Customer Reviews

Unshelved Volume 2: What Would Dewey Do?

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

The second book of comics about the Mallville Public Library is just as funny and true as the first.

If you want to try before you buy, you can read their entire archive online at http://www.overduemedia.com or buy a 'Read Responsibly' t-shirt.

First, full disclosure: I am not a librarian, but I have seriously considered studying to become one, and all my 1500 books are Dewey decimalized, and have been since I was about 10 years old. So I may perhaps be a bit biased, but this book is very funny, even to a non-librarian. I checked it out from my local public library today and started reading it in the parking lot. I had finished reading it before I left the parking lot. And I noticed that the place was empty; the library had closed and the lot had cleared out while I read and laughed unawares.

I am a librarian and have been reading Unshelved via my email for several years now. I bought this book from the authors at an American Library Association meeting. Their cartoon strip is almost always right on the mark when it comes to how things really are in a library, and covers a lot of the situtations we deal with daily. Some of their panels make me laugh out loud and all are at least worth a chuckle. For librarians, this is a must have. For non-librarians - well, now you can see what we say about you behind your backs.

I had enough laughs out loud for my wife to walk over and say, "What are you reading?" The drawing style is flat but fairly effective. Maybe the humor is better if you've worked in a library, school, or similar support job but the strip comes across as fresh, even after several books' worth of reading it.

I've been reading Unshelved online for a while, and I must say that the strips look a lot nicer in print than they do on the computer screen. Bill and Gene are clever, funny guys, and the jokes work even for non-librarians (like me). Strips range from the library end of the spectrum -- privacy issues and the Patriot Act, a haiku poetry slam -- to the general workplace end -- a hard drive crash, employees going ape over donuts. Plus you get material that's not on the website, like the "how we make Unshelved" comic -- it looks quickly drawn but the dialogue between the Bill and Gene characters just ring true. All in all, it's a funny book, and now whenever I visit my local library I look around with a whole new perspective.

I'm a big Unshelved fan. No, I'm not a librarian. I'm a cartoonist. In fact I'm an award winning illustrator. I mention this because I want you to grock that my opinion matters more than others in so much that I understand the fine art of cartooning from the professional's viewpoint. But, enough about me, lets talk about what a treasured treat you will find in Unshelved. A natural simplistic style is a technique of allowing the viewer to identify with the characters. This is because we are all very simple at heart. But, unlike us, the characters in Unshelled are never tongue-tied. Their wit pours on scathing abuse with a gentle yet fair hand. We see in their retorts and quips the daily venting of the spleen we all go through to prevent us from indulging in road rage. In closing get and read this book, it prevents road rage. And it just might make you want to get to know your librarian.

Not a book to be read once only, but I put it on the coffee table to enjoy often or for friends to enjoy in small segments. This book is as great as the first three with its laugh-out-loud strips to pithy and humorous comments exposing the vulgarities of American marketing, management and mayham. I am also the proud owner of Unshelved's Library swat-team jacket. It is a great conversation starter and very comfortable. Also it makes a great gift, along with the book.

Length:: 1:19 Mins

Okay, watch this before forking over much needed money for crack. If you have a horrible sense of humor, please keep quiet and laugh along with those that are actually funny. Don't purchase a volume of Unshelved and remove all doubt that you are humor challenged needing medical help.