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Pearls Before Swine #19-20
Pearls Takes a Wrong Turn: A Pearls Before Swine Treasury
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR!
In true Pearls Before Swine tradition, this treasury is full of Stephan Pastis’s cynical humor, sharp wit, and clever commentary. Always together—and sometimes with their fellow funny-page characters—the regular Pearls clan weighs in on everything from modern technology to current events to human nature. All the members of the skewed gang are here as Zebra engages in a never-ending war of neighborly hate with the Crocs. As always, Goat offers a voice of reason amid the ongoing chaos that Pastis creates, either from behind the pen or as a character within the strip itself.
Includes all cartoons from the collections I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream Because Puns Suck and Floundering Fathers.
In true Pearls Before Swine tradition, this treasury is full of Stephan Pastis’s cynical humor, sharp wit, and clever commentary. Always together—and sometimes with their fellow funny-page characters—the regular Pearls clan weighs in on everything from modern technology to current events to human nature. All the members of the skewed gang are here as Zebra engages in a never-ending war of neighborly hate with the Crocs. As always, Goat offers a voice of reason amid the ongoing chaos that Pastis creates, either from behind the pen or as a character within the strip itself.
Includes all cartoons from the collections I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream Because Puns Suck and Floundering Fathers.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2018
30 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Stephan Pastis
90 books444 followersStephan Pastis was born in 1968 and raised in San Marino, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1989 with a degree in political science. Although he had always wanted to be a syndicated cartoonist, Pastis realized that the odds of syndication were slim, so he entered UCLA Law School in 1990 and became an attorney instead. He practiced law in the San Francisco Bay area from 1993 to 2002. While an attorney, he began submitting various comic strip concepts to all of the syndicates, and, like virtually all beginning cartoonists, got his fair share of rejection slips. Then, in 1997, he began drawing Pearls Before Swine, which he submitted to the syndicates in mid-1999. In December, 1999, he signed a contract with United.
Pearls Before Swine debuted in newspapers in January, 2002, and Pastis left his law practice in August of that year. Pearls Before Swine was nominated in 2003, 2004 and 2007 as "Best Newspaper Comic Strip" by the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) and won the award in 2004 and 2007. Pastis lives with his family in Northern California.
Pearls Before Swine debuted in newspapers in January, 2002, and Pastis left his law practice in August of that year. Pearls Before Swine was nominated in 2003, 2004 and 2007 as "Best Newspaper Comic Strip" by the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) and won the award in 2004 and 2007. Pastis lives with his family in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 26, 2019
SP caught election fever in 2016 and it degrades some of the experience. Hopefully he's cured by now.
April 28, 2023
I have a complaint about Pearls Before Swine. My complaint is as follows (please limit your comment to the space provided): None.
January 10, 2020
For a long time, I ignored this cartoon, probably because I saw a couple of strips that I didn't like. But now, thanks to my younger daughter, it has become one of my favorites. The sarcasm saves what little sanity I have left.
September 16, 2019
Synopsis: Pearls Takes a Wrong Turn is another Pearls Before Swine treasury collecting comics between mid-2015 to early 2017 which also published in book form in the collections I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream Because Puns Suck and Floundering Fathers.
My Thoughts: Like all Pearls treasuries, this one commences with an intro; however, the one here is one of Stephen Pastis's most heartfelt ones as he laments the dejection of losing his home and condo (where he draws his comics) in the California wildfires while he was vacationing in Latin America. The emotions conveyed were raw with the tints of dry, whimsical humor to it which you would expect from Pastis. The comics themselves, as usual, were rife with gallows humor, puns, and forth-wall breaking which left me in multiple fits of hysterics. There were more overtly politically-charged strips in this collection which, while effectively capturing the intense, polarizing atmosphere of the ongoing 'Trump' era (as many call it), might run into the risk of becoming dated in the coming years like most topical works. That being said, I hope it will be at least an interesting relic of the time period it was made in when I look back at it in a decade from today, much like how comic strips such as Doonesbury and Bloom County are fun to go through if you're aware of the political climate of their time. Stephen Pastis's commentary, as should be, contained amusing to downright hilarious jabs at and short anecdotes about himself and other individuals surrounding him as well as the comics. However, Pastis's comments about the mild swears (i.e. damn, hell, ass, etc) he's able to slip past the censors got a little redundant after a while since he has mentioned this countless other times in his previous treasuries.
