A master of striped-down, powerful storytelling reworks the David-and-Goliath myth
Goliath of Gath isn’t much of a fighter. Given half a choice, he would pick admin work over patrolling in a heartbeat, to say nothing of his distaste for engaging in combat. Nonetheless, at the behest of the king, he finds himself issuing a twice-daily challenge to the Israelites: “Choose a man. Let him come to me that we may fight. If he be able to kill me then we shall be your servants. But if I kill him, then you shall be our servants.” Day after day he reluctantly repeats his speech, and the isolation of this duty gives him the chance to banter with his shield-bearer and reflect on the beauty of his surroundings.
This is the story of David and Goliath as seen from Goliath’s side of the Valley of Elah. Quiet moments in Goliath’s life as a soldier are accentuated by Tom Gauld’s drawing style, which contrasts minimalist scenery and near-geometric humans with densely crosshatched detail reminiscent of Edward Gorey. Goliath’s battle is simultaneously tragic and bleakly funny, as bureaucracy pervades even this most mythic of figures. Goliath displays a sensitive wit, a bold line, and a traditional narrative reworked, remade, and revolutionized.
| ||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
Praise for The Gigantic Robot:
“Hauntingly stark . . . Powerful illustrations.” —Mark Frauenfelder , Boing Boing
“I enjoy his dark humor and beautiful ink drawings.” —Book By Its Cover
“Hauntingly stark . . . Powerful illustrations.” —Mark Frauenfelder , Boing Boing
“I enjoy his dark humor and beautiful ink drawings.” —Book By Its Cover
About the Author
Tom Gauld lives in London. His comics frequently appear in The Guardian, and his illustrations have appeared in The New York Times. He has designed a number of book covers.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Goliath is a graphic novel of the story of David and Goliath, told from Goliath's point of view. I loved it, and I loved sharing it with my children (ages 10 and 12).
This is a sturdy book, with drawings and type that feel like a bit of a throwback to my untutored eye. Stylistically, especially in the sparse landscapes, I'm reminded of Edward Gorey, whose work I know mostly from watching Mystery! on PBS as a child. Gauld's work has the same "cross hatch" style, which makes simple drawings seem quite complex. Goliath is done in three colors: black, white, and brown. The landscape, with boulders, hills, and a few scraggly leafless trees, is quite barren.
The focus of Goliath is not on action, and indeed, there is almost no action until the final frames. It's the character of Goliath, the novelty of getting the giant's back story, and the questions it raises about point of view and truth, that propel the book. I was very impressed with Gauld's ability to convey so much story through minimal text and stripped down illustrations.
That said, despite the somber tone, there are moments of wry humor in Goliath, especially in the bureaucratic muddle that is the Philistine army, and in Goliath's relationship with his shield-bearer, an eager, naive boy whose pointed questions reveal the absurdity of Goliath's situation. My one criticism of the book would be that on one or two occasions the humor veers into "cutesy" territory.
You have to watch for the small things in Goliath. In the opening pages, Goliath has gone down to the river for a drink. He absentmindedly picks up a rock. He looks at it, and lets it go. The "plop" it makes as it reenters the river is barely noticed by Goliath, but it's a strong dose of foreshadowing for the reader. Also notice how the type changes when scripture is quoted. The seemingly simple type and text are jarring against the force of the powerful, epic narrative most readers will know very well.
This is a bleak book: a lot of waiting, for no apparent reason, then death. I was glad Gauld didn't pull his punches: David walking off with Goliath's head is the last image. It's not gory, but it's very powerful. Goliath isn't too sure what he's waiting for or why. If you didn't know the story, nothing in Goliath would clue you in as to why there is a battle in the first place. As Darth Vader would put it, the existential themes are strong in this one.
I also like the questions the book raises about point of view and truth. Goliath sure does look bad from the point of view to which those versed in the Jewish, Muslim, or Christian traditions are accustomed (there's even a Greek version): a bloodthirty, taunting giant (he calls the Israelites during their time of prayer), with super duper armor and a terrifying bronze spear and sword. Pit him against David, practically a child, with no armor, and a few rocks, and you have the makings of a huge upset victory. As a Jew, I read the story as revealing David's fitness to be king, and, more generally, as imparting a multitude of other lessons about hubris before God, etc. In our tradition, Goliath, once struck by David's rock, falls forward on his face, and rabbis throughout the ages have claimed this shows how right David was, that God didn't even make him walk too far to cut off Goliath's head. In Gauld's version, the dead Goliath is on his back. In my reading, this reinforces the theme we shouldn't be too sure about our own rightness, about our differences from those we deem wrong, or about the "one true version" of any story.
This is a sturdy book, with drawings and type that feel like a bit of a throwback to my untutored eye. Stylistically, especially in the sparse landscapes, I'm reminded of Edward Gorey, whose work I know mostly from watching Mystery! on PBS as a child. Gauld's work has the same "cross hatch" style, which makes simple drawings seem quite complex. Goliath is done in three colors: black, white, and brown. The landscape, with boulders, hills, and a few scraggly leafless trees, is quite barren.
The focus of Goliath is not on action, and indeed, there is almost no action until the final frames. It's the character of Goliath, the novelty of getting the giant's back story, and the questions it raises about point of view and truth, that propel the book. I was very impressed with Gauld's ability to convey so much story through minimal text and stripped down illustrations.
That said, despite the somber tone, there are moments of wry humor in Goliath, especially in the bureaucratic muddle that is the Philistine army, and in Goliath's relationship with his shield-bearer, an eager, naive boy whose pointed questions reveal the absurdity of Goliath's situation. My one criticism of the book would be that on one or two occasions the humor veers into "cutesy" territory.
