Because time isn’t always kind: economic reviews in a world full of waste!

The depressing truth John Sutherland puts forth in HOW TO READ A NOVEL: A USER’S GUIDE is that there are too many books out there and not enough time. So why not stick with what gets you going? That seems like a no-brainer (”know your tastes” is one piece of “well, duh” advice), but the professor takes us on a breezy, entertaining jaunt down the bookstore aisles, having us consider things like the era in which the novel was written, the typography, the cover, hardback vs. paperback – all to find the right fit so you’re hopefully not left smarting later if you hate it. I was more interested in the little details Sutherland spills regarding the publishing industry – such as one-fourth of the cost of a hardback goes to designing the cover – rather than the main thrust. And speaking of, don’t miss his excerpts of sex scenes from the likes of D.H. Lawrence and Martin Amis. Complete with an ill-timed reference to just-deceased fantasy author Robert Jordan – something about him writing until they “clamp the coffin lid on his face” – and some cool cover reproductions, this is like sitting through a truly entertaining college lecture, listening to someone who knows his stuff.

If you only know cartoonist Bill Ward from his work in old issues of Cracked, erase those memories with Fantagraphics’ THE PIN-UP ART OF BILL WARD, a most bountiful collection of lewd-lite panel gags from ’50s and ’60s men’s humor magazines. Very few feature an actual joke, but each features a mouth-watering drawing of a woman straight out of my fantasies: long, flowing hair; high heels; shiny, thigh-high hose; arm-length opera gloves; full lips; fuller hips; and monstrous, gravity-be-damned breasts. I’m losing oxygen just thinking about it. Edited by Alex Chun, the chunky book is a testament to his talent, and sexier than anything that passes for porn these days, being all in the suggestion. For more overview and more color, also pick up Chun’s THE GLAMOUR GIRLS OF BILL WARD.

McSweeney’s contributor Jason Roeder parodies self-help books in OH, THE HUMANITY!: A GENTLE GUIDE TO SOCIAL INTERACTION FOR THE FEEBLE YOUNG INTROVERT. Not so subtly attacking your deficiencies (”Essential Qualities You Lack” is the name of the first section), the book guides the loser through such subjects as confidence, sense of humor and making small talk such as “Sorry, I need to void my pus nodes” and “That fellow’s schizophrenia makes me smile.” It may be a little repetitive, but it’s hard to fault it with such a reliance of doctored photos involving dolphins and choice lines like “I just read this essay where Andy Rooney really tore state mottoes a new one. It reminded me of you.” Wit aplenty.

Adam Strange is stuck in a rut: Every couple months, he transports himself to the faraway planet of Rann, via a “Zeta beam,” which he narrowly misses each and every issue, collected in SHOWCASE PRESENTS ADAM STRANGE: VOLUME 1. Rann must be the most vulnerable planet of any galaxy, because they’re constantly under attack; conveniently, Strange and his ray gun thwart the threats every time, just before he disappears back to Earth. If you read one Strange story, you’ve read them all. And while this is not the case for all SHOWCASE editions, the black-and-white repros are a detriment here, because with so many words on the page, it needs color to spruce this stuff up and make it interesting. (DC’s terrific 1999 PULP FICTION LIBRARY: MYSTERY IN SPACE collection proves that’d cure what ails it.)

I hadn’t seen a National Geographic book in years. Their new SEA MONSTERS: PREHISTORIC CREATURES OF THE DEEP proves that some things never change: namely, beautiful, crisp photography and scientific knowledge presented in a factual yet entertaining format. But some things do change: Mike Everhart’s book is designed with a nod to today’s Internet generation, with lots of sidebars and quick bites. Oh, and each chapter has a section of photos in eye-poppin’ 3-D (yes, glasses are included) to make it like crack for kids. A companion to an IMAX-style film, the book creatures of the deep both real and mythical, with tons of illustrations and photos to keep the mind engaged. The copy is well-organized so you can read about the subjects that interest you. The mark of a good coffee table book is if it keeps getting thumbed-through; my kids have seen to that. –Rod Lott

Buy it at Amazon.

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES:
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATGIRL: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT: VOLUME 1