Final Thoughts: Pearls Takes a Wrong Turn is another solid compilation of Pearls comics worth reading if you're a Stephen Pastis fan or just want a quick laugh to lighten up your day.
My Thoughts: Like all Pearls treasuries, this one commences with an intro; however, the one here is one of Stephen Pastis's most heartfelt ones as he laments the dejection of losing his home and condo (where he draws his comics) in the California wildfires while he was vacationing in Latin America. The emotions conveyed were raw with the tints of dry, whimsical humor to it which you would expect from Pastis. The comics themselves, as usual, were rife with gallows humor, puns, and forth-wall breaking which left me in multiple fits of hysterics. There were more overtly politically-charged strips in this collection which, while effectively capturing the intense, polarizing atmosphere of the ongoing 'Trump' era (as many call it), might run into the risk of becoming dated in the coming years like most topical works. That being said, I hope it will be at least an interesting relic of the time period it was made in when I look back at it in a decade from today, much like how comic strips such as Doonesbury and Bloom County are fun to go through if you're aware of the political climate of their time. Stephen Pastis's commentary, as should be, contained amusing to downright hilarious jabs at and short anecdotes about himself and other individuals surrounding him as well as the comics. However, Pastis's comments about the mild swears (i.e. damn, hell, ass, etc) he's able to slip past the censors got a little redundant after a while since he has mentioned this countless other times in his previous treasuries.
Final Thoughts: Pearls Takes a Wrong Turn is another solid compilation of Pearls comics worth reading if you're a Stephen Pastis fan or just want a quick laugh to lighten up your day.
March 16, 2022
This treasury of Pearls Before Swine strips provides everything you'd expect from the comic at this point. The usual cast of characters are all here (Rat, Pig, Goat, Zebra, the Crocs, Stephan), with random one-off characters to serve specific jokes. The trademark puns are still rampant, some delightfully reaching the limits of word play convolutions. The artwork remains simple and crisp and instantly recognizable, despite Pastis' self-deprecation at his artistic limitations.
The biggest change during this time period is dipping into the real world of 2016 United States politics. As Pastis notes in one of his commentaries, it was nigh impossible to escape the pull of Trump's election. The character of Rat is perfectly poised to assume the Trumpian role, though, so it doesn't feel nearly as forced as it should for a strip that rarely delves into real world topics.
Pastis' commentaries under most of the strips can sometimes be even funnier than the strips themselves. Other times the notes shed additional light behind the scenes, or in a few instances explain the joke and why it failed to land in the strip.
It's amazing that after so many years Pearls Before Swine manages to stay as fresh, entertaining, and funny as its early days.
The biggest change during this time period is dipping into the real world of 2016 United States politics. As Pastis notes in one of his commentaries, it was nigh impossible to escape the pull of Trump's election. The character of Rat is perfectly poised to assume the Trumpian role, though, so it doesn't feel nearly as forced as it should for a strip that rarely delves into real world topics.
Pastis' commentaries under most of the strips can sometimes be even funnier than the strips themselves. Other times the notes shed additional light behind the scenes, or in a few instances explain the joke and why it failed to land in the strip.
It's amazing that after so many years Pearls Before Swine manages to stay as fresh, entertaining, and funny as its early days.
July 6, 2022
It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to review a collection of comic strips since it’s hard to imagine someone’s needing an insightful review to choose between Hagar the Horrible’s Teen Years and Cathy in the Supreme Court!. Nonetheless, here are the reasons I gave Stephen Pastis’ Pearls Takes a Wrong Turn only 4⭐️:
(1) Can’t stand that many puns. Some of them actually are funny, but it’s like the difference between watching two mice (cute) and trying to sleep in a cabin that at first gradually and then quickly reveals itself as the Mumbai of the mouse universe. A little goes a long way, whether it’s mice or puns.
