
Wordless Books
David A. Beronae(Author)
Abrams (Publisher)
Published on 1. May 2008
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-0-8109-9469-0 (ISBN)
Description
"Wordless books" were stories from the early part of the twentieth century told in black and white woodcuts, imaginatively authored without any text. Although woodcut novels have their roots spreading back through the history of graphic arts, including block books and playing cards, it was not until the early part of the twentieth century that they were conceived and published. Despite its short-lived popularity, the woodcut novel had an important impact on the development of comic art, particularly contemporary graphic novels with a focus on adult themes.Scholar David A. Beronae examines the history of these books and the art and influence of pioneers like Frans Masereel, Lynd Ward, Otto Nueckel, William Gropper, Milt Gross, and Laurence Hyde (among others). The images are powerful and iconic, and as relevant to the world today as they were when they were first produced. Beronae places these artists in the context of their time, and in the context of ours, creating a scholarly work of important significance in the burgeoning field of comics and comics history.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Dimensions
Height: 172 mm
Width: 237 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
990 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8109-9469-0 (9780810994690)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
David A. Berona is a member of the visiting faculty for the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, VT. A recognized scholar on woodcut novels and wordless comics, he is also a regular book reviewer for Library Journal, Print Quarterly and the International Journal of Comic Art. Peter Kuper is an accomplished illustrator whose work appears regularly in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times and MAD. He has written and illustrated a number of books including Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Sticks and Stones, which won the 2004 Society of Illustrator's Gold Medal in the sequential arts category.