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Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker
The book that Janet Maslin of The New York Times has called "indispensable" and "a transfixing study of American mores and manners that happens to incorporate boundless laughs, too" is finally available in paperback—fully updated and featuring a brand new introduction by Adam Gopnik.
Organized by decade, with commentary by some of the magazine's finest writers, this landmark collection showcases the work of the hundreds of talented artists who have contributed cartoons over the course of The New Yorker's eight-two-year history. From the early cartoons of Peter Arno, George Price and Charles Addams to the cutting-edge work of Alex Gregory, Matthew Diffee and Bruce Eric Kaplan (with stops along the way for the genius of Charles Barsotti, Roz Chast, Jack Ziegler, George Booth, and many others), the art collected here forms, as David Remnick puts it in his Foreword, "the longest-running popular comic genre in American life."
Throughout the book, brief overviews of each era's predominant themes—from the Depression and nudity to technology and the Internet, highlight various genres of cartoons and shed light on our pastimes and preoccupations. Brief profiles and mini-portfolios spotlight the work of key cartoonists, including Arno, Chast, Ziegler, and others.
The DVD-ROM included with the book is what really makes the "Complete Cartoons" complete. Compatible with most home computers and easily browsable, the disk contains a mind-boggling 70,363 cartoons, indexed in a variety of ways. Perhaps you'd like to find all the cartoons by your favorite artist. Or maybe you'd like to look up the cartoons that ran the week you were born, or all of the cartoons on a particular subject. Of course, you can always begin at the beginning, February 21, 1925, and experience the unprecedented pleasure of reading through every single cartoon ever published in The New Yorker .
Enjoy this one-of-a-kind protrait of American life over the past eight decades, as captured by the talented pens and singular outlooks of the masters of the cartoonist's art.
Organized by decade, with commentary by some of the magazine's finest writers, this landmark collection showcases the work of the hundreds of talented artists who have contributed cartoons over the course of The New Yorker's eight-two-year history. From the early cartoons of Peter Arno, George Price and Charles Addams to the cutting-edge work of Alex Gregory, Matthew Diffee and Bruce Eric Kaplan (with stops along the way for the genius of Charles Barsotti, Roz Chast, Jack Ziegler, George Booth, and many others), the art collected here forms, as David Remnick puts it in his Foreword, "the longest-running popular comic genre in American life."
Throughout the book, brief overviews of each era's predominant themes—from the Depression and nudity to technology and the Internet, highlight various genres of cartoons and shed light on our pastimes and preoccupations. Brief profiles and mini-portfolios spotlight the work of key cartoonists, including Arno, Chast, Ziegler, and others.
The DVD-ROM included with the book is what really makes the "Complete Cartoons" complete. Compatible with most home computers and easily browsable, the disk contains a mind-boggling 70,363 cartoons, indexed in a variety of ways. Perhaps you'd like to find all the cartoons by your favorite artist. Or maybe you'd like to look up the cartoons that ran the week you were born, or all of the cartoons on a particular subject. Of course, you can always begin at the beginning, February 21, 1925, and experience the unprecedented pleasure of reading through every single cartoon ever published in The New Yorker .
Enjoy this one-of-a-kind protrait of American life over the past eight decades, as captured by the talented pens and singular outlooks of the masters of the cartoonist's art.
669 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2004
34 people are currently reading
626 people want to read
About the author
Robert Mankoff
39 books13 followersRobert Mankoff is an American cartoonist, editor, and author. He was the cartoon editor for The New Yorker for nearly twenty years. Before he succeeded Lee Lorenz as cartoon editor at The New Yorker, Mankoff was a New Yorker cartoonist for twenty years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
January 31, 2019
This book has sat on our coffee table for the better part of two (maybe even three) years, with every member of our family leafing through the pages at various times – smiling, chuckling, even guffawing at nearly every turn. Now I can say I finally read the whole thing: every cartoon, every mini-history organized by decade and topic. Not only is it a witty collection, it's also an unexpectedly wise one, packed with insight into major historical trends of the 20th century and the opening years of the 21st. It's a book that rewards any kind of experience – whether you're a browser like my wife and kids or a completist like me.
