Customer Reviews

Dykes and Sundry Other Carbon-Based Life Forms to Watch Out For

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Watching a cartoonist mature over the course of a career can be a real joy, and that's certainly been my experience with Alison Bechdel's most recent "Dykes to Watch Out For" collection. To my mind, it's a real shame that her work isn't syndicated on the comics page of general-circulation newspapers. Calling her work only of interest to the GLBT community means that a lot of folks are missing out on her real-life characters, fascinating plot twists, deft artwork, and wry interpretation of current affairs.

This straightbag het housewife says, Alison forever!

Hilarious, true-to-life comic strips for any human, not just dykes or feminists or liberals: Clarice and Toni are trying to raise their six-year-old son and find their sex life again; Ginger's dog is nearing the end of her life; English lit professor Sydney does what she can to try to get tenure; Jezanna is struggling with her independent bookstore Madwimmin and with menopause and with her elderly father; and Mo wonders if her life shouldn't be more than clerking at a bookstore that could go out of business any day.

Go to your favorite indie bookstore, read a few panels, and try to not laugh too loud, then buy it.Or trust me and the editorial reviews and buy it here! Buy 'em all (this is #10, but there are good introductions so you don't have to read them in order). After you're done smirking and giggling, they'll give you plenty to think about. Alison Bechdel is a goddess.

Kimberly Borrowdale
Under the Covers Book Reviews

I picked this little book of cartoons up while foraging through the second-hand section of the University Bookstore in Madison, Wisconsin. The title was just irresistible! If anything, I found the short Introduction even more provocative, with its explanation that lesbianism is not just about sex but "a worldview, an entire logical system in which homophobia was inextricably linked to sexism and racism and militarism and classism and imperialism. And a few others things. And the beauty of it was this: that in order to address any one of these problems, we had to address them all". Suddenly I found myself immersed in a world of tofu, lemongrass, sandals, protests, and no-longer-so-young women seeking earnestly after truth. If you are a died-in-the-wool conservative, part of the patriarchal oppression mechanism, or just humourless you probably won't like this book - indeed, it may make you snarl with frustrated rage. On the other hand, if you have an open mind you will certainly find yourself laughing out loud over and over. It's clever, well-drawn, intelligent, passionate, and compassionate too. Highly recommended by this happily-married husband and father.

This is the latest edition of Alison's series of "cartoonoramas"(her phrase) following the lives and loves of a series of lesbians who live in a place that looks suspiciously like upstate New York. The stories are evolutionary-as are lives and focus around "Mo", a woman who resembles Ms. Bechtel herself. Most importantly however, the series and this edition especially are laced with sharp wit and warm humor as well as the "zeitgeist' as the reviewer above noted.
When historians review our time 100 years from now, they will find these books and Doonesbury as primary sources.
Buy this book and-the whole series- and you will NOT regret it.

Fun and wacky, as usual. I have her entire collection and can't wait for the next book. If any of you dykes out there want to find a storybook with strong Latino girl characters (could be dykes when they grow up) check out, DRUM, CHAVI, DRUM!/ TOCA, CHAVI, TOCA! Add this book to your Dykes to Watch out For collection or buy it for the children in your family. The feisty little girl isn't allowed to play Congas in the Miami Cuban Calle Ocho Festival because drumming is for boys! She struts her stuff and won't take "no" for an answer... i think this book is a first of its kind with an all Latino cast, written by a Cuban, illustrated by a Cuban and set in a Cuban community. Another super FUN book for all you lesbos out there!

Anyhow, I highly recommend the entire collection of DYKES...