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professorfate's review against another edition
4.0
I have been reading MAD magazine for probably close to thirty years, and I've always wondered about some of the geniuses who put out such inspiring adolescent humor month after month (or quarter after quarter, or whatever the publishing schedule is these days). When I saw this book mentioned in a issue, I decided to pick it up and read.
It seems to follow the usual biographical pattern for artists: horrible childhood (in this case a religiously maniacal mother who, not once but twice, in effect kidnapped her children to Lithuania and a father who just didn't seem to care most times), how the young artist overcomes the tough times to flourish in a blah blah blah.
While Jaffee's childhood is interesting (that sounds bad, but it's the only word I can think of, dammit!), I think Ms. Weisman dwells a little too long on it. She spends the first roughly 135 pages getting Al through childhood to high school and then condenses his 70-year career into the remaining 85 pages.
It seems to follow the usual biographical pattern for artists: horrible childhood (in this case a religiously maniacal mother who, not once but twice, in effect kidnapped her children to Lithuania and a father who just didn't seem to care most times), how the young artist overcomes the tough times to flourish in a blah blah blah.
While Jaffee's childhood is interesting (that sounds bad, but it's the only word I can think of, dammit!), I think Ms. Weisman dwells a little too long on it. She spends the first roughly 135 pages getting Al through childhood to high school and then condenses his 70-year career into the remaining 85 pages.
jcschildbach's review against another edition
4.0
The better part of this book is devoted to Jaffee's childhood -- which was quite strange, intriguing, and potentially very dangerous. A fair portion of the material on his adult life is about bouncing between magazines, most of which died young, and the 'fights' between various publishers and editors (which I was much less interested in than the stories of his young life). Throughout the book is a building story of Jaffee's natural talent and the complexity of his work, as well as the appreciation other artists have for Jaffee's ability. Having seen Jaffee's work since I was very young, I had never thought much of the technical skill and strength involved, just enjoyed the comical qualities. For any fans of Jaffee, Mad Magazine, or cartooning in general, this is a good read, with some fun illustrations.
markfeltskog's review against another edition
Because my father subscribed to Mad Magazine when I was a child, I kept up with it through its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. That experience exposed me to the brilliant Al Jaffee, whose role in shaping my day-to-day consciousness, even now, I cannot overstate. His biography, occasionally clumsily related (hence four stars), alas, in this volume, is an epic story. Today, at 94, he is still drawing the Mad fold in and living the artist's life in Manhattan. I can't speak for anyone whose demographic profile, like mine, includes a place at the bottom end of the baby boom, but my life is much richer for having encountered Al Jaffee as a child.
autumnadrift's review
3.0
This book is not quite a straight biography, and not quite a graphic novel. I would’ve enjoyed it more had it been fully one or the other. That being said, it is compelling reading and a case study on the lasting impact of a harsh childhood.
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