Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain!

Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain! is a collection of blog posts and musings from Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip. The book presents over 150 short pieces originally published on Adams' blog, later compiled and edited for print publication. The content ranges from everyday observations to social commentary, covering topics like relationships, technology, current events, and personal experiences. Adams tackles subjects such as dancing techniques, terrorism fears, gender differences, and hypothetical scenarios with his characteristic blend of humor and analysis. The book's structure follows a non-linear format, with each piece standing independently rather than building a continuous narrative. Some entries from the original blog were removed during the book's development, while others were revised or expanded. The work represents Adams' venture beyond his established comic strip territory into broader cultural and personal territory, using his background as a cartoonist to frame observations about modern life and human behavior.

Readers describe this collection of blog posts as hit-or-miss, with some essays landing well and others feeling repetitive or dated. Positive reviews highlight Adams' humor, particularly in stories about his personal life and career mishaps. Many readers appreciate his straightforward discussion of complex topics like economics and psychology. Several reviewers noted the book works well for short reading sessions since each essay stands alone. Common criticisms focus on Adams' tendency to present opinions as facts and his sometimes arrogant tone. Multiple readers felt the political commentary aged poorly. Some found the scattered format frustrating compared to his more focused books. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (90+ ratings) Representative review: "About 1/3 brilliant insights, 1/3 amusing anecdotes, and 1/3 eye-rolling pontification. Worth reading but prepare to skim sections that don't grab you." - Goodreads reviewer

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🔸 Scott Adams created Dilbert while still working at Pacific Bell, drawing cartoons early in the morning before his corporate job, and continued this routine for years until the strip's success. 🔸 The book's title references the author's concept of "monkey brain" - his term for the irrational, emotional part of human thinking that often overrides logic and reason. 🔸 The blog posts included in this collection were written during 2006-2007, a period when Adams was recovering from a rare condition called Spasmodic Dysphonia that temporarily left him unable to speak. 🔸 Prior to his success with Dilbert and writing, Adams held numerous jobs including bank teller, computer programmer, financial analyst, and commercial lender - experiences that later informed his satirical take on corporate culture. 🔸 While most of Adams' other books focus primarily on business and workplace humor, this was his first major publication to extensively explore personal philosophy, social commentary, and life observations outside the corporate world.