I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf is a standalone Graphic Novel, I read it cause it sounded cool, which I was wrong, cause I didn't like it. There isn't a single panel in this short book that wouldn't be a quick reject by the New Yorker. (You can judge me by that.) I love New Yorker cartoons, even the ones I can't figure out. I was taken in by that great title and I also goofed because somehow I thought I was getting a book by a New Yorker cartoonist, not an illustrator from the NYT. And it wasn't long before that orange, because every page is that orange, began to bug, and incredibly it wasn't because orange triggers me now it's because there was nothing amusing to distract me from it. And most of all, or should I say least of all, the text is nothing book lovers haven't seen or said or heard before, maybe not in those exact words or in diagrams but there's nothing new here other than presentation. It didn't tempt me after that this book should take about a half hour to read and it took me six days. The tempting title was the best part for me. The author is an illustrator for the New York Times and, if he's the one responsible for that tempting title, I congratulate him on that. This book of cartoons seemed like it would be funny but ended up disappointing and boring me. “A prescient book for these times.” - Newsarama The panels range from gently clever to surprisingly profound to laugh-out-loud.” - Publishers Weekly

“This playful, self-aware collection of strips and gags on the joys and frustrations of reading and writing is equal parts lighthearted and sincere. I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf is the perfect gift for bookworms of all ages. In this lighthearted collection of one- and two-page comics, writer-artist Grant Snider explores bookishness in all its forms, and the love of writing and reading, building on the beloved literary comics featured on his website, Incidental Comics. We collect them, decorate with them, are inspired by them, and treat our books as sacred objects. But some of us surround ourselves with books. We learn to read at an early age, and as we grow older we shed our beloved books for new ones. It’s no secret, but we are judged by our bookshelves.

A look at the culture and fanaticism of book lovers, from the beloved New York Times illustrator and creator of Incidental Comics.

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider