Book Review - Charles Addams' Addams and Evil
Addams and Evil by Charles Addams
Published by: Pocket Books
Publication Date: 1947
Format: Paperback, 128 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
Out of Print
While it would be hard for me to actually review this book of cartoons, seeing as that word, even though it doesn't quite fit what Charles Addams does, is the most apt, if lacking, word. How would one even go about it really? I think it just wouldn't work and you'd be banging on my door lobbying complaints...or worse yet, trying to get my copy of the book to see for yourself, his books are very hard to find after all, and I can't have my books in harms way. If only there was some sort of compromise...I know! I can discuss the man! Charles Addams was a comical genius with his dark humor and his even darker ensemble of characters who came to be known as the Addams Family. In his badly written and rambling introduction Wolcott Gibbs, an editor, humorist, author and critic who time has forgotten, eventually gets around to the point of Addams being a nice and normal guy who happens to collect ancient weaponry and has a keen eye for the bizarre and depraved. While there really is no way to sum up his work and if I could I'd be labeled crazy, as Wolcott says in his introduction: Addams' "work has reached the point where it is sometimes used to diagnose incipient lunacy (the theory being that if you think you can explain an Addams picture the lunacy is no longer incipient)." I will say I personally think he is one of the greatest illustrators and humorists of the past century, and a true American treasure, and how could he not be, he's distantly related John Adams and John Quincy Adams, founding fathers and all that. So, instead of trying to badly go on with this review, I present my favorite pages from the book.
"I know, but I don't go in unless he buzzes"
"That stuff may be all right for you fellows, but I'drather be safe then sorry..."
"Now play dead."For more on Addams, make sure to enter my competition to win a copy of his biography by Linda H. Davis, Charles Addams, A Cartoonist's Life.
Never heard of him before, but i do like the arts. :)
Great one!!!
Nina said... October 14, 2009 at 7:11 AM
i'd never heard of him before either, but geez he's dark, lol
idk what it says about me but i laughed my arse off at the one w/the receptionist saying she "won't go in unless he buzzes"
Anonymous said... October 20, 2009 at 5:48 AM
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