Attack of the Political Cartoonists [Paperback]

J.P. Trostle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 25, 2004

Where the pen meets the sword
With laser-like insight and rapier-sharp wit, the political cartoonist is alive and kicking in the 21st Century.
Here 150 members of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, whose work has appeared in every major newspaper in the U.S. and beyond, join in this celebration of an art form for the mature mind. The cartoonists collected here have won hundreds of journalism awards, including more than a dozen Pulitzer Prizes. More importantly, they do not suffer fools - in politics, religion, or culture - and are always the first to step forward to shout "The Emperor has no clothes!"
With an introduction by Lucy Caswell, professor of the Cartoon Resource Library at Ohio State University, and a foreword by U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, it's . . . Attack of the Political Cartoonists!

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Dork Storm Press (June 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930964676
• ISBN-13: 978-1930964679
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,455,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better compendium than most!, September 10, 2004

By 

Stacy Holmstedt (Mesa, AZ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Attack of the Political Cartoonists (Paperback)

I was pleased to see cartoonists that I loved as a child mixed in with those who I knew from college as well as those who I'd otherwise never see. Several cartoonists had me laughing out loud; others made me bristle, but the diversity of viewpoints provides something for people of every political stripe in these politically ludicrous times.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Be the response an "ah" of agreement or an "argh" of disgust...., September 21, 2005

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Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Attack of the Political Cartoonists (Paperback)

Inorder to review the history of political cartoons before examining this book, I surfed the Web and came upon a site which shares a wealth of information: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA96/PUCK/part1.html. I now presume to suggest that this brief history be read first. (Some may find sufficient background information in Lucy Shelton Caswell's even shorter Introduction to this volume.) Credit J.P. Trostle with the selection and editing of the material which focuses on representative work by almost 150 political cartoonists, introduced in alphabetical order. Together, they do indeed offer a wealth of illustrated "insights & assaults from today's editorial pages."

Of course, our exposure to political cartoons is limited by the number of daily newspapers and weekly news magazines we read. For that reason, I especially appreciate seeing the works of cartoonists of whom I was previously unaware. That is one of the greatest benefits this volume offers. I also appreciate the wide range of perspectives on the most prominent public figures. As Caswell correctly notes, almost all of the selections will elicit one of two responses: an "ah" of agreement or "argh" of disgust. For various reasons, political cartoons have an immediate, often compelling impact which Op Ed articles, for example, seldom have. They often seem to me to be the visual equivalent of a sound bite. The most compelling measure up to standards which Pat Oliphant set for himself years ago:

To create "a graphic distillation of the personality of the strutting popinjay on last night's news. [His audience] wants a visual rendering of immediacy and endurance that can be cut from the printed page and saved on the refrigerator, or if disliked, can be ripped from the page, have rude recommendations scrawled upon it, and mailed back to the artist. Such people, pro and con, possess awareness and opinion, and as such are to be blessed." High standards indeed. Judge for yourself which of the cartoonists' works included in this volume measure up to them.

One final point. Whatever the political loyalties and inclinations may be, it seems imperative to me that those in the news media should do all they can to accommodate a wide and deep diversity of opinion. Many eminently qualified persons have refused to become involved in the political process because it is too often polarized and mean-spirited. (Colin Powell is only one of several such persons who come to mind.) On an admittedly personal note, I conclude with the hope that we follow Voltaire's suggestion: cherish those who seek the truth but beware of those who find it. That is as relevant to elected officials as it is to cartoonists who portray them with caricatures such as those presented in this lively, entertaing volume.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humor and Insight for Future Generations, September 28, 2004

By 

Luis A. Heredia - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Attack of the Political Cartoonists (Paperback)

Political Cartoons reflect the political attitudes of the period. The book is funny, insightful, and fresh. It has a wide variety of issues and will surely be a keeper in my personal library.