Contract With God

by Will Eisner
Contract With God  
published September 1985 by Kitchen Sink Pr (Nrt)
binding Paperback
isbn 0878160183   (isbn13: 9780878160181)
pages 196
description Four powerful dramas recall tenement life in 1930s New York--an absolute must for fans of Bernard Malamud, Philip Roth,and Isaac Singer. The storytel...more
date added
05-12-07



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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 210)



John
John rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
03/01/08

Read in March, 2008
recommends it for: Comics readers, literary readers
The black and white print pulls some of the childishness out of the blocky art style that was very similar to simple cartoons of its time. It alternates between panels and storybook-style pages, and the first story in particular has a very storybookish narrative, even though its subject matter is intensely grave. The eponymous story, "A Contract with God," deals with the worst pain in religious life - not the loss of faith in God's existence, but coming to hate Him. It's written with e...more
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Dan
Dan rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
06/16/08

Read in June, 2008
recommended to Dan by: Lee
recommends it for: Graphic Novel Fans, Comic Afficionados, Jews
This is credited with being the first graphic novel. It is a collection of four stories, set during the 30s in the Tenements on the fictional Dropsie Ave in the Bronx. The four stories are:

1) A Contract with God
The story of a Hassidic Jew who's adopted daughter dies, partially autobiographical about Will Eisner's daughter.

2) The Street Singer
The story of a wino who sings in the alleys behind Tenements.

3) The Super
The story o...more
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Josh
Josh rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
03/03/08

bookshelves: comics
Read in March, 2008
recommends it for: fans of the non-violent sides of Stray Bullets and Scorcese
Considered to be the first graphic novel, this tells the story - in 4 parts - of New York circa the Great Depression. The characters are caricatures of lives from Eisner's past, and while it is a primarily Jewish neighborhood, I think anyone with a brain and heart pumping blood, etc can identify with the scenese painted here. It tackles those subjects that stuff like "The Wire" still tries (and fails) to capture today - those sinews that bind each life together, and ultimately keep th...more
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Alex
07/27/07

Read in July, 2007
recommends it for: searchers
Eisner himself admits in his multiple introductions to this volume that "A Contract With God" was in some ways an experiment which led him to develop the skills he'd use in a far more serious way on "Dropsie Avenue." "Dropsie Avenue" is indeed the superior work.

That caveat out of the way, "A Contract With God" is one of the more moving, deep, and visually surprising graphic novels ever, despite it being the first. The writing is sensitive, empathetic...more
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Jill
Jill rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
07/23/08

Read in July, 2008
recommends it for: fans of Jewish history
I read this for a course I'm taking at the local library in July about Jewish literature, identity and imagination - the course is being taught solely through graphic novels. So far, the course is terrible, but this book was intriguing. Since I'm not Jewish, I didn't have a ton of context behind my reading. I found the main story to be allegorical - man is good, makes a contract with god, which all Jews have from birth. Life takes a bad turn, man loses faith and, in the story, literally toss...more
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Gloria
Gloria rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
04/24/08

bookshelves: graphic
Read in March, 2008
recommended to Gloria by: Librarian
recommends it for: Graphic novel enthusiasts
My first graphic novel is ... well, the first graphic novel. I accidentally stumbled upon this book which I learned is credited with launching the graphic novel genre. It compelling illustrates the lives of Jewish immigrants in New York during the Great Depression and war relocation years. It reminds us of the strong will to survive that we all hold within us, and reminds us how your world can turn upside down quickly.

The artwork definitely transported me right to the tenement neighborhood d...more
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Evil_Dead_Junkie
Evil_Dead_Junkie rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
07/04/08

bookshelves: comics
Huh well color me underwhelmed. I mean it's fine, the art is beautiful and the parables are reasonably clever (aside from the one about the Pedophilic Nazi Superintendent and the predatory girl that one plays like the strangest EC Comic ever written).

But well its all a little on the nose.

Not exactly what I was expecting from what is supposed to be one of the greatest comics of all time.
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  1 comments

Emilia
Emilia rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
10/30/07

bookshelves: comic-books
Read in October, 2007
recommends it for: people
I like this pretty much in the altogether, except for the last story about people making whoopie in the country. My favorite story was probably the one about The Super. The drawings were great--really drippy and droopy, with dopey looking women abounding. Fast-paced but not breakneck. I can see why people make such a big deal of it, I think.
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Ery
Ery rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
12/04/07

apa yang membedakan sebuah "comic book" dengan "graphic novel"? tidak ada! Eisner menunjukkan kepada dunia, inilah "seni gambar bertautan" yang selama ini hanya kita kenal lewat tokoh-tokoh super berpakaian ketat. Kedua istilah itupun semakin baur, karena buku ini bahkan kemudian menembus batas antara "novel sastra" dan "comic book".
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Lauren
09/25/07

Read in September, 2007
just a very simple, haunting book. the illustrations are deceiving--at first, they seem fairly elementary (especially when compared with the hyper-vivid inking of current graphic novels) but there's so much more there, a sadness, a quiet attention to incredible detail. they are, at times, more powerful than the stories themselves.
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Virginia
Virginia rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
09/29/07

Read in August, 2007
My husband had me read this one as part of his living in the Bronx educational series.

It's pretty depressing and I didn't enjoy reading it, but I know that it's historically important and it is well written.

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Tony
Tony rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
06/24/08


Eisner is the grandfather of the graphic novel, and this is his first major work. Many of the stories are dreary and cathartic. There aren't many happy endings, but every story rings true.
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Darcy
Darcy rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
06/22/07

Read in January, 2007
Powerful semi-autobiographical story of Will Eisner. The first book to ever received the title "graphic novel."
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Reger "Muddy"
Reger "Muddy" rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
09/27/07

bookshelves: absolute-personal-favorite, comics, graphic-novels
Considered the first graphic novel, this is one of the best by the master, Will Eisner.
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Laura
11/03/07

bookshelves: read-in-07
Read in November, 2007
This wasn't what I expected it to be. A bunch of depressing stories about ugly people.
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  4 comments

Al
Al rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
04/01/08

Read in January, 2008
This graphic novel is an ambitious, honest look at Jewish life in and around New York.
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Nicole
06/26/07

bookshelves: graphicnovel
Read in February, 2007
a didn't know a graphic novel could be like this. wow.
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Alex
Alex rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
12/06/07

bookshelves: graphic-novels
Read in September, 2007
Good place to start if new to graphic novels.
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Joy
Joy rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
07/15/08

bookshelves: 2008-books
Read in July, 2008
The stories and images are powerful.
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Emily
Emily added it
02/03/08

bookshelves: comics
Read in February, 2008
Catching up on Willy. I like Jews.
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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 4.07 (186 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 4.15 (142 ratings)
number of reviews: 21






other editions

A Contract With God (Paperback)
A Contract With God (Paperback)
A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories (Paperback)