Passionella and Other Stories

By Jules Feiffer

Book Overview

Jules Feiffer has had one of the most varied and illustrious careers of any 20th century cartoonist. For over 40 years he contributed strips to The Village Voice, and has long been a regular contributor to the London Observer and Playboy. An animated cartoon based on his story Munro received an Academy Award in 1961. In the '60s, he branched into theater, writing several plays now regarded as classics: Little Murders; Knock, Knock; The White House Murder Case; Elliot Loves; and The Grown-Ups, to name a few. Originally conceived for the stage, his Carnal Knowledge became one of the landmark films of the '70s. He has written two prose novels, Harry the Rat with Women and Ackroyd, as well as a cartoon novel, Tantrum. In the 1990s, Feiffer embarked on yet another career, this time as a children's book author. He has over a half-dozen to his credit, including modern classics like The Man and the Ceiling.

Passionella and Other Stories collects Feiffer's finest extended graphic narratives of the late '50s and early '60s. It opens in full-color with "Excalibur and Rose," the fable of a village comedian who embarks on a crusade in search of his serious side, which he finds in spades when he encounters his true love, the pathologically depressed Rose. The volume's centerpiece, "Passionella," a retelling of Cinderella set in modern Hollywood, concerns a chimney sweep whose fairy godmother transforms her into the "mysterious exotic bewitching temptress"and movie starPassionella. Other stories include "The Lonely Machine," an account of one man's attempt to find the perfect relationship through robot love, and "Harold Swerg," the predicament of the world's greatest athlete who'd rather stay at his mundane job than compete against others, despite his country's desperate pleas to enter the Olympics. Three more classic graphic tales and several entertaining one-act plays round out this handsomely designed hardcover edition.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560970979
• ISBN13: 9781560970972
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
• Length: 180 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.5" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Feiffer

I bought this book because I'm a Feiffer fan. The book basically illustrates the more recent Feiffer work, which is a George Bernard Shaw type of satirical work, and throws in some older cartoons as well. I did not like the play writing or the illustrated fable. I much prefer the old Feiffer stuff in the book, and his cartoon features like Boom. Even though I enjoy the cartoons much more than the play writing, I will admit that there is some excellent and funny satire writing, for example, " Superman ". All about vulnerable male egos and action heroes. The fable also has great comments on the human condition. It really is an essential book for philosophy or Drama/art students, because no one can handle satire in this unique and funny way. I am not sure that old Feiffer cartoon fans will be getting their money's worth though.