Childhood Is Hell

Life in Hell #4

by Matt Groening

Another Inevitable Mini-Jumbo Compendium of Hellish Cartoons by Child-At-Heart Matt Groening, author of Love Is Hell, Work Is Hell, School Is Hell, etc., etc., etc.

This pint-size yet chunky cartoon book contains dozens of zany, daffy, downright insolent comic strips-specially designed to be read under the covers late at night with a secret flashlight and a bowl of ice cream for nourishment. Don't let Mom catch you.

Childhood Is Hell is jam-packed with 48 of the wittiest and weirdest cartoons from Matt Groening's syndicated "Life in Hell" "RM" comic strip (seen weekly in the hippest newspapers from coast to coast). Not only do you get all 25 chapters of the painfully funny "Childhood Is Hell" maxiseries, you also get a whole bunch more bonus cartoons -- at practically no apparent added cost. Childhood Is Hell may not be all that cute and cuddly, but its peculiar insights could save you thousands of dollars in annoying therapy bills, as well as convulse you with childlike laughter and merriment.

Genres: Comics, Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Cartoon, Graphic Novels Comics, Art

185 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Matthew Abram Groening is an American cartoonist, television producer and writer from Portland, Oregon.

Groening is best known as the creator of The Simpsons. He is also the creator of Futurama and the author of the weekly comic strip Life in Hell. Groening distributed Life in Hell in the book corner of Licorice Pizza, a record store in which he worked.

He made his first professional cartoon sale to the avant-garde Wet magazine in 1978. The cartoon is still carried in 250 weekly newspapers.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many lessons in here. Funny af.
The best one yet.

[Ianju Gytnnrq30 4y3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

tearjeker

[Meg Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in hiding when I was in 5th grade. It doesn't seem so scandalous anymore. Just remember there is more to Matt Groening than The Simpsons- he actually used to be kind of cool! Look out for the Marlys reference: Groening and Lynda Barry are good friends.

I realized one of my favorite things are drawings with a lot of stuff going on and humorous captions pointing to little details: the Life in Hell books are full of these, and can occupy you for a while . Lynda Barry does this a lot,too. So do the Elizabeth Levy "Something Queer" books, and the Magic School Bus series. I aspire to these kinds of drawings. Somebody light a fire under my ass.

[Justin Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great bit of early Groening! Like many reviewers, I remember hiding this book in my backpack and reading it at school. There was just something about reading this in secret, it felt like it should be read in secret. I would say that I didn't get all the jokes when I was younger, but this is another book of comics that I have gone back to over and over again.

[Rich · Rating 2 out of 5]

Haven't read this since I was in college in the late 80's. I remember loving it then, but it has definitely lost it's luster in the last 25 years. "Love In Hell" is definitely worth revisiting, but I think the rest can be skipped..... unless you just want to see the early workings of the mind that brought us "The Simpsons."

[SmarterLilac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love Matt Groening's books. They have twice as much insight and heart as The Simpson's ever did. The dry wit and moving humor beat the pants off of all imitators (especially the South Park crew.)

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

The public library had these four books and I read them sometime in high school. I wound up buying them from the library later when they were getting rid of them.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic bedtime story.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better known for "The Simpsons", this is from the lesser known "Life is Hell" series, which originated as a comic strip.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Groening is awesome.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collection of cartoons from te creator of the Simpsons. I don't care for The Simpsons but I love this book!

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this as a kid and remember thinking, "Finally! Someone is telling the truth!"

[mlady_rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I owned this back in college way before "The Simpsons" were on the map.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Groening 4 EVER.

[Felly · Rating 4 out of 5]

so this is a nice way to kill your childhood LOL

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Berenice · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be a perfect 5-star book if it wasn't so sad/true in places. (Though really, it should get 6 starts for that!)

[SC]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11767933

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved those crazy rabbits, and Akbar and Jeff. I still do.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

XD

[Denisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lo primero que leo de Matt Groening. Me gustó tanto que voy a seguir leyendo a Matt Groening.

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some funny. Some not. Definitely dated!!! (1987)

[Anne Earney · Rating 2 out of 5]

The funniest thing about this is where I found it - sandwiched in with some books I kept from my childhood. I would have been sixteen or so when this came out and likely I got it then; it reeks of cigarette smoke, like everything else that was ever at my parents' house.

Some of the cartoons are funnier than others. I must have liked this enough the first time I read it, since I kept it all these years. Maybe it was funnier when I was closer to the ages it covers (1-12); maybe it would be funnier now if I'd had kids. For the most part, though, it was a pretty meh read.

[Marie Kos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly expected something funnier and more biting, but this is still cute.

[Zyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinismo y crudeza a paladas. Groening sin destilar.

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and a little deep and a little political, enjoyed it!

[Reethika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't help but wonder who are the target audience for this book?

[The_J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childhood is Hell may be the best part of Life and Hell

[Jbussen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Depressing as Hell

[JhonyHandsome596 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This article is so amazing.