John Anderson's Copy of Think Good Thoughts About a Pussycat by George Booth

White Fox Rare Books and Antiques of New York City is offering a very special copy of George Booth's Think Good Thoughts About a Pussycat (1975). The half-title page is signed and inscribed with an original drawing of a cat happily enjoying "A VERY GOOD THOUGHT."

In the description, the bookseller has mistaken the printed self-portrait of Booth's mother Maw Maw for an unsigned sketch captioned Mad Man. We all make mistakes.

Booth has provided the full title page with its own printed dog sequene.

Here's a master class in how to draw a cartoon and write a caption so good that it will one day give a cartoon collection its title:

"I want you to start thinking good thoughts about someone new at our house.
I want you to start thinking good thoughts about a pussy cat."

George Booth
AbeBooks listing accessed September 4, 2026

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Inscribed-original-ink-sketch-Think-Good/32490882428/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook

George Booth
AbeBooks bibliographic details

Note:  Books like this one with an original drawing by George Booth are always of interest here. Readers are encouraged to send scans for potential inclusion in future installments.

05321

Wallace Wood for Portage Porto-Ped Shoes

"The Abominable Squeaks." So reads the copy of a 1960s-era magazine advertisement for Portage Porto-Ped Shoes. Four vignettes by the formidable Mad magazine artist Wallace Wood depict the untold embarrassment of being the man whose shoes make too much noise. The bridegroom advancing nervously down the aisle, the doctor making night shift rounds on the hospital ward, the game hunter stealthily seeking his prey, even the zookeeper failing to mind his oversized charge—none are spared the indignity of these "abominable squeaks."

The shoes are now priced from $29.95 to $34.95, with the lower-end shoes more expensive than what was quoted in the, presumably earlier, 1967 pair of ads we saw in yesterday's post. Those, of course, were illustrated by The New Yorker's William Steig. Wood is the only cartoonist I have found other than Steig who contributed to these Porto-Ped ads and this single page is the only example I have located for him. But there could be others.

Wallace Wood
The Abominable Squeaks.
1960's-era advertisement for Portage Porto-Ped Shoes

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265845343823

Note:  As my sneakers silently convey me through the lands of vintage advertising and illustration, I am eager to hear of additional cartoon ads by Wallace Wood, William Steig, or perhaps others from this Portage Porto-Ped Shoes campaign.

 05320

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #999

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #999 from the issue of July 27, 2026, a couple seated in their living room look up at a giant hole in the wall through which an elephant has just run out. The man speaks. My submission is shown below. The drawing is by Tom Toro.

"Enough with the dad jokes."

I decided to stay away from the most obvious take:

"Now what do we avoid talking about?"

August 9, 2026 Update:  The Finalists

August 16, 2026 Update:  I voted for the caption from Seattle.

August 26, 2026 Update: The Winner

05308

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #998

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #998 from the issue of July 20, 2026, a woman and a cat are out kayaking. The woman speaks. My submission is shown below. The drawing is by Liza Donnelly.

"There must be a closer litter box."

August 2, 2026 Update:  The Finalists

August 9, 2026 Update:  I voted for the caption from North Arlington.

August 16, 2026 Update:  The Winner

05302

George Booth at "Drawn From The New Yorker: A Centennial Celebration"

Cartoonist George Booth (June 28, 1926-November 1, 2022) was born one-hundred years ago today. He is best known for his work in The New Yorker, a magazine that was one year of age when he was born and that got to celebrate its own centennial last year. The Society of Illustrators held a major exhibition in honor of the magazine, "Drawn From The New Yorker: A Centennial Celebration" curated by cartoonist Liza Donnelly. Three original Booth works were included.

Booth's cover art for the issue of February 16, 1976, has a dog and a cat sitting on an area rug facing away from each other. They are surrounded by ornate interior patterns. The animals do not seem to be paying attention to each other exactly, but then they cannot be said to be unaware of each other's presence. 

 

George Booth
Original art
The New Yorker, February 16, 1976

George Booth
The New Yorker, February 16, 1976

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1976-02-16/flipbook/CV1/

A cartoon from the issue of August 13, 1973, is part of a recurring Booth scenario: a man sits in his bathtub talking about whatever is on his mind while his wife does housework. The home is illuminated by a bare light bulb and filled with cats. 

The artwork reveals Booth's use of patches on both the man and the woman to get their faces just how he wanted them. There is a pencil notation at the lower right that indicates where the signature was moved photographically for publication.

"How about supper in the tub tonight, Hon?"
George Booth
Original art
The New Yorker, August 13, 1973, p. 78

"How about supper in the tub tonight, Hon?"
George Booth
The New Yorker, August 13, 1973, p. 78

With a drawing by George Booth

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1973-08-13/flipbook/078/

Finally, there was a cartoon about making music and making dinner:

"Last call for stuffed peppers or I feed 'em to the dog!"
George Booth
Original art
The New Yorker, September 27, 1976, p. 37
Pussycats Need Love, Too, Dodd, Mead & Co., 1980

"Last call for stuffed peppers or I feed 'em to the dog!"
George Booth
The New Yorker, September 27, 1976, p. 37
Pussycats Need Love, Too, Dodd, Mead & Co., 1980

With a spot by Jeanine[?] and a drawing by George Booth

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1976-09-27/flipbook/036/

Note:  It turns out the stuffed peppers drawing was the subject of a blog post here four years ago for George Booth's ninety-sixth birthday.

In case you were wondering, there's a lot more Booth on the blog here. 

05283

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #987

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #987 from the issue of April 20, 2026, a pair of dogs look up at giant moon that is in the form of a cat's head. The dog on the right speaks. My submission is below. The drawing is by Christopher Weyant.

"Don't just sit there—howl."

This caption didn't sit well:

"I refuse to see anything but a man in the moon."

May 2, 2026 Update:  The Finalists

May 10, 2026 Update:  I voted for the caption from Chicago.

May 23, 2026 Update:  The Winner

05250

Ronald Searle's Complete Published Works?

Somebody did a very thorough job collecting the published books of Ronald Searle. Forum Auctions, which offered the set yesterday, called the approximately two hundred volumes "The Complete Works of Ronald Searle" to which I might add only "or very nearly" out of an abundance of caution.

But rather than quibble, let's pause to admire the condition of all these books in their lovely dust jackets, the inclusion of some different editions—English, American, French, German—and the books by various authors whom Searle illustrated.

In addition, at least three of the books were personally inscribed by Searle. The most impressive of these, no doubt, is David Arkell's copy of Ronald Searle's Big Fat Cat Book (1982) inscribed in October of that year to his long-time journalist friend with a classic Searle cat.

The London auction house's presale estimate was 6,000-8,000 GBP, with bidding starting at 5,000 GBP.

Ronald Searle
Forum Auctions listing accessed March 13, 2026

khttps://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/Searle-Ronald-.-Collection-of-the-Complete-Work-305-c-E975213429?utm_term=ronald%20searle&utm_source=alerts&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=keywordalerts&utm_content=430028&utm_term=430028

Ronald Searle

Forum Auctions item description

Alas, no sale.

April 12, 2026 Update:  These books failed to sell at auction and were subsequently listed on AbeBooks by Picture This Gallery of Sunningdale, UK, with additional images. On the one hand, the asking price is considerably greater than the high estimate at auction. On the other hand, there is no buyer's premium to contend with. It remains an extraordinary collection.

Ronald Searle
AbeBooks listing accessed April 12, 2026

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Complete-Collection-works-Ronald-Searle-almost/32419760686/bd

Ronald Searle
AbeBooks item description

05231