Artist Norman Thelwell is best known for his cartoons depicting plump, petulant ponies and their young riders, but The Effluent Society shows another aspect of his work and character. Thelwell was passionate about the countryside and nature. During his life he became increasingly concerned about the impact of development, pollution and society's treatment of the environment. When The Effluent Society was first published in 1971, his concerns were way ahead of their time. Today, environmental and conservation issues are in the mainstream and have become a global priority. Although the cartoons focus on a serious topic there is no mistaking Thelwell's inimitable style. He used his talent and humour to convey a powerful message: the need to protect the environment. He also takes a wry look at modern life and so-called progress. Thelwell admitted that out of all his books, The Effluent Society was the one that gave him the greatest 'personal satisfaction' and, as such, the re-issue of this title is a fitting tribute to the artist.

The artist Norman Thelwell (1923–2004) was famous for his horse and pony cartoons, but his work was far more wide ranging. He focused his exceptional talent and humour on many diverse subjects, with his witty and wry observations providing amusement and sharp social comment. Some Damn Fool’s Signed the Rubens Again is Thelwell’s look at life in Britain’s stately homes, and what happens when they are opened to the public. Here are the castles, country estates, and the quirks of the British class system all depicted in the artist’s inimitable style. When an ancestral home is crumbling, or an aristocratic family is debt-ridden, the solution calls for drastic action. It is time to welcome in the paying public. Thelwell’s cartoons capture the comic situations that result when the noble residents come face to face with the curious visitors. See the duke in his tower preparing to repel the coachloads with boiling oil; a ghost train in the family vault; toddlers wrecking treasured heirlooms; and animals in the safari park watching the hilarious human spectacle unfold.

This omnibus edition - now in hardback - contains much of Norman Thelwell's invaluable advice to aspiring equestrians on how to get into the saddle and stay there; each item illustrated with inimitable and deadly clarity. From the first publication of Angels on Horseback in 1957, the Thelwell pony entered the language and the libraries of horse-lovers everywhere. The angels in Angels on Horseback are children, but there is plenty here about their parents. Both for those who know Thelwell, and for those who have not met him before, this book is a savoury at all times but especially after attending a gymkhana. Since their debut appearance in Punch over sixty years ago, Norman Thelwell's cartoons and drawings have delighted millions of people all over the world. His portrayals of sporting pursuits, human beings at play, the life of the countryside and, of course, ponies, are the products of a unique comic genius.

A visual celebration, from a master cartoonist, of all the ways in which cats have slunk their way into the English language

Over the centuries human beings have had such a passion for cats that not only have they invaded our homes--occupying the sunniest corners and sitting on the softest mats they can find--they have also invaded our language. Norman Thelwell's collection of drawings is a celebration of this fact. From "scaredy cat" to "catnap," Thelwell's delicious and sleek drawings remind us of these phrases in hilarious and often unexpected ways. Moving beyond phrases to words, Thelwell's endearingly witty vignettes also offer punning feline interpretations of such words as "catarrh," "platypus," and "opus." For lovers of cats and pictures of cats, this collection is a must.

The artist Norman Thelwell published his first pony cartoon in 1953, and quite by accident, his name became synonymous with images of little girls and fat hairy ponies. The "Thelwell pony" quickly became the most-often referenced source of horse-humor the world over, and today, as we prepare to celebrate the centennial of the artist's life in 2023, his caricatures remain as popular as ever. Thelwell's 34 books have sold over 2 million copies in the United Kingdom alone, and his cartoons are found on a diverse array of merchandise, from puzzles and stationery, to socks and bed sheets. Upon discovering his comic niche in the equestrian world, a subject for which-although an outsider without personal horse experience-he became best-known, Thelwell developed a cartoon strip about a particular horse-crazy young lady and her wicked pony called "Penelope and Kipper." This became a book called Penelope, first published in 1972 and now found bound with other favorites in the popular collection Pony Panorama. Seventeen years later, a second series of adventures found its way to print in Penelope Rides Again. Thelwell's plucky, pint-sized equestrian was back in the saddle (or, more frequently, out of it) as she braved both showgrounds and countryside with the still-devilish Kipper. Many years have passed since Penelope Rides Again was last widely available in print. Given that these highly recognizable characters helped marry the Thelwell name to horses and the equestrian experience the world over, a special 100th Anniversary Edition seems fitting. With Penelope's help, readers of all ages will learn to pick themselves up after a fall, no matter how hard...and laugh about it.

Three Sheets in the Wind brings together a glorious collection of Thelwell's sailing cartoons. Arriving on a summer weekend at any stretch of water without one's own craft behind the car or swaying proudly at its moorings is like attending a dance with a broken leg - not to mention the damage to one's social status. This is a humorous manual of instruction for sailors anywhere.

Thelwell really understood the English countryside, its animals and people, and appraised with sympathetic eye both horses and the horsey. That is why his drawings adorn the studies of some of the fiercest Master of Fox Hounds in the country as well a being sure pin-up material in many Pony Club Members' dens. The angels in Angels on Horseback are children but there is plenty here about their parents. Both for readers of Punch who knew Thelwell, and those who did not meet him before, this book is a savoury at all time but especially after attending a gymkhana. J. B. Boothroyd writes in the Foreword: 'Punch has had equestrian artists before. In mid-Victorian times it was difficult to open a copy without being trampled. But the creations between the present covers achieve something entirely new: they combine portraiture with caricature, a thing which most artists would hesitate to try with human beings, let alone the more temperamentally elusive and psychologically inscrutable horse. This means that while no horse could possibly look exactly like a Thelwell horse, all Thelwell horses manage to look exactly like horses.'

The Compleat Tangler brings together a glorious collection of Thelwell's fishing cartoons. What do fishermen really get up to when they abandon a warm bed before the crack of dawn, stuff a haversack with tins of assorted maggots, half a hundredweight of pulped bread and a folding campstool, and disappear into the drizzle? Thelwell presents his report.

Play It As It Lies brings together a glorious collection of Thelwell's golfing cartoons. The perfect gift for any golfer who has experienced the horrors of sporting the wrong attire on course, losing his ball, or been wronged by unforgivable gamesmanship. Thelwell guides the reader out of the bunker and onto the fairway.

Up the Garden Path brings together a glorious collection of Thelwell's gardening cartoons. This humourous cartoon guide covers all aspects of gardening, from how to make a hole in the frozen fish pond to how to get your mower out of the shed, and includes a calendar of essential work throughout the year.