Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1471841 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Customer Reviews

A Very Entertaining and Interesting Biography
I saw the biography of Paul Conrad on PBS's "Independent Lens" and was spurred to read his new autobiography. It is very entertaining, interesting, and insightful. Paul Conrad is passionate about doing something about social wrongs and political wrongdoings. He expresses his passion by drawing very funny but in-your-face political cartoons. He considers the greatest irony in his life was, after years of lampooning President Nixon, he was put on Nixon's Enemies List in 1973. Four years later, Nixon's alma mater, Whittier College, named him to the Richard M. Nixon Chair. The book is a very enjoyable and a laugh-aloud read. The man is full of life and loves his country.

A Great Biography
This is the hands down best way to do a biography that I have ever seen. It's at least 90% pictures, maybe 95%. The words tell us just a bit about his personal history, but the pictures - drawings really of his editorial cartoons -- tell us more about his beliefs, thoughts, the inner person he is than anything words could possibly say.

This is not to say that the words aren't well done. I particularily like the story of going for his Army physical. He was 4-F because of vision problems. So a Major took him for an eye test: 'Conrad, what's the top line on that eye chart? 'E' 'You're in.' In the Army he made it all the way up to PFC, several times. Anyone with the view of authority figures that he has was lucky to make it that far. But that's the view that made him such a great political cartoonist.

Do I agree with him on all points, of course not. What would be the fun in that? But even in the areas where we disagree, he's still funny.

missing cartoon
The book leaves out his best cartoon the helicopter over the White House stating"One Flew Over the Cucuckos' Nest" When Nixon was in office.