First published 2014
Bob Mankoff holds what he calls two of the best jobs in the world: cartoon editor and cartoonist at The New Yorker magazine. In this illustrated memoir, Mankoff traces his journey from drawing funny pictures at age eight through his unexpected detours as a high school basketball player, draft dodger, and sociology graduate student. He abandoned psychology studies in the 1970s to pursue cartooning, but later discovered that his former field could illuminate his current one. Mankoff examines the psychology behind what makes cartoons funny and what falls flat. He opens the doors of The New Yorker to show readers the complete cartoon creation process, from initial concept to final publication. The book features his most popular cartoons alongside work from other magazine contributors. Mankoff also shares insider tips for winning the magazine's weekly caption contest. His guiding principle runs throughout: anything worth saying deserves to be said with humor.
Genres: humor, autobiography, biography-memoir, comedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: memoir, unconventional-career
Setting: The New Yorker
Period: 1970s
287 pages · Hardcover · Henry Holt and Co.