Customer Reviews

Problem Identified: And You're Probably Not Part of the Solution (Dilbert Book Treasury)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

But... this is at least the 3rd or 4th go-round for some of these strips. I wish I would have thought to flip through in the book store before spending $16 on it. *sigh*

I really don't have a problem with the strips themselves, and haven't even had any complaint about the print quality. And technically, I guess it's kind of nice to have a special anthology of strips that complain about how the PHB is the problem, but... it's not like Scott Adams hasn't done strips about that in the last 4.5 years. I also kind of think we've had other books with a similar theme.

So yeah, same old, same old. They're still funny, but after a week of leftovers, everyone gets a little tired of turkey... ;)

I will probably not buy another Dilbert book again. I understand a treasury is supposed to cover material from previous books, but this material is ancient. There was no new material; the latest I saw when flipping through it was 2005. After I ordered the book, I was informed by Amazon that the publishing and shipping dates were pushed back, but I have no idea why, there was nothing that was not previously published in this book. Adams must have so much money he does not have to worry about selling books anymore because this is the second Dilbert book I have returned, as the books offered nothing new to enjoy. Do not waste your money on this book, I returned my copy to Amazon for a refund. Problem Identified: And You're Probably Not Part of the Solution (Dilbert Book Treasury)

Every year there are at least one or two "Dilbert" collections released and every few years a new "Dilbert" anthology is released. Every once in awhile, a random "Dilbert" compilation is released that contains strips that have been already released, but revolve around a particular theme. The theme in PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION is the in competency and useless managing skills of the Pointy-Haired Boss at Dilbert's company.

PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION isn't a very good collection of "Dilbert" strips. The strips are taken from 1991-2005. Even though it would have been nice to see some more recent strips, the time period the strips comes from doesn't bother me very much. In fact, that's one the few bonuses about this collection: you can actually see the physical progression of the characters in the strip. For instance, the Pointy-Haired Boss didn't start out with pointy-hair and had large, droopy jowls instead; Wally was fatter and had thinner glasses (you can see his eyes much of the time); and Alice looked more like an obese trailer-park hussy instead of the well-framed woman she is now.

My biggest issue with the book is the abbreviated storylines. One of the pleasures of reading "Dilbert" is reading through a series of strips and seeing how a story or gag will end up concluding. You don't get to see much of that in this collection. The book feels like reading a bunch of punch lines without the set-ups tied together with a few set-ups without punch lines and a few complete jokes here and there.

PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION has appeal only for the most devout "Dilbert" fans. Normally a collection like this can be a good way to introduce someone to a new strip, but this book isn't useful for that either because it leaves out so much of what makes "Dilbert" great.

So, the library gets a relatively new Scott Adams Dilbert compilation, and I put myself on the hold list. Finally, Problem Identified: And You're Probably Not Part of the Solution comes in, and I pick it up. Instead of the most recent year or two of strips I expected, it's a compilation of strips over the last 15 years that seem to be related to Dilbert and the Point Haired Boss. Overall reaction? Meh...

Granted, when you get a compilation book like this, you expect to see stuff you've already seen (provided you're a follower of the strip). But the cynical side of me keeps thinking we got a compilation of the compilations, and why would I want to get another book that rehashes the rehash? Part of the fun of Dilbert strips is watching the short stories or themes play out over a two day to two week period. With Problem Identified, you lose much of that, as the space is limited and the time frame is pretty long in terms of material to pull.

I guess the best that could be said from my perspective is you do get to see the characters' images evolve over time. The original Pointy Haired Boss didn't have pointy hair, and Wally was almost unrecognizable. But other than that, Problem Identified was an hour or so of page turning with a few chuckles, but nothing that I'd tell friends to run right out and buy. If you can get it in a library, go for it. Otherwise, see if you can just find a nice couch in a Barnes and Noble and read it there.

Disclosure:

Obtained From: Library

Payment: Borrowed

Like the previous reviewer, I will not buy another Dilbert book again, though I've bought them all up until now. This book's introduction was timed, and the book is sized and priced, like the roughly annual collection of the previous year's strips, but it contains only ancient, manager-themed strips from 1991 to 2005. I found *no* indication of this on Amazon's web page when I pre-ordered in June. And I still can't find any indication of this as of my review date.

Furthermore, the book's print quality is poor, especially in the color strips, whose light, fuzzy dialogue print make then look like they were scanned in from paper archives using a low-res scanner.

This is just a collection of strips from earlier years. If you are a Dilbert fan, you almost certainly already have everything in this book.

Problem Identified And You're Probably Not Part of the Solution offers a new Dilbert cartoon strip collection providing yet another hilarious set of strips thematically linked under one cover. Black and white and some color panels illustrate ironies and inconsistencies between employers and employees and make this a top pick for any general lending library.

For anyone whoever worked in a large corporation you will be in stiches as you recognize character with whom you worked and sympathize with the poor schmoes as they try to cope.

As always, this Dilbert collection is a great "best of" collection of strips, this one centering around the theme of (what else) incompetent and progress thwarting bosses and co-workers. Contains strips covering most of the comic's lifespan.