The Far Side® Observer

Far Side Collection #8

by Gary Larson

The eighth collection of The Far Side.

Genres: Humor, Comics, Cartoon, Comic Strips, Fiction, Comedy, Graphic Novels

104 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1987

About the author

Gary Larson was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. His parents were Vern, a car salesman, and Doris, a secretary. He attended Curtis High School before attending Washington State University and graduated in 1972 with a degree in communications. In 1987, Larson married Toni Carmichael, an archaeologist.
Larson credits his older brother Dan for his "paranoid" sense of humor. Dan would pull countless pranks on Gary, taking advantage of his phobia of monsters under the bed by, for example, waiting in the closet for the right moment to pounce out at Gary. Dan is also credited with giving Gary his love of science. They caught animals in Puget Sound and placed them in terrariums in the basement; even making a small desert ecosystem, which their parents apparently did not mind. His adept use of snakes in his cartoons stems from his long-standing interest in herpetology.
Since retiring from the Far Side, Larson has occasionally done some cartooning work, such as magazine illustrations and promotional artwork for Far Side merchandise.
In 1998, Larson published his first post-Far Side book, There's a Hair in My Dirt!: A Worm's Story, an illustrated story with the unmistakable Far Side mindset.

Reviews

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent Far Side collection with a couple of classics, some outright groaners, a few uncomfortably cruel gags, and a lot of laugh-out-loud ideas. As usual, about half show animals or bugs engaged in anthropomorphic activities to comment wryly on the absurdity of human habits. Some favorites here show young Dizzy Gillespie at his seventh birthday party blowing on a party favor with his trademark puffed cheeks, geese looking at a slideshow of their favorite migrations, crash-test dummies getting revenge by forcing humans into a test car, two lost and ill-fated desert wanderers tossing aside their last can of "Buzzard Begone," a kid using a "Monster Snorkel" so he can breathe while hiding under the covers, two big- headed tourists canoeing down a wild river while being ogled by head hunters in the next boat, clowns sticking out tongues at each other across the table at the Strategic Pie Limitation Talks, a wife berating her husband for forgetting to stock a can opener while inside an underground fallout shelter full of canned goods as Armaggedon rages outside, a man using a Time-Life Guide to Home Surgery while trying to do some invasive DIY on his hapless wife, two morons being turned away from Jack's Diner with the admonition; "No brains, no service," a gathering in a teepee in which the chief (through a translator) informs them that "someone...here...walk...through...buffalo field" (a takeoff on the old "buffalo upstream" joke), a cow peddling contentment at the door of another cow by handing out brochures for Cowtology, a beaver looking into his refrigerator at an assortment of gnawing wood, a depiction of the "second to the last of the Mohicans," an Indian trying to lead a rain dance from a "101 Rain Dances" guidebook and realizing some error has occurred as egg beaters fall from the sky, a caveman sitting at the dinner table complaining when his wife serves "primordial soup again?", the revelation that Albert Einstein was headed for the NBA until an injury sidelined him toward a science career, a Transylvania citizen in an angry torch-bearing mob marching on Frankenstein's castle who is crestfallen that the torch he bought at "Bob's" discount torch store has burnt out, a young scholar pushing into the door at Midvale School for the Gifted when the door says "pull" (a classic, in my opinion), two corpses on gurneys being pushed through and converging in a rye field with the caption: "when a body meets a body comin' through the rye," a police detective interrogating a seemy suspect and chastising a note-taking confession taker: "You idiot! Don't write that down--his name ain't Puddin' Tame!" (for some reason, I laughed harder at this than any other panel in the book), and a split-panel showing the heaven-bound welcomed and presented with harps and their hell-bound counterparts being given accordians.

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Far Side” cartoons were in 1,900 daily newspapers, including in Winnipeg, Manitoba from 1980 to 1995; which accounts for my familiarity with them. Gary Larson penned a line of greeting cards and I remember buying one for a boyfriend’s birthday from a university campus store. The tagline was one of the most hilarious jokes I have read. When I recently ended up with second-hand copies of two of these cartoon books, I anticipated a gut-busting ride, with the space for bigger and more elaborate hilarity.

