What fun Rating:4 out of 5 stars I heard the author on Fresh Air and decided to get the book. It is obvious why some of these cartoons didn't make it into the Mag. Less obvious with others. But almost all fun. The cartoonist 'autobiographies' are also great fun.
Keep your world in Balance! Rating:5 out of 5 stars After a day of discouragements, or traffic jams, after watching the news, it is important to find a time to laugh every day. This book is just what keeps me smiling and going. Not all the images will match the taste of all, but there should be something to make the most stern chortle.
Better Cartoons, Worse Questionnaire Than Vol. 1 Rating:5 out of 5 stars If you've gotten to this page, there's a good chance you've either seen or bought the first volume, The Rejection Collection: Cartoons You Never Saw, and Never Will See, in The New Yorker.
I thought the cartoonists' responses to the questionnaires in the first collection provided a fascinating look into the creative mind. In this volume, the questions seemed more convoluted and the answers more conventional.
The cartoons, however, struck me as being funnier in this volume. Two of my favorite cartoonists (Sam Gross and Gahan Wilson) are featured in both volumes.
If I could only buy one, I would buy the first volume, but both collections are enjoyable.
Off-the-Wall Delight Rating:5 out of 5 stars I have to admit at the outset that I don't laugh as easily as others I know. Too much so called humor seems predictable or formulaic these days. Not so, The Rejection Collection volumes. This book and its predecessor had me giggling, chuckling, laughing and occasionally guffawing from cover to cover. The cartoons are great. Many are twisted, a little sick, or iconoclastic, which tickles me no end. The questionnaires are a fun and valuable insight into the creative minds and personalities of the contributing cartoonists.
Don't miss Bob Mankoff's replies to their questions (found in the questionairre), also in the appendix! He easily holds his own in terms of wit.
Laughter is a great gift. The Rejection Collections I and II are the perfect choice for someone you care about, who has a slightly twisted sense of humor. I hope there will be many more volumes to come. I'll buy them all!
Made me laugh so hard my eyes were watering Rating:5 out of 5 stars I read this with my wife, and we laughed so hard that we were choking for breath. These cartoonists are far stranger and more imaginative than their editors want you to know.
Darker, Funnier Side of New Yorker Cartoonists Rating:5 out of 5 stars Diffee begins with a series of Venn diagrams demonstrating the small overlap between the cartoonists creative oeuvre and the amusement of New Yorker editors. Then, he allows a brief (alas, all too brief) view into the world of each of 38 eminent cartoonists. This is includes a collage of photographs, a brilliantly crafted- and usually more brilliantly executed - questionnaire, and a handful of cartoons. These brilliant gems are almost always hysterical (including many laugh out loud hysterical), and always obvious why they were not published in the New Yorker - too rude, sexual, political, etc. Although, I have not read the first volume, completing this volume spurs me to run out (errr, zip online to Amazon), and order the previous volume.
SECOND BEST AT BEST Rating:3 out of 5 stars Not as funny as the original. Less sophisticated and (much) more coarser. Even vulgar.
Seems to me, Volume One featured cartoons drawn with The New Yorker in mind. These new ones look tailor-made to be rejected by any magazine, in order to milk this cash cow to the last drop.
Nice to know someone else's good work is often rejected Rating:4 out of 5 stars Exceptionally funny. Well drawn cartoons often too edgy for publication in NEW YORKER. Great reading especially nice for the new artist's ego seeing some peers rejections.
A disappointing sequel Rating:3 out of 5 stars I love the original Rejection Collection. That collection contains many of my favorite cartoons of all time, and it still makes me laugh on my 15th, 16th ... etc. reading. Sadly, this second collection is just not as good. Despite the presence of a few real gems, as a whole this sequel is *not* the cream of the crap, but is instead the next layer down. Worth reading, but not worth owning.
Rejection Collection No. 2 Rating:5 out of 5 stars I loved Rejection Collection No. 1 so much, I had to buy Rejection Collection No. 2. I recommend both of these books for anyone with a sense of humor!!!
