It’s my birthday today and, as is our tradition, Gene drew today’s strip. Unlike me, you don’t get to enjoy the many weeks of whining and pure fear rolling off him in globs of sweat as he does everything to avoid actually, you know, drawing. You just get to see the result, which I think is pretty great. Thanks Gene!

(Feeling generous? The best possible birthday present would be for you to buy our new book for yourself, or a friend, or both.)

In other news, I had some very special guests a few weeks ago - Jim Demonakos, Mark Long, and (by Skype) Nate Powell, the creators of the new graphic novel The Silence of our Friends, reviewed today, about the civil rights movement. Hear their interview here.

Also in the Unshelved Book Club you’ll find books about a bad cat, keys that can open any lock, Scientology, Jabberwocky, milk teeth, Lewis Trondheim, and things Roz Chast hates.