Since the Doonesbury cartoon strip appeared in 1970 Garry Trudeau has been skewering American social and political life and today the strip appears in around 1,400 newspapers worldwide and online at doonesbury.com.
I've been on board for most of that time, firstly through a daily dose in The Australian where it took over, if my memory serves me well from the inimitable Pogo, themn through an assortment of paperback compilations that appear on the list below, and most recently through a daily glance at doonesbury.com.
Given the fact that we started with a dweebish college student whose room mate was a right wing footballer you'd think there wouldn't be anything there that would sustain a forty-year run, but it has, and it's the closest thing in Hughesy's reading habits to a long running soap opera.
And the reader might wince at the soap opera bit, rest assured that Trudeau's still sharp as a tack.
Note: In the extensive bibliography below the utalicised titles are the ones I've been able to locate on my shelves. At some point in time I'll be out looking at some of this stuff for my Interesting Times project, and I need some record of what I've got, don't I?
(Listing, predictably, appropriated from Wikipedia)
Still a Few Bugs in the System (1972) (a.k.a. Even Revolutionaries Like Chocolate Chip Cookies and Just a French Major from the Bronx)
The President Is a Lot Smarter Than You Think (1973) (a.k.a. Don’t Ever Change Boopsie)
But This War Had Such Promise (1973) (a.k.a. Bravo for Life’s Little Ironies and I Have No Son)
Call Me When You Find America (1973)
Guilty, Guilty, Guilty! (1974)
“What Do We Have for the Witnesses, Johnnie?” (1975)
Dare to Be Great, Ms. Caucus (1975)
Wouldn’t a Gremlin Have Been More Sensible? (1975)
“Speaking of Inalienable Rights, Amy...” (1976)
You’re Never Too Old for Nuts and Berries (1976)
An Especially Tricky People (1977)
As the Kid Goes for Broke (1977)
“Any Grooming Hints for Your Fans, Rollie?” (1978)
Stalking the Perfect Tan (1978)
“But the Pension Fund Was Just Sitting There” (1979)
We’re Not Out of the Woods Yet (1979)
A Tad Overweight, But Violet Eyes to Die For (1980)
And That’s My Final Offer! (1980)
He’s Never Heard of You, Either (1981) (a.k.a. Adjectives Will Cost You Extra and Gotta Run, My Government Is Collapsing)
In Search of Reagan’s Brain (1981) (a.k.a. Is This Your First Purge, Miss? and We Who Are About to Fry, Salute You)
Ask for May, Settle for June (1982 (a.k.a. It’s Supposed to Be Yellow, Pinhead and Do All Birders Have Bedroom Eyes, Dear?)
Unfortunately, She Was Also Wired for Sound (1982) (a.k.a. Confirmed Bachelors Are Just So Fascinating and Dressed for Failure, I See)
The Wreck of the “Rusty Nail” (1983 (a.k.a. A Farewell to Alms and Sir, I’m Worried About Your Mood Swings)
You Give Great Meeting, Sid (1983 (a.k.a. Guess Who, Fish Face and The Thrill Is Gone, Bernie)
Check Your Egos at the Door (1985)
That’s Doctor Sinatra, You Little Bimbo! (1986)
Death of a Party Animal (1986)
Downtown Doonesbury (1987)
Calling Dr. Whoopee (1988)
Talkin’ About My G-G-Generation (1988)
We’re Eating More Beets! (1988)
Read My Lips, Make My Day, Eat Quiche and Die! (1989)
Give Those Nymphs Some Hooters! (1989)
You’re Smokin’ Now, Mr. Butts! (1990)
I’d Go With the Helmet, Ray (1991)
Welcome to Club Scud! (1991)
What Is It Tink, Is Pan in Trouble? (1992)
Quality Time on Highway 1 (1993)
Washed Out Bridges and Other Disasters (1994)
In Search of Cigarette Holder Man (1994)
Doonesbury Nation (1995)
Virtual Doonesbury (1996)
Planet Doonesbury (1997)
Buck Wild Doonesbury (1999)
Duke 2000: Whatever it Takes (2000)
The Revolt of the English Majors (2001)
Peace Out, Dawg! (2002)
Got War? (2003)
Talk to the Hand (2004)
Heckuva Job, Bushie! (2006)
Welcome to the Nerd Farm (2007)
Tee Time in Berzerkistan (2009)
Red Rascal's War (2011)
Anthology collections
The Doonesbury Chronicles Daily strips published Oct. 26 1970 to Dec. 20 1974 and Sunday strips from Dec. 27 1970 to Dec. 22 1974.
Doonesbury’s Greatest Hits Daily strips published Jan. 7 1975 to Dec. 10 1977 and Sunday strips from Jan. 26 1975 to Dec. 25 1977.
The People’s Doonesbury: Notes from Underfoot Daily strips published Jan. 9 1978 to June 21 1980 and Sunday strips from Jan. 22 1978 to June 29 1980.
Doonesbury Dossier: The Reagan Years Daily strips published Jan. 7 1981 to Jan. 1 (1983 and Sunday strips from Jan. 6 1981 to Jan. 2 1983.
Doonesbury Deluxe: Selected Glances Askance Daily strips published Oct. 1 1984 to April 4 1987 and Sunday strips from Sept. 30 1984 to April 5 1987.
Recycled Doonesbury: Second Thoughts on a Gilded Age Daily strips published Dec. 1 (1986 to May 3 (1990 and Sunday strips from April 26 1987 to Sept. 9 1990.
The Portable Doonesbury Daily strips published Mar. 5 1990 to Feb. 4 1993 and Sunday strips from May 13 1990 to April 25 1993.
The Bundled Doonesbury: A Pre-Millennial Anthology Daily strips published Jan. 11 1995 to May 2 1998 and Sunday strips from Feb. 12 1995 to Aug. 2 1998. Includes bundled CD-ROM Doonesbury Flashbacks: 25 Years of Serious Fun
Doonesbury Redux Contains strips collected in Duke 2000 and The Revolt of the English Majors: Daily strips published May 10 1999 to May 26, 2001 and Sunday strips from June 27 1999 to Aug. 12, 2001 ).
Doonesbury: The War Years. Contains the strips collected in Peace Out, Dawg! and Got War? Daily strips published May 28, 2001 to July 19, 2003 and Sunday strips from July 8, 2001 to July 20, 2003.
40: A Doonesbury Retrospective. A limited collection of strips spanning 40 years, plus 18 essays by the author, and a character map.
