Rating: 
Summary: SEVEN YEARS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE COMICS
Review: A single cartoon that I have laughed the hardest at, the longest at, as to be a Dilbert. Scott Adams has jokes that may step over the line in a businessman's perspective, but if you're a comics fan, its like gold.In this book, we have the best of the beginning, the outrageous of the origin, the super of the Seven. In this book, you will get no new comics, but something that I think every popular comic strip compilation should have. Comments from the author. Somehow, they enrich your reading by providing insights such as: if Adams thought it was dumb, what parts of this outrageousness actualy IS true. Or presenting a phrase that kills him (with laughter!) every time (can you chant?). I'm glad he took the time. In this book, Adams has a few paragraphs/a page or two about every character, as small as its role may be. The characters include:
-Dilbert
..& Dogbert
...& Technology
..in the Business world
...& women
...& his ego
...Dies
...Travels
...Attempts to join the Consumer Society
-Dogbert ..the Early, Vulnerable days
...Reveals his Sarcasm
..& the many occupations
..Schemes to Conquer the World
...Saves Dilbert
-Ratbert ("Timmy" is the best EVER!!!!)
-Garbageman
-Liz
-Dilmom & Dildad
-Bob & the dinosaurs
-Catbert
-Phil
-Asok (he's cool!)
-Tina the Tech Writer
-Elbonians (crack-ups!)
-The Boss
-Alice
-Wally (my fav character)
-Carol
-Critters
-Dogbert in Hats
-Ted the Generic Guy
-Slapstick (the phrase, that isn't a person!)
He missed janitor. Ah, well. This-esp. with the insight comments from Adams-belongs on the shelve of anyone who likes comics (or anything) in the 90's. Or if you like Dilbert, or laughing 'till you strain something.....
Rating:
Summary: The history of Dilbert!
Review: Even though some of the strips are in other books, this one is worthed your money! There is a selection of strips, and Scott Adams comments them on the side. The final art looks great. Those that don't understand all the characters or just got hooked to Dilbert now, is a good starter: all of them are explained with a little text - even the origin of each character!
Rating: 
Summary: thought i'd hate it. was wrong.
Review: I did not want to like this book. I had recently started to join the school of thought that criticizes the "Dilbert" comic strip. The argument goes like this: cartoonist Scott Adams, is making lots of money pointing out the absurdity, the ridiculousness, of much of corporate America. In addition to being on best-seller lists on a regular basis, copies of his strips can be found in many office cubicles. Proof, fans say, of just how apt and accurate his strip is. But now that he has the attention of corporate America, what does he do with that power? He just writes more silly books. Why doesn't he try to change things? He can make a difference but he apparently prefers going for the jokes. As Bob Dole would say, "Where's the outrage?" Well, that was the argument. And I confess it made some sense to me. "Dilbert" seemed funny at first but after a while, like Dave Barry's columns, grew stale. So I started this new book - with a title longer than the list of jibes Adams makes against management - with a grudge against it. But by page 10 I was chuckling. By page 30 I was laughing out loud. And by page 50 I'd decided that I was more interested in enjoying this book than contemplating any deeper meanings or implications behind the strip's popularity. And enjoy it I did. I'd forgotten about some of the minor characters Adams created, such as the employee who has mastered the ability to attach himself to the backs of others. Or the time Dilbert was scheduled to make a speech and his colleagues showed up carrying pillows in preparation. And the time that Dilbert is walking behind a lady when a book falls out. "You dropped this little book titled 'Attractive women's secret guide to avoiding Dilbert'," he said. "Wait a minute! I knew there had to be some kind of conspiracy," he protests while she calls in, with a special phone, "Mayday! Mayday!" Most of the cartoons in this book were included in earlier books but this time he comments on the individual panels, observing where he messed up and what his intentions were. He also announces which of his strips were the most popular. He also explains the meaning behind certain characters and their occupations. "I decided to make Catbert the Director of Human Resources at Dilbert's company. It's the perfect fit. Like (human resource) directors cats don't care if you live or die. And they enjoy playing with you before downsizing you." Adams also writes such self-deprecating remarks as, "I'm not smart enough to be a scientist, so I make my money by mocking them." He also explains an attempt at audience feedback. He created the character Liz so that Dilbert could experience having a girlfriend. "Many readers asked me to allow Dilbert to lose his innocence with Liz, so to speak," he said. So Adams asked fans if they wanted that to occur. "The women who wrote were almost unanimous in their desire for Dilbert to get lucky. But the men were split evenly. Half wanted Dilbert to do the deed and half said, in effect, 'I don't think Dilbert should get lucky until I do.'" If you need to relax and laugh, this book is perfect. Just be careful sharing the book with others at work: half the reason it is so funny is because it is so true in capturing personalities and management practices. And that is as scary as it is amusing.
