chistes pero disfrutando mucho de los más obvios. Hoy en día, en casa, a los ojos entrecerrados con mezcla de desprecio y aburrimiento los seguimos llamando ojos de Garfield:

Esta sensación de saber que siempre iba a encontrar unos cuantos graciosos la tuve durante las dos décadas posteriores en las que Garfield iba apareciendo periódicamente en mi vida. No es una obra culmen de la literatura, pero nos ha alegrado muchos momentos.

[Robert Bussie · Rating 5 out of 5]

All my Garfield reviews are the same. You either get the wonderful humor or you don't. As for me, I grew up reading the hilarious antics of Garfield, Jon, and Odie and years later I still find it funny. It is like a comfortable old friend making me laugh when I need it.

[Helena Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a hilarious comeback of the worlds most famous cat. I love the books Jim Davis writes. As a forth grader I read his books almost everyday.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Garfield Fun!

There are some truly great story lines in this book, in particular for me the seatbelt one. Truly a good Garfield book!

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good. I liked it. As the 3rd best comic series ever it definitely deserves 4 stars!

[Katelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garfield has always been a classic comic 💜

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garfield rides in the car with Jon, uses a hair dryer with Odie, performs on the fence, goes to the vet, and Jon goes on a disastrous date with Liz. I love the visual gag of the enormous snowman.

[Conan Tigard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Garfield Keeps His Chins Up is a book that I was a little disappointed in. I kept waiting for that really funny comic strip to appear, and it never did. What happened? Why didn't Jim Davis come up with anything really funny? Some of the strips were mildly entertaining, but nothing made me even chuckle. I find that to be a big disappointment. After all, I read the Garfield books to laugh, so make me laugh, darn it.

Garfield is up to his usual antics in this book. You know what I am talking about: sleeping, eating, being mean to Odie and Jon. Things like that. Some of the storylines were entertaining, but not necessarily funny. The cover of the book says this this book is a smorgasborg of laughs. I bet to differ.

Overall, Garfield Keeps His Chins Up is a disappointing book of Garfield comic strips that failed to bring a smile to my face, let alone cause me to laugh out loud. I just hope that the next Garfield book I read is filled with comic strips about America's favorite fat cat will cause me to burst out in laughter. I will keep my fingers crossed.

[David Erkale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Garfield comp is okay, but the cat isn't so much a cat at this point. He's more of a little human.

[Jonathan Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favorite garfield collections

[Roy Kim]

mm lasagna

[Iggy Igwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garfield attacks the mailman.

[Isaac Fifelski · Rating 5 out of 5]

i REALLY love this book!! if you really like laughs go to this book!!

[Tyler Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Garfield of course it's funny! Really enjoyed this one.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical Garfield. Book #23.

[Farhana Faruq · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book when you have the flu and need some cheering up!
Loved this one from the series! Funny - as always :)

Favorite pages were 34 and 86

[Donald E. Sixt III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!!

No other comic seems to make me laugh like Garfield. Funny every time! This book especially hilarious toward the end.

[Mikana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious comic for fans of Garfield.

[Erika]

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http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14586724