June 29, 2024
My wife works at volunteers part - time at a local thrift store run by the Ladies' Auxiliary, which raises money for local charities and health care. Anyway, a month or so ago, she brought home this book she thought I might like, Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker edited by Robert Mankoff. It covers the period 1925, the First Decade to 2006, the 8th Decade, and she got it for $5.00. It also includes a CD-ROM which contains every cartoon published during that period. (Ah, if only any of my computers still had a cd -rom slot). But the selection of cartoons is excellent and runs for 660+ pages. Loved every bit of it.
Each decade is introduced by people from those periods, the 3rd decade by Lillian Ross, the 4th by John Updike and they provide a brief synopsis of the period and the artists. There are also brief interludes featuring either issues of the time, Nudity, business culture, the Internet or specific artists, like James Thurber, Charles Addams, Bruce Eric Kaplan, etc.
It was so much fun to read through and enjoy the talent and the humor. Did I always get it? Nah. But it didn't matter. Of course I had favorites, especially those featuring dogs. I mean, who wouldn't ! All in all it was an enjoyable journey, some smiles, some guffaws, some belly laughs and many I shared with my wife as she tried to do other things. She may have regretted buying it for me, but I sure enjoyed it. I've used a few in my Bluesky page and have quite a few more earmarked. See if you can find it. It's excellent. (4.0 stars)
Each decade is introduced by people from those periods, the 3rd decade by Lillian Ross, the 4th by John Updike and they provide a brief synopsis of the period and the artists. There are also brief interludes featuring either issues of the time, Nudity, business culture, the Internet or specific artists, like James Thurber, Charles Addams, Bruce Eric Kaplan, etc.
It was so much fun to read through and enjoy the talent and the humor. Did I always get it? Nah. But it didn't matter. Of course I had favorites, especially those featuring dogs. I mean, who wouldn't ! All in all it was an enjoyable journey, some smiles, some guffaws, some belly laughs and many I shared with my wife as she tried to do other things. She may have regretted buying it for me, but I sure enjoyed it. I've used a few in my Bluesky page and have quite a few more earmarked. See if you can find it. It's excellent. (4.0 stars)
July 2, 2011
How can you not love this book? Every single wonderful cartoon that ever graced the New Yorker at the time the book was published. I mean we are talking James Thurber, Charles Adams, Gahan Wilson, Saul Steinberg, George Booth and so many more. The book itself carries a nice "best of" selection, but it is also accompanied by two CDs covering all of the cartoons. This is a capsule history of pop culture and American humor. There are very few "must-own" books. This is one of them.
April 30, 2020
The enormous heavy volume comes with two discs with all the cartoons: the book only has a couple thousand. I don't have a computer that can read discs anymore.
Fun fact: I could reasonably put this on nearly every shelf. There isn't a reference to Massachusetts, and some other specific states, cities, and countries, but that is about it.
This also raises the interesting question of categories. If I were shelving it in my personal collection, it would end up wherever I could fit it in, which would probably not be on the cartoon shelf. Arguably it is literature and should be shelved as an anthology under New Yorker. Ideally one would have a slanted book stand, lectern sort of thing where it could be left open all the time, perhaps to a different page each day. My local has it in graphic novels and cartoons which makes sense, too. This is where cross-referencing is so handy, or the bottom up and top down taxonomy of An Archive of Our Own.
And that pretty much sums me up: "my local" is the nearby library, not pub, and I have more to say about shelving than the content.
Glad I read it, really sorry I can't read the discs. Because how much fun to get a random choice every time one wakes a computer. Some 68 thousand cartoons.
Library copy
Fun fact: I could reasonably put this on nearly every shelf. There isn't a reference to Massachusetts, and some other specific states, cities, and countries, but that is about it.
This also raises the interesting question of categories. If I were shelving it in my personal collection, it would end up wherever I could fit it in, which would probably not be on the cartoon shelf. Arguably it is literature and should be shelved as an anthology under New Yorker. Ideally one would have a slanted book stand, lectern sort of thing where it could be left open all the time, perhaps to a different page each day. My local has it in graphic novels and cartoons which makes sense, too. This is where cross-referencing is so handy, or the bottom up and top down taxonomy of An Archive of Our Own.
