This week Dylan highlights a new book by his brother Adrian who is a contemporary cartoonist best known for his comic book series Optic Nerve and his illustrations in The New Yorker.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Cartoonist, by Adrian Tomine, Drawn & Quarterly
Nepotism Schmepotism, this is a flat-out great book. Yes, it’s my brother, New Yorker cover artist and author of Killing & Dying, Adrian, who wrote and drew this masterpiece—and I don’t use that word lightly—of memoir, but I would recommend it regardless. Even if you’re not inherently interested in the life of a cartoonist, this story of passion, drive, insecurity and humility, related with bracing honesty, will be fascinating to anyone who’s ever aspired to be good at anything. At turns side-splittingly funny and heartbreaking, the sharp drawings and pitch-perfect dialog provide an almost cinematic reading experience. Plus, the book design itself is spectacular—a clear collector’s item in the making.
