Manga Meets Go-Giver
Published July 22nd, 2008 by John David MannThis week an amazing treat landed in my mail box: the hot-off-the-press Japanese hardcover edition of The Go-Giver. The people at Bungei Shunju Ltd. did a phenomenal job: gorgeous production values. Even though I can’t read a lick of Japanese, leafing through this book is an experience.
For one thing, it’s illustrated—and in the most hilarious, creative, practically hallucinogenic Japanese fashion. Sort of Saul Steinberg meets Manga.
(“Joe,” from the Japanese edition of The Go-Giver)
And this is no casual production: whoever did these illustrations took incredible care, and has an uncannily intimate knowledge of the text. And a helluva sense of humor.
For example:
- In Chapter 2, when Pindar says, “Have you ever heard people say, You can’t always get what you want?” and Joe grins and says, “You mean, the Rolling Stones?” — in the Japanese edition, so help me, there is a full-page drawing of Mick Jagger on stage belting out The Song.
- Accompanying the description of Rachel’s history in Chapter 7, “Rachel,” is a drawing of Rachel serving coffee. Behind her is a Mellita the size of a well-fed black Labrador Retriever, and a vivid rainbow arcs out of the cup in her hand. (The artist, I think, has seen the film “Yellow Submarine” more than once.)
- How would you illustrate the story’s dramatic conclusion, at the end of chapter 13, “Full Circle”? The artist devotes the facing page to a single image, tucked into the lower-left corner: a simple black and white drawing of a cup of coffee. What a brilliant touch.
- Finally: bonus points for the first reader who can write in and tell me what book is sitting on Gus’s table when we first meet him in Chapter 1. I’ll give you a hint: it’s by Stephen King, and it’s one of my favorite books. (How did the artist know that?!)
I can’t wait to find someone who can read Japanese to walk me through parts of the book. For example, the chapter titles. They all look about the same length as the English ones, except for Chapter 7. In English, it’s “Rachel.” In Japanese, it’s, like, a whole sentence, with a dramatic dash in the middle. I wonder what the heck it says?
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Dan on July 22, 2008
Sounds amazing!
Can’t help you with the Japanese, but I’d love to see more of those illustrations if you can post them.
Steve Hargadon on July 22, 2008
So, my good friend “Google” tells me the book is On Writing by Stephen King.
John David Mann on July 22, 2008
Steve — Great guess! You must’ve noticed that in other posts (on my alter-ego blog, http://www.johndavidmann.com/journal) I’ve written about that book. On Writing is one of my favorite books on writing.
But alas (and oddly), that’s not the book the illustrator picked to include! The book on Gus’s desk is a novel.
One hint: the central character (and this can be said of many King stories) is a writer.
John David Mann on July 26, 2008
By the way, here’s a link to the Japanese hardcover edition on Amazon.co.jp, sleuthed from the Internet by our intrepid agent Anne Bomke (’cause I sure couldn’t find it!).
Silvia Richardson on July 28, 2008
Hello,
I cannot help you with the japanese site either but thought that was an excellent way to promote this outstanding book in other countries. I do not like Stephen King so I would not know this answer either. I m just humbled and very thankful for this book and its outstanding content. Thanks