WHO: Victor S. Navasky
WHAT: THE ART OF CONTROVERSY:
Political Cartoons and Their Enduring Power
WHEN: Published by Knopf April 10, 2013
WHERE: The author teaches at Columbia
WHY: A lavishly illustrated, witty, and original look at the awesome power of the political cartoon throughout history to enrage, provoke, and amuse.
As a former editor of The New York Times Magazine and the longtime editor of The Nation, Victor S. Navasky knows just how transformative—and incendiary—cartoons can be. Here he guides readers through some of the greatest cartoons ever created, including those by George Grosz, David Levine, Herblock, Honoré Daumier, and Ralph Steadman. He recounts how cartoonists and caricaturists have been censored, threatened, incarcerated, and even murdered for their art, and asks what makes this art form, too often dismissed as trivial, so uniquely poised to affect our minds and our hearts.
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“Eye-opening and deeply insightful.
“Navasky takes on a compelling subject, one nearly ideal for him and one that will appeal to his many adherents and deservedly earn him new readers. This heavily illustrated, entertainingly written look at political cartoons is both personal—Navasky’s experience with controversial drawing as well as writing is considerable —and thoroughly researched. It is also deeply insightful, particularly in the discussion of caricature, a unique form of satire. Though the book’s main focus is on Americans, Navasky also discusses well- and lesser-known twentieth-century cartoonists from around the world, and his inclusion of a time line of their persecution (and prosecution) is eye-opening and lends persuasive closure to his persuasively made conclusions.” —Mark Levine, BOOKLIST
“Engaging and illuminating.”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“A valuable reference.”
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Media Resources:
About the book | Table of contents | Author bio | Download the jacket or the author photo | Also available as an eBook
Publicist for this title:
Michelle Somers | 212-572-2082 | msomers@randomhouse.com