The author presents and discusses his collection, "And to Think We Started as a Book Club..." Doors open at 10:45 a.m. for coffee & pastries. The conversation begins at 11 a.m. Book signing to follow.
About the book (from the publisher):
What can Leonardo DiCaprio, Bernie Sanders, Greta Thunberg, and Elon Musk all agree on? That Tom Toro's cartoons belong in their social media feeds. Now, with this debut collection by one of The New Yorker's contemporary stars, everybody can enjoy the timeless witticism and thigh-slapping wisecracks of Toro's cartoons without needing to go online.
In Tom Toro's hilarious world, the Grim Reaper binges television while Superman shops for health insurance. The collection features original chapter art that sets the perfect tone for these brilliant cartoons and what they reveal about the absurdity of modern life, all drawn in the author's wry and winsome style
Showcasing hundreds of Toro's greatest hits from his fifteen-year career at the New Yorker, as well as previously unpublished cartoons that we shouldn't shy from calling "undiscovered masterpieces," this book is sure to delight readers—if not outright corrupt them.
In conversation:
Tom Toro is a cartoonist and award-winning children's book author & illustrator whose work has been a popular feature of the New Yorker for over a decade. His drawings also have appeared in the New York Times, Playboy, the Paris Review, and many other publications. He is the creator of the comic strip Home Free with Andrews McMeel. Tom’s books include "How to Potty Train Your Porcupine," "A User's Guide to Democracy," "I'm Terrified of Bath Time" and "Back to School, Backpack!" in collaboration with Simon Rich, and "Tiny Hands." "I'm Terrified of Bath Time" is the recipient of the 2023 Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award and the 2024 Kentucky Bluegrass Award.
Tom was a finalist for the 2019 and 2022 Reuben awards for gag cartoonist of the year. He serves as the current chair of the Northwest Chapter of the National Cartoonist Society. Tom has been profiled by NPR, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Huffington Post. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, kid and cats.
Patrick McDonnell is the creator of the award-winning, beloved comic strip MUTTS, celebrated internationally for its artistic excellence and advocacy for animal welfare. Charles Schulz called it "one of the best comic strips of all time." Patrick’s love for storytelling also extends to children’s literature. His books include the Caldecott Honor-winning "Me...Jane" (a biography of Jane Goodall) and "The Gift of Nothing," both New York Times bestsellers. These books have both been adapted for the stage at the Kennedy Center.
In 2024, Patrick released "Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story," inspired by one of the most newsworthy and poignant storylines in MUTTS. Patrick has also collaborated with "His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Heart to Heart," a book about the environment, animals, and compassion; with Eckhart Tolle on "Guardians of Being;" and with poet Daniel Ladinsky on "Darling I Love You," a book of haikus centered on the MUTTS characters. "The Super Hero's Journey," inspired by Patrick’s childhood and his love for the Marvel super heroes, was released in 2023 and was honored to be on 11 lists for best graphic novels of the year. His large-scale paintings have been exhibited in solo painting shows such as "Side Effects: Paintings by Patrick McDonnell" and "The Super Hero’s Journey," which have been showcased at Ohio State University’s Urban Arts Space and the Arts Council of Princeton, respectively.
This event is sponsored by Princeton Federal Credit Union (PFCU) www.princetonfcu.org.
Presented with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this programming do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
