The Life and Times of R. Crumb: Comments from Contemporaries

Rating:
Summary: Okay overview; but not very insider info, at all
Review: This is an okay look at what folks have said about Crumb, through the years; but it doesn't really dig up any terribly unique facts.Most other Crumb books already contain lengthy essays from Crumb himself, or close associates and friends of R. Crumb; so this book seems to be rather impersonal, by comparison. There are dozens of different contributors, but most of these pieces are reprints from earlier appearances. Most of these comments were not taken from fresh interviews, intended specifically for this book, which is unfortunate if you consider the resurgence of interest in Crumb, in the last few years. Updating the public record would have been much more interesting now.True Crumb addicts will probably enjoy this book, but feel like they did not really read anything that they haven't come across before.A lightweight compilation, to be sure.-Bryan LeedDayton, Ohio

Rating:
Summary: Useless anecdotes about a great artist
Review: This is probably the least important book ever written about Robert Crumb and his work. Although it's packed with people --- each one of them talks about Crumb in their own words --- almost everything they say is forgettable. I think it's because the chapters are so short. Each person gives you two or three pages about reading Zap in the 1960s or hanging out with Crumb. I got bored hearing the same tale over and over. Two chapters stand out: Crumb's ex-wife Dana and Roger Ebert. The Crumb artwork in the middle of the book looks nice, but most of it is excerpted from longer stories. Instead of this, just buy Fantagraphics' Complete Crumb Comics.