Home Sweat Home: A For Better or For Worse Collection

For Better or For Worse #28

by Lynn Johnston

Lynn Johnston is cartooning's reigning master at combining gags with continuity. Her ongoing story of the Patterson family has been one of the most beloved strips for years." - Atlanta Constitution

appears in more than 2,000 newspapers in over 20 countries, and is translated into eight languages.



Lynn Johnston's For Better or For Worse is the world's most popular family strip in which characters have evolved through age and experience, rather than remaining frozen in time.

In Home Sweat Home , moves are afoot aplenty. John and Elly downsize to a new home and Mike and Deanna buy the family homestead to raise their children as a new generation fills the Patterson legacy. Romantic moves abound, too, as Elizabeth has her heart broken only to have it won back by Anthony. April turns sixteen and will soon by driving-which is driving her parents crazy.

* In September 2007, Johnston made an unprecedented move for a cartoonist; she introduced a new format by using current plot lines as a jumping-off point to revisit past storylines that complement the new ones.

Author's web

Genres: Comics, Humor, Comic Book, Comedy, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Lynn Johnston CM OM is a Canadian cartoonist, well known for her comic strip For Better or For Worse, and was the first female cartoonist to win the Reuben Award.

Reviews

[Paul Hasbrouck · Rating 5 out of 5]

After not reading the strip for many years, the other day I found this collection in my local library and the story of this family pulled me back in. At times I laughed and then cried as problems of everyday life of our characters.
This was pure pleasure to read.

[The other John · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've been reading my reviews of the latter For Better or For Worse collections, you've probably caught my subtle hints that I've been increasingly disappointed with the quality of the strip. I pretty much read this, the most recent collection to date, merely so I could say that I've read them all. Oddly enough, this collection wasn't too bad. More jokes, less sermons. Or maybe I was just less cranky.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason, this volume seemed shorter than the rest, but I may just have read it faster because I wanted to see what was going to happen with Elizabeth's love life. I sure am going to miss this series when its over... and if I'm not mistaken, that will be the next book. *sigh*

[John Bohnert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading these comic strips.
"For Better or For Worse" has been a favorite of mine for many years.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second-last book in the entire For Better or For Worse collection, and it’s just wonderful. The story is coming full circle, but continues to be as delightful as it ever was.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This set covers Elizabeth's return to the household, the change in houses, and her reunion with Anthony. I have been slowly collecting these FBFW collections. How sad to see there is only one more to go! I read the column for years, relating to various characters as I grew from college student to young married and mother. I absolutely love the combination of humor and human drama. Ms. Johnston always keeps the perfect balance, dealing with serious issues in a respectful manner and a wry outlook on life.

[Birdie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how the characters in "For Better or Worse" go through life changes. Michael is married with kids and gets his first book contract. Elizabeth is dating and breaking up and falling in love again. John and Elly Patterson are thinking about downsizing to a smaller house, but April isn't ready. And John's Dad has had a stroke and can't talk--but he can still have thought clouds with his great sense of humor! I enjoyed this comic collection very much.

[Child960801 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Changes and more changes as a fire, a break up and a sixteenth birthday make everyone think about the future and what is next.

*Edited 2021: Michael and Deanna move in with John and Elly and everyone experiences the tensions of living in a very full house.

[Amber the Human · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, read this while at my parents. I don't find For Better or For Worse particularly funny, but it is an amazing window into someone else's life. Plus they're from Canada!

[Becky Galambos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as it used to be, but better than the crappy "new-runs" she's putting out now.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The For Better or for Worse books never get old!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed these books that I'd bought for my dad for Christmas- the last three Lynn Johnston collections that were chronological. This one deals with some meaty issues- the court case for Elizabeth's sexual assault, the recovery of the grandfather from a stroke, the fire of Michael's house, and the buying of and moving into of a retirement home for the parents. They make me nostalgic, and For Better or For Worse remains one of the best comic strips of all time.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always loved For Better and For Worse, and this one particularly tpuch me since it's aboit changes and getting further in life. Once again, the author makes us share the emotion of every Patterson member