The Shape of Ideas: An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity
Grant Snider Abrams Comicarts Nonfiction, Collections/Comic Strips/Creativity Themes: Books ****
Description
In this collection, the creator of Incidental Comics presents numerous takes on the creative process, its joys and sorrows, successes and disappointments, and
journeys unexpected.
Review
I've seen Snider's works online now and again, and generally relate to them more often than not. Even those I don't connect with, I can appreciate the
creativity and message. Walking an alligator, pushing a stubborn tapir up a hill, flocks of dragonflies and crows as ideas made manifest, he gives shape to abstract
concepts and passing whims with almost poetic words and pictures. Now and again it bordered on repetitive, but it's still a good source of inspiration and
reassurance that, however our own creative endeavors are (or aren't) going, none of us are in it alone.
Grant Snider Henry N. Abrams Nonfiction, Collections/Comic Strips/Creativity Themes: Books ****
Description
Cartoonist Grant Snider presents more comics about the wonders of reading, the magic of books, and the struggles and rewards of writing.
Review
Much like The Shape of Ideas, this collection offers an interesting, somewhat irreverent look at reading, readers, books of all kinds, and the act
of creating words. Also like the previous collection, some of the cartoons reach a point, and some never quite get there. The poetry-themed comics in particular
seemed to circle around concepts without quite reaching what they were aiming for, but then I've never been a huge poetry reader. There's also a whiff of
repeated concepts now and again, easier to see in a collection than in random comics seen online here and there. Overall, though, it's a fun celebration of all
things bookish.
