Heard on KQED-FM yesterday morning, on the Forum program (an interview and call-in program hosted by Michael Krasny), Bob Mankoff of the New Yorker. From the KQED website:
In his new memoir, Bob Mankoff recalls being an indifferent student who frequently cut class during college. Once, when he showed up in sociology class for the final exam, his professor asked “Who the hell are you?” Mankoff replied: “You know, I could very well ask you that same question.” Despite his slacking, Mankoff’s sense of humor served him well. He became a successful cartoonist, fulfilled his dream of getting published in the New Yorker and eventually became the cartoon editor at the magazine. Mankoff joins us to discuss his new memoir, “How About Never — Is Never Good for You? My Life in Cartoons.”
Charming, down-to-earth, very funny, and full of information about how cartoons are created and how things work at the magazine. Also lots and lots of cartoons, only some by Mankoff himself.
Even before this program, I’d intended to get a copy of the book; it’s a natural for my interests. Then, in the afternoon I went out to get a haircut (long, long overdue) and go on to an early dinner at a local restaurant (well, fountain). In between the two locations lies Palo Alto’s remaining serious bookstore, Bell’s. Bell’s is a high-end secondhand bookstore, packed with stuff from floor to ceiling, carefully arranged, and with a knowledgable staff. The store also has a selection of new books, some on specific currently topical themes (Shakespeare at the moment, for his 450th birthday), others chosen just because they’re interesting.
Among the new books: Mankoff’s, and they had only one copy left. So of course I bought it. A lucky day.
Lots of old friends in the book. And other laugh-provoking cartoons I don’t recall having seen before.
May 17, 2014 at 6:04 pm |
Here’s the link to Mankoff’s Talks at Google event: http://goo.gl/CFqfz5
May 29, 2014 at 8:04 pm |
[…] Bob Mankoff’s How About Never … (see here), p. 255, on Mankoff’s effort to give “aspiring cartoonists feedback” by […]
June 5, 2014 at 3:56 pm |
[…] From Bruce Handy’s “Comic Relief: Bob Mankoff’s ‘How About Never — Is Never Good for You?’ ” in the NYT Book Review on the 1st (on Mankoff’s book, see here): […]
August 22, 2014 at 3:54 am |
(Hat tip to Benita Bendon Campbell.)
A 60 Minutes segment of 3/23/14, “So you want to see your cartoon in the New Yorker?” (video here), with Morley Safer interviewing Bob Mankoff (and featuring a collection of New Yorker cartoonists).