It is probably not fair
that I read and loved Roz Chast’s cartoon memoir of her last years with her
parents before I read Bob Mankoff’s similar reflections on his life in How About Never—Is Never Good For You?: My Life in Cartoons
(Henry Holt and Co., 2014). Both are great
cartoonists; Bob Mankoff is the cartoon editor at The New Yorker while Chast is one of many in the humorous
illustration business at the magazine. Both
books consist of drawings and prose, making them unique in the way they tell a
life story. However, that is also where
the two diverge dramatically. Chast’s
memoir was both sad and funny in equal measure and focused on a specific time
in her life. Mankoff goes for a mix of autobiography
and an analysis of cartoon humor and specifically, humor at The New Yorker. In this way, his book is less funny, although
there are some classic cartoons reprinted here, many from other cartoonists that
Mankoff has edited over the years as well as from Mankoff himself. It is a primer for those who want to be
cartoonists (a dying breed, according to Mankoff) or those who have always been
intrigued by The New Yorker wit and humor. In
the latter group I count myself. I’ve
even used the cartoons in my classroom to have students analyze what makes them
funny. It is a subtle and nuanced form,
as is the case with most great art. In
the end, I valued Chast’s work for its poignant honesty about how we grow old
while appreciating Mankoff’s work for its insight into the life of The New Yorker. It is interesting timing that both books have
been released recently, and a sign that cartoons can be literature and function
as hybrid nonfiction storytelling.
Because of his desire
to not only illuminate his own life, but the cartooning process, Mankoff’s book
has a didactical component. He takes the
reader through the process of selecting panels for the week’s issue, something
done in conjunction with longtime editor David Remnick, who, according to
Mankoff, is no slouch when it comes to humor and cartoon analysis. Mankoff gives us a history of cartooning as
well as a deconstruction of cartoons that have appeared in the magazine. He explains how he started The Cartoon Bank,
which has taken what he calls “leftovers” and licensed them out to other
magazines, ad campaigns and miscellaneous venues resulting in a lucrative
second opportunity to earn income for Mankoff and his cartoonists. He also explains in detail how he culls the
500 cartoons he looks at each week to the 50 he takes to the editorial meeting
on Wednesday afternoons. It really is an
interesting process, and the book feels like it gives more attention to
cartooning and humor than to the life story of the editor.
One of the more
intriguing processes he focuses on is the development of captions. The few words that accompany each panel are often
studies in humor-poetry, almost haiku-like in their brevity, but every word has
weight and heft in generating laughs. He
cites examples of cartoons that did not make the cut and what was wrong with
each of them, as well as captions that did not work. Of course, worth the price of the book alone,
he tells us how to win The New Yorker
weekly cartoon caption contest found on the last page of each issue. His insights will not necessarily result in a
slam dunk win, but he makes clear what he is looking for when his assistant
wades through the submissions. Even noted
film critic Roger Ebert tried the contest, 107 times before he finally won, so
competition is fierce.
All in all, I enjoyed
the book, especially since I have no talent in drawing. I love The
New Yorker and thoroughly enjoy the pithy cartoons, but drawing them is a
mystery to me, or at least it was until I read this book. It did not make me draw any better, but it
did explain the creative process of a cartoonist. If anything, Mankoff may try too hard to be
funny, but he mounts what really is an academic study of humor and cartooning,
so a little dose of fun goes a long way to keep things interesting. How
About Never—Is Never Good For You? is both entertaining and funny as well
as being a graduate study in a disappearing art form: the magazine cartoon. Bob Mankoff is a good teacher, combining just
the right touch of memoir, art, humor and education to open a window on the way
things work in the life of a cartoonist at The
New Yorker.