And that pretty much sums me up: "my local" is the nearby library, not pub, and I have more to say about shelving than the content.
Glad I read it, really sorry I can't read the discs. Because how much fun to get a random choice every time one wakes a computer. Some 68 thousand cartoons.
Library copy
March 6, 2018
The main problem with this book is that it is NOT "the complete cartoons". They admit in the introduction that there were over 70,000 cartoons total. The book shows just about 2,000 cartoons. Major difference there.
They couldn't even accurately title it "the best of..." since many of these are clearly not first rate. I don't know how they decided which ones were selected but I've only tabbed about 50 out of 2000 as worth copying... Somewhat disappointed in this book...
They couldn't even accurately title it "the best of..." since many of these are clearly not first rate. I don't know how they decided which ones were selected but I've only tabbed about 50 out of 2000 as worth copying... Somewhat disappointed in this book...
February 2, 2013
This collection is so good, funny, anthropologically revealing and essential, it lives on the shelf next to my dictionary.
November 9, 2017
A wonderful anthology! Put it on your coffee table and look at it now and then, especially when you need a laugh!
July 12, 2020
Books like this should be banned! Or at the very least hidden away from those like me who have a serious task to perform. In my case winnowing my extensive library by disposing of 90% of its contents (200 plus linear feet on the shelves) in preparation of downsizing to smaller quarters.
This Complete New Yorker Cartoons book is too heavy to simply toss into a box. One has to pick it up, and, once you have picked it up, you have to at least take a peek inside, see an amusing cartoon, often featuring a naked lady ----the New Yorker apparently reveled in naked ladies --- and then turn the page, and you are lost. Time passes and your shelved books remain unsorted. Thankfully, the weight of the book is such that one can't hold it forever so one puts it aside and reluctantly returns to the task of sorting and discarding. And, sadly, I put it into the KEEP pile instead of among the DISCARDs so inevitably this scenario will be repeated again at a later date. If I ever put the CDs containing the 60,000 or so cartoons that did not make it into the printed version, I will be truly lost and condemned to live in this house forever.
Books like this should be banned.
This Complete New Yorker Cartoons book is too heavy to simply toss into a box. One has to pick it up, and, once you have picked it up, you have to at least take a peek inside, see an amusing cartoon, often featuring a naked lady ----the New Yorker apparently reveled in naked ladies --- and then turn the page, and you are lost. Time passes and your shelved books remain unsorted. Thankfully, the weight of the book is such that one can't hold it forever so one puts it aside and reluctantly returns to the task of sorting and discarding. And, sadly, I put it into the KEEP pile instead of among the DISCARDs so inevitably this scenario will be repeated again at a later date. If I ever put the CDs containing the 60,000 or so cartoons that did not make it into the printed version, I will be truly lost and condemned to live in this house forever.
Books like this should be banned.
July 9, 2020
More than 2,000 cartoons from the pages of The New Yorker. What could be better than that in these pandemic days when we need a smile? How about all 70,000+ cartoons published in The New Yorker (as of 2005) on a DVD? But wait! There's more. In the book, the cartoons are separated by decades, each decade introduced by commentary on those years by notable New Yorker contributors. There are also profiles of some of the leading cartoonists. And yes, that's all very interesting, but just as the magazine's regular readers are drawn first to the cartoons, I will confess that is where I spent most of my time. What an amazing collection - and the background stories are pretty interesting too.
May 27, 2022
Such a great classic. It is really intriguing to see the issues of the time addressed. I love this one.
March 31, 2009
It's fascinating to see The New Yorker's thousands of cartoons laid out by decade. I don't know if I'm seeing how America's humor has evolved or how the humor of the editors of The New Yorker has evolved, but either way, it's interesting.
The best decades, in my opinion, are the 1940s-70s, when the humor was broader, less esoteric (lesoteric?), and not typically made up of pithy commentary on wine or boardroom politicking. Still, there are wonderful cartoons coming out of every era of The New Yorker's being.
