Still Pickled After All These Years: A Pickles Book

Buying this e-book was my first exposure to the Pickles comic strip; the panels are too small to read clearly on my Kindle Keyboard without arduously zooming in on the graphics.They are good on my large-screen Kindle DX in landscape mode, but the heavy and slightly awkward DX with only one set of page buttons isn't ideal for holding in bed at night, my favourite reading time.I now read the latest strip daily on GoComics.com.Main characters are seventy-something couple Opal and Earl, daughter Sylvia, grandson Nelson, Opal's sister Pearl, Dan (who seems to be Sylvia's partner, I think Sylvia is divorced) and Earl's friend Clyde.Pets are the dog Roscoe and the fluffy white cat, Muffin.Being a cat lover as well as a dog lover, I wish Muffin is portrayed and drawn in a more sympathetic light though - Roscoe is drawn in a cute, goggle-eyed style and shows some variation in expression whereas Muffin has narrow, cynical-looking eyes, and she has an attitude as well.Most of the strip seems to be centred on Earl who has a rather mischievous outlook on life; I think he is the most humorous character.Earl is struggling to cope with retirement, shopping trips with Opal, and visits from sister-in-law Pearl (he and Pearl detest each other, a situation which adds to the many funny moments in the strip).Opal has to cope with a retired husband in the house as well as with her regular housework.The drawing style is neat, simple and consistent; yet the facial expressions and the varied poses are lifelike and perfectly match the situation in each panel.According to a Wikipedia article the original artwork had Earl & Opal's pupils visible behind their spectacles but in later strips the glasses are drawn opaque - I think it is an improvement.The humour is characterised by clever wit (at first I thought the strip was British not American) and it's no wonder that Pickles is popular and has received awards - Brian Crane can take a bow.Summary: an enjoyable comic strip which, like many strips, is probably better on paper than as an e-book.

I love all the Pickles books. I am about the same age as The couple in the strip, and I sure can relate to the interaction between Opal and Earl. The dog and the cat are hilarious, with the former being rather clueless, the the latter a fiendishly clever disrupter. Their grandson is constantly confused as to his grandparents’s manners of speech and action. The cartoonist is a master of making his drawing of the final panel be the punchline, not hitting you over the head with dialogue to make the point. Good clean fun.

Since Calvin and Hobbes left the scene, Pickles is the only comic that I read. Reading the funny-papers has really never been my thing. The creator, Brian Crane, lives in my city and when he first started creating Pickles there were several articles about him in the local newspaper and so I started reading the Pickles comics. Well, I fell in love with the Earl and Opal Pickles and now I wouldn't miss reading them. I think they are so witty and clever. They never fail to make me laugh and say to my husband "Did you read Pickles today?" I have numerous strips stuck on my refrigerator. To Brian Crane that's the highest accolade! This a super compilation of some of the best strips. I bought it in the Kindle format and it works well there…although I think this is one case where I prefer a book. I highly recommend this book. It will make you smile!

I'd seen Pickles comics every so often on Facebook & thought they are an adorable couple. Many of their conversations remind me of my parents' conversations, so I knew I had to get them a copy for Christmas. They loved it! Of course, I had to flip through & read some before wrapping it. I hope my husband & I can be like Opal & Earl when we reach our older years!

I learned about Pickles on Facebook. The cartoons are hilarious and so recognizable, but I was a bit disappointed that all the cartoons in the book are in black and white, which make them rather 'cold' compared to those on the internet, which are all in color.

I was introduced to Pickles by the comics cut out and taped on my aunt and uncle‘s refrigerator. Every time I get a hold of a newspaper I will look for Pickles. To find a book of them is delightful. Have bought books of to give to brother and sister-in-law to give them smiles as their married lives have matured.

If you like the cartoon in your Sunday funnies you will enjoy this book

Liked everything

We, particularly my wife, really like Pickles. Great to have some Pickles' books around house for an instant pick-me-up....

I was very disappointed that the cartoons were in black and white not colour as they appear in the strips on Facebook. This was not apparent in the Amazon description of the book. The strips themselves are hilarious.

this book and a comfy sofa....relaax. The book is enjoyable and mirrors several senior citizen moments in our lives.

You can hear my wife laughing else where in the house

I have other "Pickles" strips and this one's just as funny as the other ones in my collection.