Wildlife Preserves: A Far Side Collection, by Gary Larson

Published in 1989, Gary Larson was already a pretty popular cartoonist by the time that this particular collection was published, and this collection continues the author’s interest in absurd situations and rather simple but appealing drawings. This book is about 100 pages and if you are familiar with the Far Side at all, you know what you are getting here. There are drawings of quirky animals acting like people and strange people. There is a look at the ancient world, and even a look at what it would be like if mountains were like people. Gary Larson shows an interest in waste management, the preservation of insects, and funny movies that demonstrate his off-kilter sense of humor. It’s not as if there isn’t anything here that is particularly unusual by the author’s standards, but if you like the cartoon as a whole you know what you are getting here and it’s going to be reliable and enjoyable as it usually is. If you like neanderthals carving up woolly watermelons and hummingbirds on vacation, this is a book you are likely to enjoy, but of course if you are reading this you probably like The Far Side a lot already.