Appreciating artists of all fields, I get more out of them after gleaning something from their biographies. When reading that Dan played pranks that became the source of “paranoid humour”, it clarified why their personal brand is not for me. I hate pranks; unless they are a minor curiosity that only lasts a second, does not spoil anyone’s possessions or home environments, nor do they inconvenience or scare anybody. Any cartoons involving harm or discomfort of animals holds no humour for me, nor discomfort or harm to anyone.

Published five years after our other book, the 1982 début, “The Far Side Observer” succeeded at regaling me at a better level; three star feedback instead of two. I guess the contents produced fewer instances of feeling disgusted with a joke. I gladly say that I truly found some of the cartoons funny and creatively clever, just the way I hoped they would be.

I was entertained and impressed enough to hold amusing pages open for my spouse, to grin about as well. They were sweet depictions of animals at home and endearing parallels of their unquestionable sentience. For instance, a rooster’s children are naturally far tinier than he is. Page 16 adorably depicts eight wee ones with their faces raptly raised, beside his storytelling armchair!

[Laurel Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute as always. Like a continuous dad joke.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. Readable. But didn't really stand out. Not bad. Not boring. Clever and turn the page. Not the best form factor either. As always, reading these straight through doesn't seem the best way.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fancied a slight change of pace and so went back to the slim, landscape design Far Side volumes that Warner Books put out in the early 90s (indeed, my first exposure to the strip was through one of these). The “Observer” comes from 1987 and has plenty of great panels in it - my favourites include Ray dooming Earth to annihilation by shaking the aliens hand, God as a kid trying to make a chicken, Domino city, the monster snorkel, vultures and the best of times, the parrot - “Send help!” - and ‘Second to last of the Mohicans’, which always makes me laugh. Great fun, highly recommended.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember being introduced to the Far Side by a very good friend after a heavy session of serious alcohol...

I know that it's nothing to be proud of [but it felt good at the time], yet I have often wondered if my state of alcohol-induced giggles was entirely down to the Far Side...

ANSWER = IT WAS....

The books are outstandingly - still funny.

[Mark Woodland · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? I'm addicted to the Far Side, and I think I've read all the collections that have come out. Larson was a delightfully demented and inventive writer & cartoonist. Pity that there won't be any more.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

1987 Jan 01

With the goofy scientists, and the badly drawn animals, stop making me laugh so much.

***
2012 July 25

I continue to be amazed at how well these hold up. Larson is amazing.

Library copy.

[Effobee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great bathroom reading.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite single collection of Far Side panels.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Larson, man

[Jessica S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you need a "bathroom book"?

[Curtiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another collection of Far Side cartoons.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine collection. Funny and entertaining.

[15655 Stockton · Rating 5 out of 5]

so humerious I couldn't put it down!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pulled this one off the shelf again after, what, 20 years? Still funny but since I already knew all the jokes really REALLY well it was more about the nostalgia.

[Benjamin Plume · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember being disappointed when I finished this, but the 4.5 stars anyway shows just how high my expectations from Larson are.

[Marylu Sanok · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of his cartoons. I am and always will be a fan of his wierd and wonderful mind

[Bjm Index]

2

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this one again the other day--mostly for the nostalgia. Has two favorites: "I kicked Santa Anna's butt at the Alamo" and "Midvale school for the Gifted." Classic stuff.

[2 Jon C]

This book was almost identical to all of the other far side books So you can look at my book review for the far side book I just finished

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty funny. Passed on by my Dad.

[Tia Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made for a great Sunday morning breakfast read!

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contains three of my absolute favorites: "Washington crossing the street," "Inside the sun" and "Bob's been domesticated."

[kaotickitten · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one is going on the trash.

[Vali · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two types of people: those who get and appreciate The Far Side and those people who are just lame and lost.

[Gabriel Wallis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable book to read.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cracks me up everytime. Some of the gags remind me of my Dad's jokes

[Kevin Keating · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how to compare these books with one another. They're all funny. Wish he would get back into the game.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread. I'm not sure if this is a little dark or just funny. I know that I rather enjoyed this book and will be keeping it. It's something to read every couple of years. Something fun, funny, and quick.