Special Book Deal
Plus How to Fix the World Cup and Personal Stuff
Attention! New subscribers will get a personalized copy of one of my books as thanks. Details later in the issue.
I am finally able to get off the roof of my house to write a a new issue of the Bob thanks to heavy winds and rain which postponed work. For the past week, I have been closer to God, in proximity at least, having to be stuck on the roof working on a project.1 I was repairing and replacing roof tails,2 and redoing the gutter to eliminate leaks. God got in the last word, again, bringing nasty weather forcing me to work indoors.
I didn’t want to do this fix myself—it is a big job for one person and I must have made about sixty trips up and down the ladder—but I was unable to find anyone willing to take it on—it was hard just finding anyone to return a call. But thank goodness for my new toy that made this all possible, a new innovation called a “Pitch Hopper,” a portable foam step stool for safety—so far, so good.
I’m familiar with house repairs and being up on ladders. Many years ago I worked on a construction crew as I waited for my freelance illustration career to establish in the early years after graduation. I was also writing humor but strangely enough, never combined the two and pursued single-panel gag cartoons until twenty-seven years later when a friend, cartoonist Sam Gross, suggested it to me.
Side-note, I only got to this point writing this edition before the high winds took down our electricity.
And we’re back. This week was also my wife’s birthday. We celebrate birthdays all week long. I didn’t get her anything. I really don’t know what to get and, like me, she doesn’t like surprises. Nowadays, surprises are seldom good. So the best I can do is love her the best I can, go on her daily walk with her, cook her a barbecue dinner, serve the most ornate cake (above), and act as her personal handyman (I fixed our favorite kitchen clock and a hole on the other roof, the garage, to keep out a squirrel who was getting to the bird seed storage.).
World Cup
I love the World Cup and I’m not too proud to admit many of the countries in the tournament I never heard of. As much as I get caught up in the excitement each time a new game begins, I have yet to make it to a halftime without falling asleep. Here are some ideas I came up with to combat that.
Special Book Promotion!
So, the aforementioned book promotion. Sign up for an annual paid subscription ($50 for a one year subscription) by the end of June and I will send you (with free shipping), a personalized, signed, doodled copy of the book of your choice, among the titles below. Unfortunately, due to exorbitant shipping charges, I am only shipping to locations in the USA.
If you already have a paid subscription, you can still get a book if you give a gift subscription to someone (it is Father’s Day). I will continue this promotion until June 30th. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Here are the choices:
Footnotes from the World’s Greatest Bookstores
This collection of 75 evocative paintings and colorful anecdotes invites you into the heart and soul of every community: the local bookshop, each with its own quirks, charms, and legendary stories. The book features an incredible roster of great bookstores from across the globe and stories from writers, thinkers and artists of our time, including David Bowie, Tom Wolfe, Jonathan Lethem, Roz Chast, Deepak Bob Odenkirk, Philip Glass, Jonathan Ames, Terry Gross, Mark Maron, Ann Patchett, Chris Ware, Molly Crabapple, Amitav Ghosh, Dave Eggers, and many more.
NY Times bestseller.
Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums: Stories and Memorable Moments from People Who Love Museums
A beautiful, smart, entertaining new art book that is a love letter to museums and museum-goers, filled with lush and whimsical illustrations paired with stories and anecdotes from curators, museum workers, museum visitors, and more. Inspired by World’s Greatest Bookstores.
ABA bestseller.
“A joyous book featuring the greatest museums in the world.”
—Steve Martin, actor, comedian, and author
“A beautifully written and painted love letter to museums...”
— Max Hollein, director and CEO, the MET
The Illustrated History of the Snowman
By the world’s leading snowman expert, The Illustrated History of the Snowman is a truly original winter classic—smart, surprisingly enlightening, and quite simply the coolest book ever. Over two hundred illustrations,
“Bob Eckstein is a national treasure.” —Atlas Obscura
The Complete Book of Cat Names (That Your Cat Won’t Answer to, Anyway)
Chockful of cartoons and silliness. A must for cat lovers.
“This book is hilarious. Further proof that Bob Eckstein can make anything funny, and apparently also make me want a cat.”
― Marty Dundics, Chief Editor, Weekly Humorist
Inspired by Cats: Writers and Their Mews(es)
Author Nava Atlas and illustrator Bob Eckstein capture these endearing, enduring relationships in a witty, sophisticated collection featuring 60 famous authors and their beloved companions. Novelists, poets, humorists, short story writers, and memoirists from all eras are represented, from Mark Twain, Colette, and Ernest Hemingway to Ray Bradbury and Toni Morrison. Stylishly illustrated and full of charming, touching, and sometimes humorous anecdotes from history’s most notable cat-loving writers, Inspired by Cats will charm both cat enthusiasts and literature lovers alike.
The Elements of Stress and the Pursuit of Happy-Ish in This Current Sh*tstorm
“Bob Eckstein is rapidly becoming the Dean of American Cartooning.” — American Bystander
“Hilarious, humorous – this book has it all, and everything.” — The Daily Beast
“Two of the top humorists in America have created a stress-free way to enjoy stress.” — Reader’s Digest
Your choice from the Ultimate Cartoon Book series published by Princeton Architectural Press.
Everyone’s a Critic: The Ultimate Cartoon Book
“Everyone’s a Critic is an intelligent, hilarious discourse on modern-day criticism, featuring everything from judgmental cavemen to altruistic burglars to a police sketch artist with more lofty ambitions. With work from acclaimed contributors like Roz Chast, Bob Mankoff and Ed Koren, Eckstein summarizes the book in his introduction when he declares, “I’m hoping this book can be a life-changing experience for those who up until now have been unable to roll with the punches or simply enjoy a chef's salad.” — Shelf Awareness
The Ultimate Cartoon Book of Book Cartoons
“It is already hands down the best cartoon collection about books. Every selection is a winner....Even the minutiae are handled refreshingly well. I don't think I’ve ever seen this done better anywhere.” —Attempted Bloggery
All’s Fair in Love and War: The Ultimate Cartoon Book
The perfect gift for an anniversary—or your divorce lawyer—All’s Fair in Love and War will woo over hopeless romantics and cynical heartbreakers alike. Find wit and wisdom on love in all its varieties, from a first date to a third divorce. This curated collection features work by over forty of the best and brightest New Yorker cartoonists, including Sam Gross, Liana Finck, and Edward Steed. Many of the cartoons appear in print for the first time.
Now you are all caught up. Thanks for being here.
To clarify, not working in my outdoor office as loyal readers are aware of.
Those are the beams that extend beyond the walls of the house.
Sounds good. I have reached that stage in my life where a good birthday is simply cake, and my spouse cooks dinner. And now I have learned that a Pitch Hopper exists. Thank you.
how about if you fall down on the field after an encounter with an opponent, you must leave the game without a sub.