Should grace every American coffee table! Rating:5 out of 5 stars I enjoyed this (and its partner, Vol. 1) so much, I made Christmas gifts of it (them) to all my close relatives - whose reviews are as enthusiastic as mine)!
On my gift list this year Rating:5 out of 5 stars The other day I happened to hear the author interviewed on a local PBS radio airing of Fresh Air. The new collection was discussed and when the author described some of the examples in the book, I laughed so hard I almost choked. The people driving next to me must have wondered what on earth I was laughing about. The verbal descriptions of some of the cartoons created such visualizations I almost shudder to think what will happen when I view the entire content. For example, a description of Titantic action figures struck me so funny that, now as I type this review, I'm laughing again. That is effective cartooning - and I haven't seen the visual yet. Yup, still laughing ...sounds like the perfect gift for those pals who have everything else and could use a good laugh.
More cream of the crap Rating:5 out of 5 stars Barely a year after Matthew Diffee offered us "The Rejection Collection", (cartoons that never made it into the New Yorker) he's back with another load of hysterical rejects. After an engaging introduction describing the life of any given cartoonist, off we go into the nether world of cartoons that might have, could have or even should have been included in the magazine. Not to worry, this is like getting several free editions of the New Yorker, minus the editors' scissors.
Volume Two also includes a quirky questionnaire given to contributing cartoonists. What an odd lot! It's like the "Jeopardy!" interview portion of the game, but this time cartoonists are given more free time to reflect on topics like "what do you hate drawing?" or "have you mooned or been mooned more often in your life?" Hey, it beats having a real job anyday!
Diffee also gives ten reasons why certain cartoons are rejected...a plausible addition to this volume. (It may also be a guideline to those of us who have often contributed to the New Yorker's cartoon caption contest and found our own rejection many times over) All in all, it's the cartoons, themselves, which 'sell' "The Rejection Collection", Volume Two. It's nice to know that they've found a home in our home, if not in the magazine, itself. I highly recommend this latest contribution by author Diffee....published in time for the holidays, this would make a great present!
Comments on The Rejection Collection Vol. 2 The Cream of
What fun
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I heard the author on Fresh Air and decided to get the book. It is obvious why some of these cartoons didn't make it into the Mag. Less obvious with others. But almost all fun. The cartoonist 'autobiographies' are also great fun.
Keep your world in Balance!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After a day of discouragements, or traffic jams, after watching the news, it is important to find a time to laugh every day. This book is just what keeps me smiling and going. Not all the images will match the taste of all, but there should be something to make the most stern chortle.
Better Cartoons, Worse Questionnaire Than Vol. 1
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you've gotten to this page, there's a good chance you've either seen or bought the first volume, The Rejection Collection: Cartoons You Never Saw, and Never Will See, in The New Yorker.
I thought the cartoonists' responses to the questionnaires in the first collection provided a fascinating look into the creative mind. In this volume, the questions seemed more convoluted and the answers more conventional.
The cartoons, however, struck me as being funnier in this volume. Two of my favorite cartoonists (Sam Gross and Gahan Wilson) are featured in both volumes.
If I could only buy one, I would buy the first volume, but both collections are enjoyable.
Off-the-Wall Delight
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have to admit at the outset that I don't laugh as easily as others I know. Too much so called humor seems predictable or formulaic these days. Not so, The Rejection Collection volumes. This book and its predecessor had me giggling, chuckling, laughing and occasionally guffawing from cover to cover. The cartoons are great. Many are twisted, a little sick, or iconoclastic, which tickles me no end. The questionnaires are a fun and valuable insight into the creative minds and personalities of the contributing cartoonists.
Don't miss Bob Mankoff's replies to their questions (found in the questionairre), also in the appendix! He easily holds his own in terms of wit.
