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The Beaufort Diaries
A polar bear tries to go green--in Hollywood, with Leonardo DiCaprio--in an outrageous tale that includes equally outrageous full-color illustrations.
JUST A SMALL TIME BEAR, LIVING A LONELY What happens when an arctic refugee finds himself adrift in LA-LA Land? Behold Beaufort's rocket rise to stardom, his inevitable crash and burn, his enduring friendship with Leonardo DiCaprio, and his painful journey to redemption and bear-awareness.
Turns out when you're a dying breed in Hollywood, it's tough to go with the floe.
JUST A SMALL TIME BEAR, LIVING A LONELY What happens when an arctic refugee finds himself adrift in LA-LA Land? Behold Beaufort's rocket rise to stardom, his inevitable crash and burn, his enduring friendship with Leonardo DiCaprio, and his painful journey to redemption and bear-awareness.
Turns out when you're a dying breed in Hollywood, it's tough to go with the floe.
- GenresFictionGraphic Novels
80 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
T. Cooper
22 books54 followersT COOPER is the author of four novels, including the bestselling "The Beaufort Diaries" and "Lipshitz Six, or Two Angry Blondes," as well as a brand-new Young Adult book series entitled "Changers." Cooper edited an anthology of original stories entitled "A Fictional History of the United States With Huge Chunks Missing," and his most recent book is the non-fiction "Real Man Adventures" (just released in paperback from McSweeney's Books). He has also written for television, and is the co-founder of a new Empathy Project, Wearechangers.org.
T Cooper was born and raised in Los Angeles, attended Middlebury College in Vermont, and then taught high school in New Orleans before settling in New York City in 1996. He earned an MFA from Columbia University, and in addition to his books, Cooper's work has appeared in a variety of publications and anthologies, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Believer, One Story, Bomb, Electric Literature, The Brooklyn Review, The Portland Review, Document, and others. His short story "Swimming" was one of "100 Distinguished Stories" in The Best American Short Stories 2008 (ed. Salman Rushdie).
Cooper has been awarded residencies to The MacDowell Colony, Ledig House International, and The Millay Colony (where he was The New York Times Foundation Fellow). Not too long ago, he was a visiting faculty member at Middlebury College.
Cooper also adapted and produced a short film based on his graphic novel "The Beaufort Diaries." The animated short, directed by the book's illustrator Alex Petrowsky and starring actor David Duchovny, was an official selection at several film festivals, including Tribeca Film Festival, South By Southwest, The New Orleans Film Fest, The Worldwide Short Film Festival, and the Anchorage International Film Festival.
Cooper enjoys vintage airplanes, M*A*S*H, the great outdoors, world peace, buckwheat pancakes, and anything to do with pit bull advocacy. He lives with his wife and kids in New York and the South.
T Cooper was born and raised in Los Angeles, attended Middlebury College in Vermont, and then taught high school in New Orleans before settling in New York City in 1996. He earned an MFA from Columbia University, and in addition to his books, Cooper's work has appeared in a variety of publications and anthologies, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Believer, One Story, Bomb, Electric Literature, The Brooklyn Review, The Portland Review, Document, and others. His short story "Swimming" was one of "100 Distinguished Stories" in The Best American Short Stories 2008 (ed. Salman Rushdie).
Cooper has been awarded residencies to The MacDowell Colony, Ledig House International, and The Millay Colony (where he was The New York Times Foundation Fellow). Not too long ago, he was a visiting faculty member at Middlebury College.
Cooper also adapted and produced a short film based on his graphic novel "The Beaufort Diaries." The animated short, directed by the book's illustrator Alex Petrowsky and starring actor David Duchovny, was an official selection at several film festivals, including Tribeca Film Festival, South By Southwest, The New Orleans Film Fest, The Worldwide Short Film Festival, and the Anchorage International Film Festival.
Cooper enjoys vintage airplanes, M*A*S*H, the great outdoors, world peace, buckwheat pancakes, and anything to do with pit bull advocacy. He lives with his wife and kids in New York and the South.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 6, 2019
mildly amusing?
November 14, 2014
This book is a Melville House title that I picked up while I was in New York interning for them. I haven’t had it for very long, and I’m not sure why I picked it to read next. It’s just such a nice little book. It’s a lovely glossy hardback, which reminds me a little bit of the Ladybird series of books I used to read over and over again as a child. The story itself lends itself to this kind of interpretation too, I think, as it’s very simple and sweetly told. The ones I used to read were the ones adapted from the Disney films like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid, and The Beaufort Diaries is also like a fairytale in many respects.
Beaufort, a polar bear, becomes separated from his mother on the ice and decides to take his chances heading south towards Hollywood, where he has dreams of making it as a big star. When he gets there, he finds that reality is harder than he anticipated, however with a stroke of luck lands a role in a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The rest of Beaufort’s journey comprises of classic coming of age stuff – coming to Hollywood, making it big, falling hard and then: redemption. These events are also layered with really subtle explorations of climate change – (Beaufort is forced to drift away form his homeland, and ends up starring in a film called ‘Separation of Oil and State’.)
