Thursday 14 August 2008

Kliban


Bill Oddie once told me about the Lesser Tufted Mallard which, when faced with a life of office drudgery, will choose to peck out its own eyes and then begin to waddle indifferently in heavy traffic. Lacking a beak but stuck in Manchester, I have to find my escape elsewhere. Which is why Nige’s recommendation of the work of B. Kliban has me smiling even more this morning. It’s rare that I post something on this blog which isn’t my own work but this cartoon has had me smiling for two days and made me determined to hunt down some of the great man’s work in my lunch hour in Manchester’s woefully few second-hand bookshops.


7 comments:

Nige said...

Glad you like him Dick - you'll find a couple of his best going cheap on Amazon marketplace (used).

Uncle Dick Madeley said...

Thanks Nige. I'd already ordered 'Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head' but it's coming from America. Pretty shocking that they can be out of print.

It's rare that I find a cartoonist I really admire but when I do it always makes me want to go back to making funny pictures. What's unusual about Kliban, though, is that it's the quality of the writing that attracts my attention. They're just so perfect in their brevity. The other one I really like is titled 'the only show in town'. Looking at his cartoons makes me feel like I've found a kindred spirit.

Okay, must get back to thinking about chickens. I've thought about two today but, unfortunately, neither of them was brown.

Welsh Girl said...

I thought about a battery chicken farm filled with brown chickens! I'M RICH!!!! This is better than winning the lottery...

ps - just glanced at Judith Chalmers in the Bestiary. My god that woman has big hair!!!!!!

Nige said...

And no knickers (by her own account)...

Anonymous said...

I loved B Kliban when I was a kid - I'm pretty sure I used to have Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head.

It's really hard to think of chickens when you're trying, isn't it?

Uncle Dick Madeley said...

Nige, when you've got big hair you don't need knickers. Or so I'm told.

Ms. Baroque, that's so eerie! Literally half an hour ago I was looking at your face on your book of poetry in Waterstones. A very nice book it looked too. Luxurious hardback.

Welsh Girl said...

So I guess that means Amy Winehouse, Donald Trump and James May are all going commando as well. That's an image that has sent the chickens packing for good. Not much can compete with such a horrible vision.....