From the creator of the iconic Cathy comic strip comes her first collection of funny, wise, poignant, and incredibly honest essays about being a woman in what she lovingly calls "the panini generation." As the creator of Cathy, Cathy Guisewite found her way into the hearts of readers more than forty years ago, and has been there ever since. Her hilarious and deeply relatable look at the challenges of womanhood in a changing world became a cultural touchstone for women everywhere. Now Guisewite returns with her signature wit and warmth in this essay collection about another time of big transition, when everything starts changing and disappearing without permission: aging parents, aging children, aging self stuck in the middle. With her uniquely wry and funny admissions and insights, Guisewite unearths the humor and horror of everything from the mundane (trying to introduce her parents to TiVo and facing four decades' worth of unorganized photos) to the profound (finding a purpose post-retirement, helping parents downsize their lives, and declaring freedom from all those things that hold us back). No longer confined to the limits of four cosmic panels, Guisewite holds out her hand in prose form and becomes a reassuring companion for those on the threshold of "what happens next." Heartfelt and humane and always cathartic, Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault is ideal reading for mothers, daughters, and anyone who is caught somewhere in between.

Isolation commiserations from the creator of the iconic “Cathy” comic strip, Cathy Guisewite! We’re all in this together…but it helps to see someone else with her face planted in the bowl of mashed potatoes. In the same way that Cathy was a relatable friend during the comic strip years, she’s returned to offer some happy relief, support, and a much-needed AACK from isolation. This little book is a compassionate companion for right now and, long after the pandemic is over, will be a treasured scrapbook of what we survived—the fear of droplets, the work-from-refrigerator wear, the revenge retail therapy of online shopping, the frustration of trying to teach Grandma to Zoom from 3,000 miles away, the little shreds of hope mixed in with the sourdough bread dough. From the introduction: I’ve worn the same pair of sweatpants for fourteen months. I’ve binge watched, binge eaten, binge shopped, binge prayed. I’ve Zoomed. Streamed. Screamed. Googled how to get hot fudge out of a duvet cover. Googled how to chop my insulting blue jeans into face masks. Googled how to permanently delete my Google search history. I’ve meditated, looked within and asked the big questions: “If no one’s allowed in my house for months, what’s the point of vacuuming?”

"For years, Guisewite has presented a sampling of the absurd and achingly familiar rituals women face in presenting themselves to the world. In the process, she has become a dead-on chronicler of fashion in all its folly." --The Dallas Morning News Lovable Cathy has been sister, confidante, and best friend to countless fans around the world. She's an Everywoman who experiences frustrations on the job, in her love life, and with her aging parents in much the same way as her real-life counterparts. Yet Cathy always handles everything with aplomb, consistently seeing the funny side of every situation. She's been an inspiration--giving readers infinite reasons to laugh at life's strange realities. In this celebration of Cathy's 20 years, creator Guisewite shares some of her earliest strips and recollections of Cathy's growth. An advertising copywriter when she first drew the frazzled Cathy in 1976, Guisewite also reflects on how her own life shaped her character and the strip's other personalities--from boyfriends to pets to parents. From fashion challenges to business travel, Guisewite has covered the gamut of life through her indomitable alter-ego, Cathy, and the trip's been pleasurable for everyone. In Cathy's 20th Anniversary Collection, readers also accompany Cathy on more adventures: Cathy as she listens patiently to her boss rant about how to buy a new car, replying, "Where"s this energy when we want a man to go in a mall?" Cathy as she turns her mother to mush by asking for quality time. Cathy, frustrated from years of trying to find the right man, as she buys a computer just for the on-line romance chat rooms. Faithful fans who've grown up with Cathy will treasure this 20th anniversary book from Cathy Guisewite.

“A volume of recipes to help Cathy’s female fans cope with real-life maddening males” from the Emmy Award-winning cartoonist (Booklist). Cathy’s fights with food are legendary. She battles the bag of chips, the last piece of cake, the chocolate that calls her name. Now, in this delightful cookbook, the creative cartoon figure finally puts her fondness for food to work for the benefit of all womankind. It’s all about Girl Food! Coauthored by cartoonist Cathy Guisewite and food writer Barbara Albright, Girl Food dishes up recipes in ways women really think about eating. Five categories—from Romance Food to Swimsuit Food to Consolation Food—contain taste-tempting recipes for all occasions. Whether the reader’s trying to woo or she’s ruing the day she ever met him, Girl Food serves up just the right kind of nourishment, with a dash of Cathy’s special humor. Consider these tasty morsels: “He Actually Believed Me When I Said I Could Cook” Seduction Steak with Portobello Mushroom Sauce “Why Did I Volunteer to Bring Something” Party Pasta Salad “The Proposal Is Due; I Lost the File; I’m Staying Home” Chicken Soup All of Girl Food’s eighty recipes were developed by Albright, a registered dietitian, former editor-in-chief of Chocolatier Magazine, and author of numerous bestselling books on baking. Cathy—who personally tested every recipe—appears throughout the book, giving bonafide fans a chance to cook and commiserate with one of their favorite food friends. “An amusing arrangement of recipes divided into categories such as Romance Food, Swimsuit Food, Sweat Suit Food, Grown-Up Food and Consolation Food.” —Chicago Tribune

America’s favorite comic strip heroine shares her passion for footwear in this hilarious collection. Like best friends who’ve been together year after year, through thick and thin, Cathy and her adoring public have created a solid and stable relationship. Faithful readers count on their cartoon heroine to tell it like it is, whether the subject is relationships, shopping, or parental responsibilities. In Shoes: Chocolate for the Feet, women immediately comprehend this connection between two of Cathy’s downfalls-food and shopping. Cathy continues to battle the bulge, constantly losing the tug-of-war between her thin clothes and a well-stocked refrigerator. Millions of women have hilariously identified with Cathy's struggles with the four basic guilt groups: food, love, mother, and career.

Collects cartoons featuring "Cathy," the heroine for the 1980's single working woman, and dealing with mothers, boyfriends, bosses, and chocolate.

Cartoonist Cathy Guisewite joins forces with her sister Mickey to explore in illustrated essays what it means to be a woman today. Welcome to the world of two-second vacations, two-dollar raises, and $200 car-phone conversations, where the modern woman ponders innumerable mysteries.