101 Uses for a Dead Cat
 Original cover | |
| Author | Simon Bond |
|---|---|
| Genre | Black comedy, Cartoons |
| Published | 1981 |
| Publication place | United States |
| ISBN | 0-517-54516-0 |
101 Uses for a Dead Cat, by Simon Bond (1947–2011),[1][2] was a bestselling collection of macabre cartoons. The book was promoted with the 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
[edit]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
[edit]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]
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]
See also
[edit]- Earl the Dead Cat — "a flat, understuffed toy cat with X's for eyes" which came "with a humorous death certificate listing all the reasons a dead cat is better than a live one";[9] produced and sold by the makers of the Croc O' Shirt line of apparel
References
[edit]- ^ 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.
- ^ The Comics Reporter
- ^ 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
- ^ a b "A Comeuppance for Cats". Time. 21 September 1981. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ 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.
- ^ American opinion, Vol. 25. Robert Welch, Inc. 1982. p. 64.
- ^ "101 Uses for a John Major". Open Library. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Patrick Wright". Lambiek Comiclopedia. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Earl the Dead Cat". Mad Dog Productions. Retrieved Jan 14, 2024.