The Lives Behind the Lines

Book excerpt: It's hard to believe we've known and loved the Pattersons for two decades. This lively family-Elly and John and their kids, Michael, Elizabeth, and April-has grown and changed, yet always retained its heartwarming combination of wit and wisdom. Through the years, this extraordinary clan has become like treasured relatives to millions of devoted fans. In Behind the Lines-the new collection that celebrates the strip's 20-year anniversary-For Better or For Worse creator Lynn Johnston takes us on a trip down memory lane, looking back over some of the strip's most memorable moments: Farley's heroics and death. Elly's concerns about aging. Michael's early days at college. Presented as a scrapbook, Behind the Lines includes a chapter for Elly, John, Michael, Elizabeth, and April, highlighting formative times in their lives. Johnston's commentary adds a behind-the-scenes element, as she describes some of her thoughts about the strip over the years. An abundance of her favorite color and black-and-white cartoons makes this must-have book a guaranteed winner with the strip's most ardent fans.