101 Uses for a Dead Cat

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101 Uses for a Dead Cat
ISBN
0-517-54516-0

101 Uses for a Dead Cat, by Simon Bond (1947–2011),

tag line
, "Since time immemorial mankind has been plagued by the question, 'What do you do with a dead cat?'" It consisted of cartoons depicting the bodies of dead cats being used for various purposes, including anchoring boats, sharpening pencils and holding bottles of wine.

Release and sequels

First published in the UK in 1981 as A Hundred and One Uses for a Dead Cat,[1] the collection was eventually republished in 20 countries and sold over 2 million copies.[3] It spawned two sequels, 101 More Uses for a Dead Cat and Uses of a Dead Cat in History, as well as calendars featuring the cartoons and even a book in response called The Cat's Revenge - More Than 101 Uses for Dead People. In 2006, a 25th anniversary edition of A Hundred and One Uses of a Dead Cat was published with a new foreword.[3]

Reception

By December 7, 1981, it had spent 27 weeks on the

New York Times Best Seller list.[4] Its success was considered part of a larger "cat craze" in popular culture, which included the Jim Davis comic strip Garfield, and the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats.[5]

Further

Time called the author and illustrator, Simon Bond, "the Charles Addams of ailurophobia." He received hate mail accusing him of obscenity and sadism.[4]

American Opinion stated that those who read the book should be "prepared to be disgusted or appalled from time to time".[6]

The book was parodied by British cartoonist Patrick Wright with his book 101 Uses for a John Major, in which the former British Prime Minister was illustrated serving a number of bizarre purposes, such as a train-spotter's anorak or as a flag-pole.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b Bryant, Mark (July 26, 2011). "Simon Bond: Cartoonist and illustrator best known for his book 101 Uses for a Dead Cat". The Independent. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  2. ^ The Comics Reporter
  3. ^ a b 101 Uses for a Dead Cat. In Cartoonstock.. Retrieved 14 September 2010 from http://www.cartoonstock.com/101_dead_cats/index.htm Archived 2010-11-08 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b "A Comeuppance for Cats". Time. 21 September 1981. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  5. ^ Hinckley, David (2 August 1981). "Light Feet: The Surge of Cat Books Is What the Veterinarian Ordered For America". St. Petersburg Independent. pp. 2–B. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  6. ^ American opinion, Vol. 25. Robert Welch, Inc. 1982. p. 64.
  7. ^ "101 Uses for a John Major". Open Library. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Patrick Wright". Lambiek Comiclopedia. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
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