Living the Dream: A Mutts Treasury (Volume 23) Paperback – November 4, 2014

Mutts is the most beautiful comic strip; kind and loving. Even though I don’t particularly care for dogs, and we don’t own any pets, my wife and I are in love with Earl and Mooch and their friends. These treasuries are pure gold.This is a combined review of a lot of annual and treasury collections, because essentially, they are indistinguishable. In the Mutts universe, nothing ever changes. That means you can buy ANY of these books and enjoy them in any order!The annual collections this review covers are Mutts (1996), Cats & Dogs (1997), More Shtuff (1998), Yesh! (1999), Our Mutts (2000), A Little Look-See (2001), What Now (2002), I Want to Be the Kitty! (2003)Dog-Eared (2004), and Who Let the Cat Out? (2005).After 2005, Patrick McDonnell started publishing larger treasury collections instead of the smaller annual books. They are Everyday Mutts (2006), Animal Friendly (2007), Call of the Wild (2008), Stop and Smell the Roses (2009), Earl and Mooch (2010), Our Little Kat King (2011), BONK! (2012), Cat Crazy (2013) and Living the Dream (2014). Each has a year’s worth of comic strips, and some other bonus things too.And yes we own them all! See the photo - we even have little Mutts dolls, including Mooch with his little pink sock.In each collection, we meet the same sweet animals, the same delightful children (we love Doozie and her “Bobbie Doll” car), the same eccentric grown-ups, the same familiar settings (like the seashore and my favorite place, the Fatty Snax deli). We have the everyday adventures of a little dog, Earl, and a little cat, Mooch, and their friends.We also have recurring themes, like “Shelter Stories” to encourage adoption, the annual visit to the seashore to see Crabby the Crab and Mussels Marina, encounters with a bear trying to hibernate, the same birds working on getting their songs right, and attempts to tell the worlds about endangered tigers.We always keep one or two of these beautiful comic books on the bedside table. We’re read them all many times (like Earl, they are dog-eared), and often look through a few pages every night. You can’t get tired of them!If you follow the comic strip “Mutts” you know what I’m talking about. If not, well, you will love these books.Hint: You can follow the comic online at http://muttscomics.com/

I am absolutely ecstatic with my purchase. I love Mutts Comics. This was the only book I did not have in my collection. I was super excited to purchase this item from this seller. This book is in amazing shape. I was also super happy with the price. I would definitely purchase from thin seller again.

This was sold as used but is in such good condition that it looks better than some of the new paperback cartoon books I have purchased. The cartoons are the best I've seen in the Mutts collection. This is my favorite.

One of my favorite comic strips. Good quality, easy to read and very enjoyable book. If you like comics or if you like animals, this is a good choice for you. It is also a great gift. The author does a series called shelter stories at least once a year and focuses on animal adoption – cute – with a little bit of an emotional tug on the heart strings.

I enjoyed it!

Love this like I love all of my Mutts books. Not a disappointing one in the entire collection.

Excellent refuge for ill relative in hospital who hasn't yet the strength to read his books but loves to read. Great!

Patrick McDonnell is my hero. These creatures he has put on paper for us to enjoy are soulful. I find everything under the Mutts logo to be just beautiful.

Mutts is always a delight!

Just love those two. Here it is a lot to learn and think about. Give my life a new perspective.

'Living The Dream' regroupe deux années (2011-2012 ?) de comic strips en noir et blanc et de pages du dimanche en couleurs de cette série proposée depuis plus de 20 ans par Patrick McDonnell, un états-unien néo sexagénaire fan de rock et d'animaux."Mutts" a pour personnages principaux deux animaux de compagnie qui sont voisins l'un de l'autre : le petit chien blanc Earl et le chat noir Mooch. Tous deux sont très bons amis et même complices. Ils passent la plupart du temps leur journée ensemble à dormir ou à deviser. Earl a pour maître un trentenaire moustachu et célibataire du nom d'Oozie, tandis que Mooch est le compagnon à quatre pattes d'un couple de personnes âgées, Frank et Millie. Mais il y a beaucoup d'autres personnages animaliers dans Mutts : les chats Sourpuss et Shtinky, Philippe et les autres oiseaux, Bip et Bop, les deux écureuils qui balancent des glands sur tout ce qui passe sous leur arbre, Crabby le crabe, Doozy la petite fille, Butchie le boucher etc.L'ouvrage comporte une couverture souple, de format italien, et présente deux comic strips noir et blanc ou bien une "Sunday page" en couleurs par page. Au programme, on trouve dans un ordre bien en place les bonnes résolutions d'Earl, Mooch et leurs amis à quatre pattes pour la nouvelle année, comment les deux compagnons font face aux rigueurs hivernales (notamment en tentant d'hiberner dans un lit bien douillet), le réveil de la marmotte, la Saint-Valentin, le retour anticipé du rouge-gorge, le quotidien des deux amis avec leurs maîtres et entre eux, les visites à Butchie, la Saint Patrick, le printemps et le retour des oiseaux, les bien pratiques To-Do lists, l'éclosion de Benedict, les "Shelter Stories" (chats et chiens en attente d'adoption), les hommages graphiques (Mondrian, le magazine "MAD" etc.), le "Mutts Book Club" (Mooch faisant la lecture de chefs d'oeuvre de la littérature à Bip & Bop), la rencontre avec une cigale, les journaux intimes des principaux protagonistes, etc. etc. La vie suit son cours selon les saisons et McDONNELL nous charme avec son humour bienveillant mais "witty". ****1/2

Purrfect as always.