It’s a very funny and sweet book. Beaufort’s rites of passage such as his first drugs binge, or becoming ‘cuntstruck’ by a supermodel, are told with earnestness, and the fact that he is a polar bear is inconsequential. Also funny is the use of ‘real’ people like Leonardo DiCaprio. Maybe it’s something I haven’t noticed, but T Cooper seems to be part of a canon of authors including Tao Lin (and others, I’m sure), who use ‘real’ people in their novels. Usually they are celebrities, and the authors make no claims that their characters are behaving in the same way the ‘real’ person would behave. The use of celebrity names is interesting: it’s not a sales tactic, but I’m not sure it adds anything to the story other than to ground it into its Hollywood framework. In the instance of The Beaufort Diaries, I like it; the contrast between the names of real people, versus the absurdity of a polar bear being the main character feels kind of appropriate, not to mention hilarious.
As I said, the book itself is a lovely little thing. It’s peppered with full-page illustrations from Alex Petrowsky whose work I’m not familiar with, but his illustrations are a really cool layering of mixed media (usually photographs) with his own illustrations over the top, which works really well with the feel of the novel itself. In the end, I think I ended up feeling a similar way about Fup and All My Friends Are Superheroes. A sweet, short and pretty little book that makes a great gift for any occasion.
Beaufort, a polar bear, becomes separated from his mother on the ice and decides to take his chances heading south towards Hollywood, where he has dreams of making it as a big star. When he gets there, he finds that reality is harder than he anticipated, however with a stroke of luck lands a role in a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The rest of Beaufort’s journey comprises of classic coming of age stuff – coming to Hollywood, making it big, falling hard and then: redemption. These events are also layered with really subtle explorations of climate change – (Beaufort is forced to drift away form his homeland, and ends up starring in a film called ‘Separation of Oil and State’.)
It’s a very funny and sweet book. Beaufort’s rites of passage such as his first drugs binge, or becoming ‘cuntstruck’ by a supermodel, are told with earnestness, and the fact that he is a polar bear is inconsequential. Also funny is the use of ‘real’ people like Leonardo DiCaprio. Maybe it’s something I haven’t noticed, but T Cooper seems to be part of a canon of authors including Tao Lin (and others, I’m sure), who use ‘real’ people in their novels. Usually they are celebrities, and the authors make no claims that their characters are behaving in the same way the ‘real’ person would behave. The use of celebrity names is interesting: it’s not a sales tactic, but I’m not sure it adds anything to the story other than to ground it into its Hollywood framework. In the instance of The Beaufort Diaries, I like it; the contrast between the names of real people, versus the absurdity of a polar bear being the main character feels kind of appropriate, not to mention hilarious.
As I said, the book itself is a lovely little thing. It’s peppered with full-page illustrations from Alex Petrowsky whose work I’m not familiar with, but his illustrations are a really cool layering of mixed media (usually photographs) with his own illustrations over the top, which works really well with the feel of the novel itself. In the end, I think I ended up feeling a similar way about Fup and All My Friends Are Superheroes. A sweet, short and pretty little book that makes a great gift for any occasion.
November 28, 2010
What do you get when a lone polar bear hitchhikes his way to LA, stars in a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, becomes famous, dates a model, decides to write a script and direct his own movie, dabbles in Kabbalah and Scientology, moves to New York, becomes an alcoholic and a drug addict, and finally redeems himself on an off-broadway one-man show? You get T Cooper's The Beaufort Diaries, a hilarious inside look at being a celebrity from the point of view of someone who just doesn't belong.
When arctic polar bear Beaufort accidentally floats astray from his mother during a hunting trip and finds himself drifting towards America, he decides to make his way to Hollywood, where he bumps into Leo DiCaprio and subsequently lands the star role in an upcoming psychological thriller-slash-legal drama-slash-buddy flick about global warming. The movie's a hit, Beaufort becomes rich and famous - and everything pretty much goes downhill from there. He lives in a mansion on Hollywood Hills, dates the model Svava, has Ashton and Demi as Kabbalah mentors, and tries his hand at writing and directing his own film, so aptly titled Bear, which subsequently tanks, leaving Beaufort jobless, penniless, and without real friends (except for good old buddy Leo).
The Beaufort Diaries is an easy read with less than a hundred pages. And while some people say they would have wanted the story to have gone further, longer, probably developed into a novel, I have better appreciation for Beaufort's story as a short one, as fleeting as his career. That, and the fact that Alex Petrowsky's mixed media illustrations are more than enough to make up for the briefness of the story. His drawings have minimal colors yet are quite vivid. Petrowsky did a really good sketch of Leo's face, too.
Short, concise, and charming, The Beaufort Diaries portrays the difficulties of being a one-hit wonder, of fame, and of the superficial things that make up a celebrity.
Originally posted here.
When arctic polar bear Beaufort accidentally floats astray from his mother during a hunting trip and finds himself drifting towards America, he decides to make his way to Hollywood, where he bumps into Leo DiCaprio and subsequently lands the star role in an upcoming psychological thriller-slash-legal drama-slash-buddy flick about global warming. The movie's a hit, Beaufort becomes rich and famous - and everything pretty much goes downhill from there. He lives in a mansion on Hollywood Hills, dates the model Svava, has Ashton and Demi as Kabbalah mentors, and tries his hand at writing and directing his own film, so aptly titled Bear, which subsequently tanks, leaving Beaufort jobless, penniless, and without real friends (except for good old buddy Leo).
The Beaufort Diaries is an easy read with less than a hundred pages. And while some people say they would have wanted the story to have gone further, longer, probably developed into a novel, I have better appreciation for Beaufort's story as a short one, as fleeting as his career. That, and the fact that Alex Petrowsky's mixed media illustrations are more than enough to make up for the briefness of the story. His drawings have minimal colors yet are quite vivid. Petrowsky did a really good sketch of Leo's face, too.
Short, concise, and charming, The Beaufort Diaries portrays the difficulties of being a one-hit wonder, of fame, and of the superficial things that make up a celebrity.
Originally posted here.
September 4, 2015
Initially, I began my review as a synopsis then realized there was no point further condensing what is already a light read. "The Beaufort Diaries" would be a perfect read for anyone who finds their own writing getting sloppy -- it's a concise ninety pages, and probably a third are illustrations.
My favourite part: when a $25 BJ in a dark alley compels Beaufort to join Scientology.
My favourite sentence: "I knew the whole time I was telling this story that it was a cover for the real story, which for some reason I still find impossible to tell."
My favourite part: when a $25 BJ in a dark alley compels Beaufort to join Scientology.
My favourite sentence: "I knew the whole time I was telling this story that it was a cover for the real story, which for some reason I still find impossible to tell."
October 27, 2015
I'm honestly not sure what else to say about this other than it was kind of inexplicably entertaining. Whatever else it was about, Beaufort is an obvious parody of the typical Hollywood story about a bright new star that flames out quickly. Yes, it's about a polar bear dealing with separation issues, too, but Cooper writes so little by way of explaining how this world of his functions that you kind of just have to take it at face value. Because it's so short it's easier to accept it for what it is and not ask for more.
September 17, 2010
I lost The Girl Who Played With Fire for a few days so I picked this book up. My friend got me it a few weeks ago because of my "Leonardo DiCaprio obsession." Haha. It was actually pretty good - a bit short (it could have been a lot better if it were longer and more in depth) but enjoyable enough and a quick read. It's only like 100 pages.
April 24, 2011
Fun, witty, quick read. First-person account by polar bear cub on how he got separated from his mother due to global warming, ended up in Hollywood and got sucked into and spit out of the show biz machine. Result is like combining "Catcher in the Rye" with "Call of the Wild" and throwing in a Lindsay Lohan type.
April 6, 2011
A clever spoof on Hollywood and the modern lifestyle, complete with Scientology conversion. A silly bit of fluff, good if you're feeling brain-dead and want something mindless to read. The art is fun and almost made me give this 3 stars.
July 19, 2013
I thought the cover was a dog and I had recently traveled through Beaufort, South Carolina however this was a graphic novel version of Entourage with the main character being a polar bear from the Beaufort Sea. I picked it up on a fluke and it made me chuckle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2013
Really touching story, as told through Beaufort the polar bear.
He could be anyone, and that's why after awhile it didn't matter in the slightest how ridiculous his existence appeared.
Truly creative, and honest work by T. Cooper.
He could be anyone, and that's why after awhile it didn't matter in the slightest how ridiculous his existence appeared.
Truly creative, and honest work by T. Cooper.
January 2, 2015
A quick, slightly amusing tale of a polar bear's Hollywood rise and fall. A little bit predictable, nothing super special going on, but I smiled a few times while reading. If you are looking for something and have about 30 minutes, you could do worse than this.
August 11, 2010
Absolutely hilariously, absurd book about a polar bear who moves to LA and gets involved in the entertainment industry. A satirical Entourage. Definitely pick up this quick read.
November 6, 2012
Mildly amusing, and very short, but I wouldn't recommend it. You must have better things yo do with your time
May 24, 2011
The illustrations by Alex Petrowsky are the best thing about the book. The story is a satire of an easy target, the Hollywood dream. Nicely spun, like cotton candy, sweet and quickly gone.
July 28, 2011
I read this in one evening. I found it slightly entertaining, but overall glad that I could finish it quickly.
November 26, 2011
A true send-up of what so many people do once fame hits...they melt down, do drugs and alcohol, and maybe, just maybe, figure it out. Okay, Beaufort figured it...many of the famous don't!
February 7, 2014
Quick, entertaining and thought-provoking
June 9, 2014
There is a cute bear on the cover.
May 9, 2011
A quick little read...and it has pictures!
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June 12, 2015Fiction C7783b 2010
April 12, 2017
Funny, sassy, biting mini-read. My friend left the book on my desk the other morning and told me to read it during my lunch hour. A smart criticism of our culture, told through the eyes of a polar bear. Don't expect too much depth, but it's certainly an entertaining read.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews