Cover Image: What's So Funny?

What's So Funny?

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Member Reviews

I found this book interesting but not funny. Interesting in the sense that a kid with a pregnant for drawing and entertaining his family with cartoons eventually becomes an extremely successful professional. Cartoons are not like jokes. The reader has to make all the internal connections between the drawing and the caption, and it either clicks or... not. The style of the author's cartoons were not to my taste. I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it more if I found them funnier but it was still an interesting read.

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In "What's So Funny?" David Sipress regales us with amusing and poignant anecdotes about his childish misdeeds, dysfunctional family, and dream of becoming a cartoonist. While growing up, David felt smothered by his neurotic mother, Estelle, and overbearing father, Nathan. David's dad was a self-made businessman who frequently lectured his son about the value of money and the importance of living up to his parents' expectations. Sadly, David's older sister, Linda, had serious emotional problems, and she often quarreled with her mother and bullied her brother. It is fortunate that, early on, David realized that cartooning could provide him with a creative outlet for his feelings.

Hundreds of Sipress's cartoons have appeared in the New Yorker. However, before he became an established contributor, the magazine's staff routinely rejected his submissions. It is difficult to imagine why, since his cartoons are hilarious, clever, and well-crafted. Most of them are a magical blend of whimsical drawings and beautifully written captions. I found myself laughing—often out loud—at the people and situations he depicts, and I admire his empathy for those who struggle to make their way in a world that can be cruel, baffling, and unfair. Humor and a sense of perspective are two qualities that help us stay sane during tough times. Sipress's insight, wit, and considerable talent have helped him thrive professionally and personally. He dedicates this entertaining and bittersweet memoir to his wife, Ginny, a "loving partner in all things." Furthermore, he says, "I am deeply grateful to my therapist (you know who you are) for helping me make sense of my family, not to mention, myself."

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Thank you to the author, Mariner Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This memoir was by turns interesting, amusing and melancholic, and gave me a lot of insight into how the author's mind works to come up with the cartoons he does so well. A dysfunctional family certainly helps, as evidenced by the stories about growing up in the Sipress family. Some of this made me wonder whether certain information might have better remained between the author and his therapist - a bit more editing might have been a good thing. The cartoons that are included are great, and it's amazing how certain aspects of the story are emphasized through their inclusion.

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What’s So Funny? By David Sipress
Mr. Sipress is a cartoonist who has made after 20 years of trying into the big time as one of the primary cartoonists for The New Yorker. This is a book about his life and it is filled with his cartoons that fit the story he is telling at the time. He is not only good at drawing but also writing. I very much enjoyed reading this book as well as seeing and learning about the art of cartoons. To begin with I could relate to the over-arching story even though I am not: (1) Jewish, (2) from New York City, (3) a lover of the Yankees, (4) a drop out from Harvard Grad School or (5) have a psychotic sister. Instead, I was raised a catholic, Bostonian, obviously the Red Sox, have a Ph.D. and my two sisters are both quite nice. So how can I relate?
The real story is his father or came to America as a small boy from Russia and succeed through his hard work and believed that life we not meant to be fun. Life like work was to be endured and success was measured by the accumulation of stuff. This was not my father but like Mr. Sipress’s father-Nat, my father had a very hard time expressing his love. And this book is just about this father-son relationship full of love that can not be expressed. In Mr. Sipress’s case only through some of his cartoons which his father thinks are foolish and something only a child should do.
I can not recommend this book more highly for anyone who knows what it is liked to not be hugged or has trouble hugging. And at the same time it is a highly amusing visual read.

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I LIKED THIS ONE. Is the first time I read a biography. I wasn't really expecting these. It's funny, but it shows some situations so relatable and sad that many families know, problems because of miscommunication mostly. And everything with the work of David sippress illustrating it, with a funny view. This makes me want to read more biographies. I would recommend it 100%

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This was a good book. The story was interesting, and the comics were good. It was nice to learn how his comics came about, since that's the side of cartoonists we don't often get to see.

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Sipress offers a uniquely entertaining memoir composed of cartoons and text. He tells of growing up in New York City in a somewhat dysfunctional family, dropping out of Harvard, and following his inclination to draw instead of studying Russian history, much to the dismay of his parents. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

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