Peter Arno : the mad, mad world of The New Yorker's greatest cartoonist
(Book)

New Yorker cartoonist Maslin pays homage to artist Peter Arno (1904-1968) whose witty drawings created a style that's been synonymous with the New Yorker since its launch in 1925. Maslin's riveting biography is-surprisingly-the first on the rakish genius, who arguably shaped the look of the weekly magazine. Beginning with Arno's posh education at Hotchkiss and Yale, Maslin depicts the young, defiant artist (born Curtis Arnoux Peters) determined to become a cartoonist despite the strong objections of his father, a New York state supreme court judge from whom he became estranged. His first piece appeared in the 18th issue of the magazine under his pseudonym, possibly in an effort to sever ties with his father, suggests Maslin. Readers of the New Yorker in the 1920s embraced Arno's work, especially after the debut of the Whoops Sisters series, featuring two feisty old ladies who used language laced in double entendre. From 1925 to his death in 1968, with a short hiatus during WWII, the New Yorker published hundreds of Arno's drawings, many of which are reproduced in the book. Maslin fills the book with insights into the cartoonist's life and art, noting that the world he depicted on paper as well as in his messy private life reflected "the implication that something unsavory was about to take place." (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

The life of the once-influential cartoonist, a favorite of New Yorker readers for decades. Maslin, himself a longtime contributor of cartoons to the magazine, joins a long list of staffers and freelancers to look back longingly on the eras of Harold Ross and, after him, William Shawn and anyone who is not Tina Brown. His subject, Peter Arno (1904-1968), drew sketches and cartoons from the very beginning, way back in the Jazz Age. Maslin writes, rather too enthusiastically, "for forty-three years, from 1925 to 1968, Arno's art was as essential to The New Yorker as the Empire State Building is to the Manhattan skyline." (Ross would not have approved of the hyperbole, though Arno probably wouldn't have minded.) Arno also wrote plays, designed sets, painted, and did piles of commercial art for other clients, which caused Ross to worry. Arno, he wrote in a 1944 memo, "like the rest of the artists, is swamped with advertising work these days, and is feeling cocky and restless." In the end, Arno also drank with the copious abandon of Thurber and the other inmates, which did not serve him well. As Maslin writes, he was a man of parts; he might have been a musical star. But the author credits Arno particularly for inventing the New Yorker cartooni.e., the kind of cartoon for which the magazine would become renowned, droll and arch, dry and ironic. Although Maslin does not take this fruitful thesis as far as he might or supply much in the way of example, he does note that that Arno-esque vision is antiquated now, though all cartoonists from the start have had to ask themselves the same question from Ross and predecessors: "Is it funny?" A book that could have been funnier, though admittedly Maslin delivers more chuckles per page than Renata Adler. The book is also insightful about the workings of a magazine that is a critically important cultural institution. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Artist Peter Arno (1904–68) set the standard for all future cartoons that would appear in The New Yorker throughout its thus far 91-year history. His artwork debuted in the magazine during its launch in 1925 and reflected the Jazz Age aesthetic of the time. In this comprehensive biography, Maslin, himself a cartoonist and prolific New Yorker contributor, captures the spirit of Arno's life and achievements. Described as a Gatsby-esque figure whose social life provided fodder for his cartoons, Arno translated his observances and experiences into his drawings. Humor and social satire defined his output, and in turn, his cartoons helped to shape the style of the publication. As the illustrator's covers earned him success, the public also became fascinated with his personal life and romantic escapades. Woven into the biographical narrative is also a history of The New Yorker cartoons and the magazine's stable of talented creators such as James Thurber and Charles Addams. VERDICT This well-researched work adds to the growing number of books about The New Yorker and its key figures. Fans of the magazine, aspiring artists, and Roaring Twenties buffs will prize.—Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL

New Yorker cartoonist Maslin pays homage to artist Peter Arno (1904–1968) whose witty drawings created a style that's been synonymous with the New Yorker since its launch in 1925. Maslin's riveting biography is—surprisingly—the first on the rakish genius, who arguably shaped the look of the weekly magazine. Beginning with Arno's posh education at Hotchkiss and Yale, Maslin depicts the young, defiant artist (born Curtis Arnoux Peters) determined to become a cartoonist despite the strong objections of his father, a New York state supreme court judge from whom he became estranged. His first piece appeared in the 18th issue of the magazine under his pseudonym, possibly in an effort to sever ties with his father, suggests Maslin. Readers of the New Yorker in the 1920s embraced Arno's work, especially after the debut of the Whoops Sisters series, featuring two feisty old ladies who used language laced in double entendre. From 1925 to his death in 1968, with a short hiatus during WWII, the New Yorker published hundreds of Arno's drawings, many of which are reproduced in the book. Maslin fills the book with insights into the cartoonist's life and art, noting that the world he depicted on paper as well as in his messy private life reflected "the implication that something unsavory was about to take place." (Apr.)