(2) Didn’t care for his play-by-play commentary the backstory of many of the strips, especially because so much of it was pre-teen snickering at his having cleverly snuck !NAUGHTY! words into one the panels (sucks! randy! rubbers!!).
All that said, some of the cartoons are really funny, so Pearls Takes a Wrong Turn is recommended.
(1) Can’t stand that many puns. Some of them actually are funny, but it’s like the difference between watching two mice (cute) and trying to sleep in a cabin that at first gradually and then quickly reveals itself as the Mumbai of the mouse universe. A little goes a long way, whether it’s mice or puns.
(2) Didn’t care for his play-by-play commentary the backstory of many of the strips, especially because so much of it was pre-teen snickering at his having cleverly snuck !NAUGHTY! words into one the panels (sucks! randy! rubbers!!).
All that said, some of the cartoons are really funny, so Pearls Takes a Wrong Turn is recommended.
March 19, 2019
I don't know what it is about Pearls. The art is nowhere near the best on the comics page, a lot of the humour is either dark, or some of the worse most convulated puns you've ever read. But despite all that, I still love it. There is just something about it that never fails to put a smile on my face. This is a collection of approx 18 months of the strip, and I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to wait another 18 months for the next one.
December 19, 2023
I'm a simple man. Give me some weird-looking characters, some dark comedy, some light innuendo, and some goofy dialogue, and I'm satisfied. Not to mention Pastis infuses some of the later strips with excellent political satire (these strips were written as the Trump era was just beginning), making it all come together nicely. You did good, Stephan Pastis. Never stop.
November 15, 2018
"Pearls Before Swine fans have reason to celebrate as the comic reaches its monumental 10th treasury collection."
Read full review at Popzara Press.
Read full review at Popzara Press.
May 19, 2019
Good fun and mostly clean entertainment. I always like these treasuries because they're a double bonus of comics plus author commentary. I enjoy the Crocodiles most, but Pig, Rat, Zebra, and Goat are key too.
April 12, 2020
In addition the daily strips, Pastis adds occasional commentary to them. Some of them are hilarious than the strip themselves. Pastis, for me, provides the best laugh to the start of the day since Bill Waterson’s Calvin and Hobbes.
May 12, 2025
Smiling All the while
Recommend to anyone with a sense of humor and a pulse. I really enjoy the comments made under most of the strips, but I find it frustrating that I can't reply. I love Pearls before Swine.
Recommend to anyone with a sense of humor and a pulse. I really enjoy the comments made under most of the strips, but I find it frustrating that I can't reply. I love Pearls before Swine.
December 26, 2018
Great volume of "Pearl's before swine" comics. I love the commentaries under some of the comics.
February 8, 2019
Hysterical and irreverent! Simply wonderful!
December 30, 2019
loved the additional commentary
April 2, 2020
Such a blast to read these strips. Fair warning - if you like your comics sweet, you may be in for a bit of a shock.
May 17, 2023
Pearls Takes a Wrong Turn by Stephan Pastis - The never ending feud between the zebras and the crocodiles are endlessly entertaining! Happy Reading!
December 30, 2018
Sometimes you just need something to read that makes you think. Sometimes you just want something entertaining. Sometimes you want something to make you laugh. This book accomplishes all of that. If you are not a fan of Rat, Pig, Goat, Zebra or the Crocs, you will be. Stephan Pastis created the best comic I have read since Dunesbury. Go Rat!
June 10, 2020
Bad grandparents, President Rat (as a Trump parody), rightfully mocking the word "plethora", several brilliant Abbot and Costello strips, and of course, more puns than anyone could ever ask for.
October 2, 2022
A truly underrated strip. If you enjoy satire and dark humor, this is for you.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews