Review by PeterRabitt20 -- Winners and Losers in words a...
Posted: 21 Feb 2021, 11:24
[Following is a volunteer review of "Winners and Losers in words and cartoons" by Arthur Hartz.]
Winners and Losers in words and cartoons, by Arthur Hartz, is a compilation of cartoons and aphorisms that explores the idea of winning and losing in the American culture.
The author illustrates our obsession with triumphing and our fear of losing. He argues that the need to win has made our society devalue important traits, such as honesty and integrity. Hartz provides a mix of cartoons to explain his point. Furthermore, he explores how winners and losers are treated differently; he offers examples of how they behave towards others.
This book is arranged into nine chapters. Each chapter starts with a commentary. Afterward, the author supports his opinion with various cartoons and aphorisms. At intervals, there are popular quotes from famous people—scientists, politicians, and other successful people. Hartz gives his views on those quotes and isn’t embarrassed to go against the flow.
The author, who is a professional medical researcher, has written other satire books. Winners and Losers in words and cartoons is one installment of the series entitled, ‘The Slings and Arrows of Mundane Fortune.’
My favorite aspect of this book was the cartoons and the aphorisms. They were expertly sketched by three cartoonists—their names are found at the beginning of the book. In addition to being humorous, the sketches were (the author will be pleased) thought-provoking. At first, these side-splitting maxims reminisce of the Sunday funnies—of which I am a fan. Once the laughter subsided, the general truth of the author’s message started to be evident and sobering.
Another positive aspect is that this book is short (considering the hefty topic) and without any cumbersome paragraphs. The author intentionally constructed it to be easily picked up and put down. It can be read linearly or by skipping the pages; either way, the reader will find something interesting.
In my opinion, this book has no negative aspects. As a result, I rate Winners and Losers in words and cartoons 4 out of 4 stars. It was direct, witty, and stimulating; thus, it does not merit a 3-star rating. I did not find any grave errors. Therefore, this book seemed professionally edited.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys satire comics. Some of the cartoons might be difficult to understand. Hence, I would not recommend this book to younger readers. Moreover, there are slightly crude depictions of religion and gender. I would caution sensitive readers before they select this book.
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Winners and Losers in words and cartoons
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Winners and Losers in words and cartoons, by Arthur Hartz, is a compilation of cartoons and aphorisms that explores the idea of winning and losing in the American culture.
The author illustrates our obsession with triumphing and our fear of losing. He argues that the need to win has made our society devalue important traits, such as honesty and integrity. Hartz provides a mix of cartoons to explain his point. Furthermore, he explores how winners and losers are treated differently; he offers examples of how they behave towards others.
This book is arranged into nine chapters. Each chapter starts with a commentary. Afterward, the author supports his opinion with various cartoons and aphorisms. At intervals, there are popular quotes from famous people—scientists, politicians, and other successful people. Hartz gives his views on those quotes and isn’t embarrassed to go against the flow.
The author, who is a professional medical researcher, has written other satire books. Winners and Losers in words and cartoons is one installment of the series entitled, ‘The Slings and Arrows of Mundane Fortune.’
My favorite aspect of this book was the cartoons and the aphorisms. They were expertly sketched by three cartoonists—their names are found at the beginning of the book. In addition to being humorous, the sketches were (the author will be pleased) thought-provoking. At first, these side-splitting maxims reminisce of the Sunday funnies—of which I am a fan. Once the laughter subsided, the general truth of the author’s message started to be evident and sobering.
Another positive aspect is that this book is short (considering the hefty topic) and without any cumbersome paragraphs. The author intentionally constructed it to be easily picked up and put down. It can be read linearly or by skipping the pages; either way, the reader will find something interesting.
In my opinion, this book has no negative aspects. As a result, I rate Winners and Losers in words and cartoons 4 out of 4 stars. It was direct, witty, and stimulating; thus, it does not merit a 3-star rating. I did not find any grave errors. Therefore, this book seemed professionally edited.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys satire comics. Some of the cartoons might be difficult to understand. Hence, I would not recommend this book to younger readers. Moreover, there are slightly crude depictions of religion and gender. I would caution sensitive readers before they select this book.
******
Winners and Losers in words and cartoons
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
