19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perhaps the Best Collection in the Series Thus Far, May 29, 2006
This review is from: The New Yorker Book of Teacher Cartoons (Hardcover)
This is one of the titles in a series of anthologies of subject-specific cartoons which first appeared in The New Yorker, a magazine to which I have subscribed since I was enrolled in college. Once again, Robert Mankoff serves as editor and once again, he has made excellent choices. Mankoff is the founder and president of The Cartoon Bank and cartoon editor of The New Yorker. His own cartoons have been published in that magazine since 1974.
At the outset, I acknowledge the difficulty of discussing cartoons without benefit of having them displayed...and this is especially true of New Yorker cartoons. Those who create the best of them have a unique talent for combining precisely the correct illustration and caption. Styles vary from one artist to the next, of course, but so many New Yorker cartoons suggest an urban lifestyle perspective with an emphasis on wit and whimsy. That is even true of so-called "sick humor" as found in Charles Addams' cartoons, for example. FYI, Addams is not among the artists represented in this volume.
Some cartoons require no caption such as one drawn by Lee Stevens which features a building behind a prominent lawn sign whose message serves as a caption: "The Knowledge Hut® formerly P.S. 102." Other cartoons have an extensive caption such as one devised by George Booth in which a wife is commenting on their daughter's schoolwork. "Sarah's grades are excellent. She got an A+ in `Yogi Berra: Philosopher or Fall Guy?,' A in `Dollars and Scents: An Analysis of Post-Vietnam Perfume Advertising,' A- in `The Final Four as Last Judgment: The N.C.A.A. Tournament from a Religious Perspective,' and A in `The American Garage Sale: Its Origins, Cultural Implications, and Future.'" The husband is understandably dismayed.
The works of artists such as Stevens, Booth, Lee Lorenz, Warren Miller, Charles Saxon, William Steig, and James Stevenson are immediately familiar to me and other long-time subscribers to The New Yorker. As another of their drawings appears in a new issue, I am curious to learn what their latest comment is on the human condition. Thus was my reaction when coming upon several drawings in this volume, ones I did not recall seeing previously, by artists style is almost instantly recognizable. My point is that New Yorker cartoons can certainly offer cultural insights concerning a given era (e.g. The Great Depression) as well as a given subject (e.g. business) but their humor is never dated.
A few brief concluding comments about the selections in this volume. The perspectives offered include those of parents and students as well as those of teachers. Having taught for 24 years (13 of them in two New England boarding schools), I can personally attest to the authenticity of those situations portrayed in which education seems to be much less important than establishing and then maintaining control over whatever, making certain reassurances now to avoid unpleasant situations later, or at least "showing an interest" whose sincerity is questionable. Almost all of the situations seem to involve private school or upper scale public school situations as one would expect, given the demographics of the magazine's clientele.
My favorite drawing (in this volume) was created by Robert Weber. We see the stage in an elementary school auditorium where a teacher is conducting her rehearsal of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Stage left is a small boy struggling to carry a huge suitcase. Stage center, a table and two chairs. Two others in the cast stand dutifully next to the teacher, a copy of the script in hand, while several others sit on the floor behind them. My guess is that these are 4th or 5th grade students. Caption: "O.K., Willy, drag yourself to the table and collapse in despair. Enter Biff."
Those who delight in such cartoons are encouraged to check out the other volumes in the series which focus on art, baseball, business, golf, "kids," money, politics, and technology. Great stuff!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Elementary, Middle, or High?, September 25, 2007
A Kid's Review
This review is from: The New Yorker Book of Teacher Cartoons (Hardcover)
I received this wonderful book as a gift when I graduated with my master in teaching. It contains plenty of treasures, but I wanted to caution gift givers that the cartoons here are very heavy on the elementary school commentary. As a high school teacher, I didn't find a ton that were really applicable to my daily experiences. Still though, I've enjoyed flipping through it and chuckling at the lil'uns.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT Teacher gift, January 9, 2007
This review is from: The New Yorker Book of Teacher Cartoons (Hardcover)
I gave this book to my kids' teachers as well as to several family members. I have never had such enthusiastic thank you's from not just one, but 4 teachers! The book is clever and thoughtful and appreciated by the profession.
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