You have to watch for the small things in Goliath. In the opening pages, Goliath has gone down to the river for a drink. He absentmindedly picks up a rock. He looks at it, and lets it go. The "plop" it makes as it reenters the river is barely noticed by Goliath, but it's a strong dose of foreshadowing for the reader. Also notice how the type changes when scripture is quoted. The seemingly simple type and text are jarring against the force of the powerful, epic narrative most readers will know very well.
This is a bleak book: a lot of waiting, for no apparent reason, then death. I was glad Gauld didn't pull his punches: David walking off with Goliath's head is the last image. It's not gory, but it's very powerful. Goliath isn't too sure what he's waiting for or why. If you didn't know the story, nothing in Goliath would clue you in as to why there is a battle in the first place. As Darth Vader would put it, the existential themes are strong in this one.
I also like the questions the book raises about point of view and truth. Goliath sure does look bad from the point of view to which those versed in the Jewish, Muslim, or Christian traditions are accustomed (there's even a Greek version): a bloodthirty, taunting giant (he calls the Israelites during their time of prayer), with super duper armor and a terrifying bronze spear and sword. Pit him against David, practically a child, with no armor, and a few rocks, and you have the makings of a huge upset victory. As a Jew, I read the story as revealing David's fitness to be king, and, more generally, as imparting a multitude of other lessons about hubris before God, etc. In our tradition, Goliath, once struck by David's rock, falls forward on his face, and rabbis throughout the ages have claimed this shows how right David was, that God didn't even make him walk too far to cut off Goliath's head. In Gauld's version, the dead Goliath is on his back. In my reading, this reinforces the theme we shouldn't be too sure about our own rightness, about our differences from those we deem wrong, or about the "one true version" of any story.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
What do we know about Goliath of Gath? Not that much if you'd asked Scottish cartoonist Tom Gauld, and with his new graphic novel, Goliath, from Drawn & Quarterly, he attempts to expand a bit on the story of this giant. Those familiar with the Bible story of Goliath will know him as a ruthless pagan, hell bent on blood, conquer, and challenging one to meet him on the battle field. Well we all know how that story ended, but Gauld isn't satisfied, and in this graphic novel he goes on a quest to explore the more human side of the giant who fell by stone.
The first task Gauld sets to is stripping away the religious aspect of the story. The only mentions of it are quotations from the Bible that set up certain portions in the story. As this epic opens, we're introduced to our giant; more gentle than menace, Goliath spends his day doing administrative paper work and hardly seems the warrior type. In fact, as the story opens, Goliath is changing shifts so that he can do more paperwork.
Soon, Goliath finds himself at the center of ending the conflict between the Philistines and Israel. He's measured for armor, given a shield bearer, and sent on a quest to challenge one Israeli warrior, brave enough to take him on. He announces himself day by day, the reluctant warrior even considers abandoning his post at one point, until that fateful day when his opponent shows up and ends it in one fell swoop.
Gauld's interpretation of history's most ruthless giant is heartbreaking and sympathetic, and in doing so restores Goliath to a more human status. He also slaps scripture in the face by having him fall backwards as he dies (In the Bible he falls forward, making for some dispute.). But it's the human aspect of Goliath's demise that really makes this story engaging; a misunderstood man a midst those that seek to use him for purposes that are unbecoming of him and that ultimately cost him his life. Grab a hanky, you'll be in for some water works.
The first task Gauld sets to is stripping away the religious aspect of the story. The only mentions of it are quotations from the Bible that set up certain portions in the story. As this epic opens, we're introduced to our giant; more gentle than menace, Goliath spends his day doing administrative paper work and hardly seems the warrior type. In fact, as the story opens, Goliath is changing shifts so that he can do more paperwork.
Soon, Goliath finds himself at the center of ending the conflict between the Philistines and Israel. He's measured for armor, given a shield bearer, and sent on a quest to challenge one Israeli warrior, brave enough to take him on. He announces himself day by day, the reluctant warrior even considers abandoning his post at one point, until that fateful day when his opponent shows up and ends it in one fell swoop.
Gauld's interpretation of history's most ruthless giant is heartbreaking and sympathetic, and in doing so restores Goliath to a more human status. He also slaps scripture in the face by having him fall backwards as he dies (In the Bible he falls forward, making for some dispute.). But it's the human aspect of Goliath's demise that really makes this story engaging; a misunderstood man a midst those that seek to use him for purposes that are unbecoming of him and that ultimately cost him his life. Grab a hanky, you'll be in for some water works.
Format:Hardcover
This book is easily one of the best Comics of 2012. Tom Gauld is a stone cold master, and this book continues to prove it. If you are wondering if this is worth buying, yes, goddammit.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Goliath as the underdog
In Tom Gauld's story, Goliath is not a great fighter. Or a fighter at all. Bullied by his commanders because of his size, he is selected to fight the star of the other team, David. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Rodolfo S. Filho
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Handsome Volume
I was happy to get this book and start reading. 20 minutes later I was happy to have gotten the book and finished reading it. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Kevin T. Quinn
3.0 out of 5 stars
Minimalistic
I was a bit disappointed by the artwork when i opened the book. But when i started tor read it i found the style was fitting the story very well. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kaikaikiki
5.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful
While not on the level of Guy Delisle's work, Goliath is poignant and affecting. Gauld's protagonist isn't a lummox, but rather an administrative person for the Philistines that is... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Ross Gianfortune
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ok, but not great
It is Rather simple. It has few dialogues. Not bad, but I enjoy reading more.
Nice drawings. A twist to the story we all know.
Nice drawings. A twist to the story we all know.
Published 6 months ago by Federico Huffmann
5.0 out of 5 stars
amazing
an amazing book, as an artist and graphic designer this book is very inspiring, the art is simple, elegant and full of emotion. Read more
Published 14 months ago by jeff
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
