A Literary Enthusiast’s Comic Timing: On Tom Gauld’s “Revenge of the Librarians”

"Revenge of the Librarians"

Tom Gauld loves books and reading so much. His new collection of comic strips Revenge of the Librarians is replete with love letters to books as physical objects and to all the people involved in producing and preserving them. Librarians, editors, bookshop clerks, and writers are each dealt with in multiple strips. The remarkable thing is how little rancor and bitterness is to be found within these pages. There’s sometimes weariness and, on odd occasion, despair. But neither are indulged in and both are dealt with with gentle irony rather than caustic wit. Gauld doesn’t seem to have a mean bone in his body.

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The Science of Humor: An Interview With Tom Gauld

Tom Gauld portrait

If you’ve spent any time in comics or literary circles, you’re probably familiar with the work of Tom Gauld. Gauld’s comics frequently riff on literary history, to hilarious effect. With his latest book, Department of Mind-Blowing Theories, Gauld has applied that same ethos to the world of science. It’s one that frequently leads to surreal juxtapositions, ironic reversals, and characters dealing with bizarre dilemmas. It’s also very, very funny. I talked with Gauld about the making of the new book and how he arrived at some its most sublime moments.

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Vol.1 Brooklyn’s April 2020 Book Preview

Vol.1 April 2020 Books

So. No witty introduction this time, as that seems a little tone-deaf right now. We will be very honest here: we’ve gotten a lot of news of book release dates being rearranged as of late, for understandable reasons. These are, to the best of our knowledge, all books due out this month that we’re excited to read. It’s possible that some of these will be out at a later date instead. Our recommendation still holds, regardless of the month. Support your local bookstores now; support your local bookstores later.

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Comics on Prose: Eight Graphic Novels on the Art of Storytelling

What happens when a story told in one medium echoes the storytelling conventions of a different one? Comics are particularly well-suited for this: they incorporate elements of other storytelling mediums, while retaining their own narrative devices and techniques. What follows is a look at eight distinct works that evoke other methods of telling stories–literature, radio, art, television–while remaining distinctly (and proudly) comics. Expanding the boundaries of one medium while referencing another is no easy task; these eight books carry it […]

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