Rating:
Summary: This book never gets old
Review: I don't know how many times I have re-read this book and I still love it. I really enjoy Mr. Adam's notes and how he shows the evolution of some of his characters. The book is sectioned off mainly by characters, making it easy to find some of your favorite strips. I keep it in my bedroom to read on nights that I might be feeling down and it does the trick every time. This book is definately a must for any Dilbert fan.
Rating:
Summary: As a member of Dogberts New Ruling Class,..
Review: I felt it was my duty to tell all of you Induhviduals How good this book is (And also cuz I have nothing to do) It is really good, and there are a lot of funny comments by Scott Adams in the margin thingys. It's definately worth buying!
Rating:
Summary: The Genesis of Dilbert
Review: I would read strips of Dilbert from the newspapers and find it extremely funny, but sometimes I would find some of the strips rather confusing. After reading this book, and laughing so hard with tears in my eyes, I have been unable to get enough of Dilbert. Everyone one else I lent this book to also experienced the same phenomenon. If you've never been introduced to Dilbert, this is definately the book you should get. It filled with the best strips & explanations by the author himself. It's a timeless piece and can be read over and over again. And for Dilbert fans, this is definately a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: A shining tome of laughter and comedy!
Review: Scott Adams is widely known for creating one of the most unconventional and hilarious comic strips ever: Dilbert. In "Seven Years of Highly Defective People," the tenth in a series of book featuring his entire comic strip, Adams pays tribute to his office working character by placing the best strips into categories, relating how certain characters came to be, and what their inspirations were. Even the strips themselves have small cliffnotes attached to them, interesting tidbits of information as we laugh at the many experiences Dilbert goes through, from his pointy-haired boss's many machinations to the many dates with many kinds of women, to his little dog Dogbert, who wants to rule the world one day. This is the definitive Dilbert book for anyone who's been a longtime fan of the comic strip, or even for those wanting to jump on the bandwagon and see what the laughter is all about.
Rating:
Summary: This book is incredibly funny and interesting!
Review: Scott Adams wrote here a wonderful overview of the past seven years of Dilbert. He has comments under each of the comics, giving an idea of their origins and what he thinks of Dilbert and himself. If you are interested in the history of Dilbert and Adams, this is the book to buy. Otherwise, just buy the other books and see every comic ever made, and not just an overview! (Besides, then he'll make more money and keep making more Dilbert!! :) )
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding introduction to the Dilbert phenomenon
Review: Scott Adams' Dilbert comic strip is simply brilliant; Dilbert is the embodiment of the typical white collar working man. Other comic strips may be funny, but Dilbert personally connects with huge numbers of people in ways no other comic strip has ever come close to matching. It's really amazing how a single three-frame daily comic can say so much so well. I feel a particular affinity to both Dilbert and his creator Scott Adams. Adams' first job was a bank teller position, as was mine. I am also quite familiar with the whole cubicle phenomenon, and while my own work experience was never quite as dysfunctional as that of Dilbert, I can relate to and understand very well the types of management decisions, innovatively silly programs and campaigns, and team-building charades that take place in Dilbert's workplace. You don't have to be a cubicle veteran to "get" Dilbert, though, and Adams' humor is so razor-sharp and grounded in common sense that Dilbert's fans should be and are legion in number. Seven Years of Highly Defective People makes a great introduction to Scott Adams' brilliant comic strip. Not only do you get a sampling of Adams' best creations from the time of the strip's appearance in 1989 to 1996 and the publication of this book, you get a great introduction to the characters who share Dilbert's world. You can see the progression of the The Boss over time and marvel at the appearance and growth of his increasingly pointy hair, watch Dilbert's coworker Alice evolve from a nondescript female character to the triangle-haired attitude-laced pistol she came to be. Wally has always been Wally, but this guy makes any comic strip frame better and funnier just by lending his presence. Then there are the minor and not-so-minor other characters: Ratbert, Catbert, Bob the Dinosaur and family, Dilbert's Mom and never-seen Dad, the world's smartest garbageman, Phil the Prince of Insufficient Light, Asok the intern, Ted the Generic Guy, etc. My favorite character is of course Dogbert, Dilbert's dog who is constantly scheming to take over the world, creating some of