The best decades, in my opinion, are the 1940s-70s, when the humor was broader, less esoteric (lesoteric?), and not typically made up of pithy commentary on wine or boardroom politicking. Still, there are wonderful cartoons coming out of every era of The New Yorker's being.
April 5, 2018
It is what it is.
August 23, 2024
A voluminous collection of cartoons from the magazine's inception to 2006, plus a DVD with EVERY cartoon from the same period included--what's not to love? Admittedly, I have read only the book, having barely dipped into the DVD collection--which, unfortunately, does not always reproduce the cartoons with the same level of precision as does the book. Nevertheless, this is not only a major resource but also much funnier than I would have expected. My sense of the New Yorker cartoon has been of a fairly staid and limited piece, narrowly focusing on the upper crusts and often more observational than funny (exceptions duly noted). I was somewhat aware of the range of styles New Yorker cartoonists use. This book was an eye-opener on both fronts. First, though, yes, many cartoons do focus on the magazine's target audience of au courant New Yorkers, the range of subjects is far more broad than that. Though the cartoons rarely stray into the area of tendentious or controversial subjects (at least in the book; there was quite a number of politically-inflected cartoons in the 1925 section of the DVD), every now and then one offers a fairly sharp critique. And a LOT of them are downright funny, moreso than I expected. Second, the range of styles is remarkable. While some of the signatures are indecipherable, a remarkable number of cartoonists are instantly recognizeable, and their styles can range from the almost abstract tot he almost realistic, from pointillist to geometrical, from rough and fluid to precise and polished. Clearly, the magazine had no house style. It is also interesting to watch the genesis (or not) of a particular cartoonist over time. Arno, for instance, begins with an almost expressionist style before settling into his economical but visually lush familiar style, before switching again later in his career to a loser, more spontaneous-looking line. Unsurprisingly, there are many cartoons I don't get, especially in the earlier decades, as I lack the historical or cultural knowledge to get what is being referenced (even some of the recent cartoons are opaque to me for this reason), but a great many of the cartoons are timeless enough in their focus that (barring some stylistic features) they could have appeared almost anywhere across the magazine's run. Essential for anyone interested in the history of American cartooning.
April 8, 2021
Der Band zeigt natürlich nicht alle Cartoons aus dem «New Yorker», und auch nicht alle bis zum Stand der Veröffentlichung, 2004. Aber die beiliegenden zwei CD-ROMs beinhalten alle im «New Yorker» veröffentlichten Cartoons von den 1920-er-Jahren bis 2004, indiziert nach Figuren, Themen, Zeichnern, und so weiter. Das Buch zeigt in gedruckter Form das Best Of aus immer noch ziemlich vielen Cartoons. Die chronologische Ordnung sorgt für eine sehr lustige Reise durch die Kulturgeschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts (mit ein paar Witzen, zu denen ich mir den Kontext herleiten musste, um sie zu verstehen – aber politische Satire ist nicht im engeren Sinne der Schwerpunkt der «New Yorker»-Cartoons). Kleine Essays von unterschiedlichen Autor*innen ordnen Trends oder Schwerpunkte in den Veröffentlichungen ein.
December 31, 2018
In a way, this book chronicles the history of the magazine, but also the history of the American society. Therefore, it is much more than just a funny reading as it provides great insights and understanding of the socio-politics of each era.
For me, the cartoons were funny most of the time (not LOL, but a chuckle or quiet giggle), but I also often didn’t get it (particularly the older ones — I guess culture change with time or the context was lost to us as sometimes you needed to be there to understand). However, I enjoyed reading this book immensely. If you have a chance, it is worth the time and therefore highly recommended.
Read my complete comment on https://clodjee-blog.com/2018/12/30/t...
For me, the cartoons were funny most of the time (not LOL, but a chuckle or quiet giggle), but I also often didn’t get it (particularly the older ones — I guess culture change with time or the context was lost to us as sometimes you needed to be there to understand). However, I enjoyed reading this book immensely. If you have a chance, it is worth the time and therefore highly recommended.
