Cats, Dogs, Men, Women, Ninnies & Clowns: The Lost Art of William Steig

Jeanne Steig

May 2012 · Abrams

About this ebook

“The best sense of the man behind Shrek! . . . and other favorites is gained from the strange, free, and wholly original artwork that fill the pages.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Children, octogenarians, and everyone in between know the work of William Steig, the beloved cartoonist and award-winning children’s book author whose work graced the covers and pages of The New Yorker for more than seventy years. In Cats, Dogs, Men, Women, Ninnies & Clowns: The Lost Art of William Steig, Jeanne Steig uncovers more than 450 never-before-published cartoons by her husband and provides personal insight and anecdotes about his work and her relationship with Bill, shedding new light on this celebrated genius.

“What a splendid gift it would be if the works tearing up the best-seller lists weren’t that of a Stieg Larsson, but a Steig, William . . . a fresh and quirky way of discovering the celebrated illustrator’s oeuvre.” —T Magazine Blog, The New York Times

“Pure pleasure from cover to cover.” —Booklist

“The book details a great character, and does so with a remarkable charm. Highly recommended for all interested in comic history and everyone who likes to look on the lighter side of life.” —Complex

About the author

William Steig (1907–2003) was an artist and writer best known for Shrek! (the basis of the blockbuster film series). He received the Caldecott Medal and the Newbery Honor. Jeanne Steig is the author of A Handful of Beans and A Gift from Zeus. She is also a self-taught artist, working almost exclusively with found materials. She lives in Boston. Roz Chast is a cartoonist whose work regularly appears in the New Yorker. She lives in Connecticut. Jules Feiffer is an award-winning writer, illustrator, screenwriter, playwright, children’s book author, and cartoonist. He lives in New York City.