the most amazing jobs for himself to aid him in his efforts. Dogbert gets to say all the things that Dilbert (and his author and I and many of us) would like to say but cannot even think about uttering aloud. Each significant character gets a little bio-type write-up here, and perhaps best of all Adams has included notes for the majority of the comic strips stuffed into these 250+ pages. It's fascinating to see how little things he did almost on a lark ended up becoming so popular that they had to be incorporated into the whole Dilbert universe. Even more fascinating are Adams' references to the many controversies some of his seemingly innocuous comic strip ideas met with. His comments on his own poor cartooning skills are also quite funny and, it would seem, true to an extent. Of course, Dilbert wouldn't be the same if it came out looking like a piece of art or a Disney-type production. Most people either "get" Dilbert or don't "get" him, and I think most individuals can establish their respective place with a look at a small sampling of the comic strips. Those whom Dilbert speaks to as a prophet of truth blazing forth across the heavens would do well to invest in this significant collection; there are a lot of Dilbert books on the market, but I think Seven Years of Highly Defective People is among the best of the bunch and is particularly appealing to those wanting to review or learn about the early years of Dilbert.
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding introduction to the Dilbert phenomenon
Review: Scott Adams' Dilbert comic strip is simply brilliant; Dilbert is the embodiment of the typical white collar working man. Other comic strips may be funny, but Dilbert personally connects with huge numbers of people in ways no other comic strip has ever come close to matching. It's really amazing how a single three-frame daily comic can say so much so well. I feel a particular affinity to both Dilbert and his creator Scott Adams. Adams' first job was a bank teller position, as was mine. I am also quite familiar with the whole cubicle phenomenon, and while my own work experience was never quite as dysfunctional as that of Dilbert, I can relate to and understand very well the types of management decisions, innovatively silly programs and campaigns, and team-building charades that take place in Dilbert's workplace. You don't have to be a cubicle veteran to "get" Dilbert, though, and Adams' humor is so razor-sharp and grounded in common sense that Dilbert's fans should be and are legion in number. Seven Years of Highly Defective People makes a great introduction to Scott Adams' brilliant comic strip. Not only do you get a sampling of Adams' best creations from the time of the strip's appearance in 1989 to 1996 and the publication of this book, you get a great introduction to the characters who share Dilbert's world. You can see the progression of the The Boss over time and marvel at the appearance and growth of his increasingly pointy hair, watch Dilbert's coworker Alice evolve from a nondescript female character to the triangle-haired attitude-laced pistol she came to be. Wally has always been Wally, but this guy makes any comic strip frame better and funnier just by lending his presence. Then there are the minor and not-so-minor other characters: Ratbert, Catbert, Bob the Dinosaur and family, Dilbert's Mom and never-seen Dad, the world's smartest garbageman, Phil the Prince of Insufficient Light, Asok the intern, Ted the Generic Guy, etc. My favorite character is of course Dogbert, Dilbert's dog who is constantly scheming to take over the world, creating some of the most amazing jobs for himself to aid him in his efforts. Dogbert gets to say all the things that Dilbert (and his author and I and many of us) would like to say but cannot even think about uttering aloud. Each significant character gets a little bio-type write-up here, and perhaps best of all Adams has included notes for the majority of the comic strips stuffed into these 250+ pages. It's fascinating to see how little things he did almost on a lark ended up becoming so popular that they had to be incorporated into the whole Dilbert universe. Even more fascinating are Adams' references to the many controversies some of his seemingly innocuous comic strip ideas met with. His comments on his own poor cartooning skills are also quite funny and, it would seem, true to an extent. Of course, Dilbert wouldn't be the same if it came out looking like a piece of art or a Disney-type production. Most people either "get" Dilbert or don't "get" him, and I think most individuals can establish their respective place with a look at a small sampling of the comic strips. Those whom Dilbert speaks to as a prophet of truth blazing forth across the heavens would do well to invest in this significant collection; there are a lot of Dilbert books on the market, but I think Seven Years of Highly Defective People is among the best of the bunch and is particularly appealing to those wanting to review or learn about the early years of Dilbert.
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