Laughter is a great gift. The Rejection Collections I and II are the perfect choice for someone you care about, who has a slightly twisted sense of humor. I hope there will be many more volumes to come. I'll buy them all!
Made me laugh so hard my eyes were watering
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I read this with my wife, and we laughed so hard that we were choking for breath. These cartoonists are far stranger and more imaginative than their editors want you to know.
Darker, Funnier Side of New Yorker Cartoonists
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Diffee begins with a series of Venn diagrams demonstrating the small overlap between the cartoonists creative oeuvre and the amusement of New Yorker editors. Then, he allows a brief (alas, all too brief) view into the world of each of 38 eminent cartoonists. This is includes a collage of photographs, a brilliantly crafted- and usually more brilliantly executed - questionnaire, and a handful of cartoons. These brilliant gems are almost always hysterical (including many laugh out loud hysterical), and always obvious why they were not published in the New Yorker - too rude, sexual, political, etc. Although, I have not read the first volume, completing this volume spurs me to run out (errr, zip online to Amazon), and order the previous volume.
SECOND BEST AT BEST
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Not as funny as the original. Less sophisticated and (much) more coarser. Even vulgar.
Seems to me, Volume One featured cartoons drawn with The New Yorker in mind. These new ones look tailor-made to be rejected by any magazine, in order to milk this cash cow to the last drop.
Nice to know someone else's good work is often rejected
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Exceptionally funny. Well drawn cartoons often too edgy for publication in NEW YORKER. Great reading especially nice for the new artist's ego seeing some peers rejections.
A disappointing sequel
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I love the original Rejection Collection. That collection contains many of my favorite cartoons of all time, and it still makes me laugh on my 15th, 16th ... etc. reading. Sadly, this second collection is just not as good. Despite the presence of a few real gems, as a whole this sequel is *not* the cream of the crap, but is instead the next layer down. Worth reading, but not worth owning.
Rejection Collection No. 2
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I loved Rejection Collection No. 1 so much, I had to buy Rejection Collection No. 2. I recommend both of these books for anyone with a sense of humor!!!
Should grace every American coffee table!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed this (and its partner, Vol. 1) so much, I made Christmas gifts of it (them) to all my close relatives - whose reviews are as enthusiastic as mine)!
On my gift list this year
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The other day I happened to hear the author interviewed on a local PBS radio airing of Fresh Air. The new collection was discussed and when the author described some of the examples in the book, I laughed so hard I almost choked. The people driving next to me must have wondered what on earth I was laughing about. The verbal descriptions of some of the cartoons created such visualizations I almost shudder to think what will happen when I view the entire content. For example, a description of Titantic action figures struck me so funny that, now as I type this review, I'm laughing again. That is effective cartooning - and I haven't seen the visual yet. Yup, still laughing ...sounds like the perfect gift for those pals who have everything else and could use a good laugh.
More cream of the crap
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Barely a year after Matthew Diffee offered us "The Rejection Collection", (cartoons that never made it into the New Yorker) he's back with another load of hysterical rejects. After an engaging introduction describing the life of any given cartoonist, off we go into the nether world of cartoons that might have, could have or even should have been included in the magazine. Not to worry, this is like getting several free editions of the New Yorker, minus the editors' scissors.
Volume Two also includes a quirky questionnaire given to contributing cartoonists. What an odd lot! It's like the "Jeopardy!" interview portion of the game, but this time cartoonists are given more free time to reflect on topics like "what do you hate drawing?" or "have you mooned or been mooned more often in your life?" Hey, it beats having a real job anyday!
Diffee also gives ten reasons why certain cartoons are rejected...a plausible addition to this volume. (It may also be a guideline to those of us who have often contributed to the New Yorker's cartoon caption contest and found our own rejection many times over) All in all, it's the cartoons, themselves, which 'sell' "The Rejection Collection", Volume Two. It's nice to know that they've found a home in our home, if not in the magazine, itself. I highly recommend this latest contribution by author Diffee....published in time for the holidays, this would make a great present!