Read my complete comment on https://clodjee-blog.com/2018/12/30/t...
August 14, 2022
Interesting, droll (not hilariously funny) and sometimes risqué B&W drawn cartoons that indicate the thoughts and reactions of the society of the past in New York to current events from 1925 to 2006. Since a huge single book could not reasonably contain all the New Yorker cartoons a CD is included which has all of them.
Fave cartoons: the preacher looking up, best marks/highest salary, the constellations fighting, bringing the catapult with no rocks, use of popcorn in the theatre and sticky notes.
Fave cartoons: the preacher looking up, best marks/highest salary, the constellations fighting, bringing the catapult with no rocks, use of popcorn in the theatre and sticky notes.
July 12, 2017
An excellent reflection of the times. As an anthology it is perfect. In terms of the actual cartoons though? One in every 20 pages causes laughter. One in every 45 caused me to think about something from a new perspective. Most of them live up to Elaine's joke in Seinfeld, they don't make any sense. A lot of pretension.
But hidden within are some truly genius comics. It is worth flipping through over the course of a year or two as a bathroom reader.
But hidden within are some truly genius comics. It is worth flipping through over the course of a year or two as a bathroom reader.
July 22, 2020
Amusing, especially the Chas. Addams', but also depressingly urban and self-absorbed, but I repeat myself. New Yorkers think that since they live in a high-rise colony, like certain termites, their importance rises above other bugs.
P.S. The N.Y.T. calls it "a transfixing study of American mores and manners..." which illustrates the problem i.e. New Yorkers think they speak for all of America. "New York is not America" Ford Madox Ford
P.S. The N.Y.T. calls it "a transfixing study of American mores and manners..." which illustrates the problem i.e. New Yorkers think they speak for all of America. "New York is not America" Ford Madox Ford
September 28, 2024
Maybe 3.5 stars. As much as I have always loved cartoons, New Yorker cartoons remain just a little too R-rated for me. My favorites are Roz Chast's, and the 1947 Peter Arno frame of the aristocrat, walking into a college football stadium, berating a pennant seller for presuming he'd want anything other than the Harvard pennant. Harvard's opponent? My own humble, obscure alma mater, Western Maryland (now McDaniel) College! I find that cartoon hilarious.
January 28, 2025
For New Yorker cartoon aficionados The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker is an indispensable reference for a beloved art form. Spanning three-quarters of a century and weighing several pounds, the jumbo-sized compendium marches through successive decades, a wry documentary of evolving styles and tastes in America. Of course, editor Bob Mankoff couldn't fit all 70,000 cartoons on paper, so most accompany the book on a CD.
March 28, 2019
I mean, what's not to like? A huge, excellent selection of cartoons, nicely arranged, printed large enough, with interesting little essays about artists and frequent topics. Only thing I'd like is a subject index, but that's included on the CD!
You can find it super cheap used on Amazon. Great coffee table book!
You can find it super cheap used on Amazon. Great coffee table book!
December 11, 2025
Some of the cartoons are really good. Many produce some mild chuckles. But no actual laughter s one would get from reading Far Side or Calvin and Hobbes. This is meant to be a coffee table book but even for that it's too big and heavy
October 26, 2017
Really quite excellent. There were only a few, mostly pre-1960, that I didn't really "get." Also surprisingly fresh and topical, no matter which decade the reader is in.
December 16, 2018
Who couldn't love a ginormous book of New Yorker cartoons? Included is a fascinating look at the origins of the New Yorker cartoons and bios sketches of some of the cartoonists.
December 24, 2018
Usually funny. Some are a bit outdated, but it is a collection.
April 12, 2019
casual read, ready for reread,
February 2, 2021
Uno de los mejores regalos que me dieron en la vida.
February 17, 2021
Definitely more of a pick-and-skim/coffee table thing than a read through, but much fun all the same. Nifty slices of history, and comes with CDs of the same, which make for easy e-reading later.
Read
November 11, 2021Good picture, somewhat funny, something to read on your freetime.
Read
March 20, 2022This book was SO ginormous that I ended up having to bail. I think this would make a great coffee table book though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews