Friday, July 3, 2015

In the Beginning, There Was Chaos: For Better or For

Return to where the Patterson family began inside this second treasury of For Better or For Worse. The first treasury, Something Old, Something New, (December 2010), has already shipped more than 17,000 copies.As its title suggests, First, There Was Chaos follows John and Elly Patterson as they tackle the everyday joys and sorrows—and surprises and frustrations and challenges—that arise when raising a young family. In her second For Better or For Worse treasury, Lynn Johnston takes readers back to the 1980s, when Elly leaves her ho for a job at the library. As Elly chases her professional goals, she struggles with spending less time at home. Meanwhile, John provides consistent comic relief, as he plays Mr. Mom, breaks his foot with a 25-pound turkey, and gets arrested for trying to steal a potty. Of course, the kids are always in tow—Michael learning that with age comes responsibility and Elizabeth discovering the thrills of kindergarten. Combining strips from Johnston’s fourth, fifth, and sixth cartoon collections—Just One More Hug, The Last Straw, and Keep the Home Fries Burning—First, There Was Chaos reflects Johnston’s longstanding tradition of portraying family life with charm, humor, and honesty. Devoted fans will love reliving the Pattersons’ younger years, and first-time readers will discover why this endearing foursome is North America’s favorite funny page family.It takes a keen eye to recognize life’s shared experiences and an even keener intellect to assemble those moments in a humorous and heartfelt way. With For Better or For Worse, Johnston elevates everyday aspects of life into brilliant observations on personal career goals, parenting choices, and coffee klatch friendships. In 2008, Johnston made an unprecedented move within the cartooning community by deciding to use former plotlines as starting points for new ones. For Better or For Worse has been syndicated since 1979 and was named Best Syndicated Comic Strip in 1992. For Better or For Worse appears in more than 1,600 newspapers in 23 countries, and is translated into 8 languages for a devoted readership of more than 220 million. The strip boasts a lively Web presence at www.fborfw.com.

As its title implies, In the Beginning There Was Chaos follows John and Elly Patterson as they tackle the everyday joys and sorrows--and surprises and frustrations and challenges--that arise when raising a young family. In her second For Better or For Worse treasury, Lynn Johnston takes readers back to the 1980s, when Elly leaves her column for a job at the library. As Elly chases her professional goals, she struggles with spending less time at home. Meanwhile, John provides consistent comic relief, as he plays Mr. Mom, breaks his foot with a 25-pound turkey, and gets arrested for trying to steal a potty. Of course, the kids are always in tow--Michael learning that with age comes responsibility and Elizabeth discovering the thrills of kindergarten.

Combining strips from Johnston's fourth, fifth, and sixth cartoon collections--Just One More Hug, The Last Straw, and Keep the Home Fries Burning--In the Beginning There Was Chaos reflects Johnston's longstanding tradition of portraying family life with charm, humor, and honesty. Devoted fans will love reliving the Pattersons' younger years, and first-time readers will discover why this endearing foursome is North America's favorite funny page family.

In the Beginning There Was Chaos includes Johnston's commentary on the inspiration behind strips, as well as photos and newspaper clippings from the early days, providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse for fans of For Better or For Worse. Join the Patterson family as they find humor in everyday life's challenges.

Lynn Johnston was born in Collingwood, Ontario, and grew up in British Columbia. Today, she lives in Corbeil, Ontario. Johnston is the first woman to receive a Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year by the National Cartoonists Society in 1985. She has also received the Order of Canada and claims a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.

For Better or For Worse has been syndicated since 1979 and was named Best Syndicated Comic Strip in 1992. For Better or For Worse appears in more than 2,000 newspapers in 23 countries, and is translated into 8 languages for a devoted readership of more than 220 million. The strip boasts a lively Web presence at www.fborfw.com.


Lynn Johnston was born in Collingwood, Ontario, and grew up in British Columbia. Today, she lives in Corbeil, Ontario. Johnston is the first woman to receive a Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year from the National Cartoonists Society in 1986. She has also received the Order of Canada and claims a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.

Most helpful customer reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
5Great for a Behind the Scenes look at My Favorite Comic Strip
By Steve Allison
Brings back fond memories. Lynn does a wonderful job of including behind the scenes commentaries on her strips. The book also includes pictures on Lynn and her family. How precious to see small Aaron and Katie, the inspirations for Michael and Elizabeth. I'm hoping she has the time and energy to keep these treasuries coming until the strip came to its satisfying conclusion.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
5Good Read
By Margery
It's really enjoyable to read Lynn Johnston' comments on the cartoon family, her back story about the characters, and, of course, to get to read the extra cartoons she inserts in the book.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
5Long Time Fan of Lynn Johnston
By J. Davis
I own every book she's written. Watching the family grow up and meeting the challenges of changing children has been aptly handled by her humor. I would suggest that you start with her first book and read them in order. Maybe checking them out from the library first. This is the second treasury collection. It can be read as a stand-alone. And I suggest you do...read it.

See all 12 customer reviews...

Download In the Beginning, There Was Chaos: For Better or For Worse 2nd Treasury (For Better or for Worse Treasury) Now

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