Up at the League, says a friend, there had been one night a brisk conversational discussion, as to what would happen on the Morrow of the Revolution … As he sat in that vapour-bath of hurried and discontented humanity, a carriage of the underground railway, he, like others, stewed discontentedly … he found himself musing on the subject-matter of discussion: "If I could but see a day of it," he said to himself; "if I could but see it!"
This is the graphic biography of William Morris (1834-1896), the celebrated designer, driven polymath and radical socialist.
With the telegraphic immediacy of the doodle, Nick Thorkelson's striking and idiosyncratic illustrations chime with the Arts and Crafts movement's emphasis on the humanising power of the handmade.
Thorkelson moves through the major events of Morris's life weaving a rich tapestry of the major artistic, social and political questions which animated him. He explores Morris's politics and art, and how his hatred of class tyranny and love of humanity shaped his poetry, design and relationships. He considers the tension of Morris's efforts to democratize art while creating pieces for the wealthy, his critique of Britain's Empire, and his central place in socialist culture and propaganda.
About the Author :
Nick Thorkelson is a cartoonist living in Provincetown, Massachusetts. He is the author and illustrator of Herbert Marcuse: Philosopher of Utopia (2019). He was an editorial cartoonist at The Boston Globe and has created comics and illustrations in support of organizations working on economic justice, peace, public health, and industrial safety. He is the co-author and/or illustrator of The Earth Belongs to the People, The Underhanded History of the USA, The Legal Rights of Union Stewards, The Comic Strip of Neoliberalism, and Economic Meltdown Funnies, and has contributed to a number of nonfiction comics anthologies. Nick also moonlights as a musician, animator, graphic designer, and painter.
Paul Buhle is the author or editor of more than three-dozen books. Formerly a Senior Lecturer at Brown University, he produces radical comics today, and is the authorised biographer of C.L.R. James. He founded the SDS Journal Radical America and the archive Oral History of the American Left and, with Mari Jo Buhle, is coeditor of the Encyclopedia of the American Left.
Review :
'With his lively drawings and pungent words, Thorkelson has succeeded in reviving the life and times of William Morris for the contemporary reader. This book will not disappear into the Ikea bookcases of a generation of young wage slaves but inspire them to cast off their chipboard furniture, the art industrial complex, and the finance economy to imagine the new possibilities for human activity—including the making of comics.'
'An engaging, riotous rampage through the life of this inspiring artist, crafter and thinker. Thorkelson skilfully steers the reader through the rapids of Morris's artistic, intellectual and political achievements, beautifully intertwined with references to his iconic designs. Sharon Rudahl's stunning, immersive artwork, inspired by William Morris's words, rounds off the whole'
'Only a graphic novel—brilliantly conceived—could embrace the complexity of William Morris’ life. Thorkelson’s wonderful lushness of word, picture, color, and design grabs you by the lapels and drops you into 1800s London, wet cobblestones and all, where you hang with one of the most innovative and gifted designers and typographers in history'
'An inventive and instructive graphic account of William Morris's life and politics, with a distinct agit-prop aspect'
'The scent of paradise is woven into all of William Morris' designs. These lively pages trace the strands of politics and poetry, practical and visionary, back to their roots in social and economic justice. A web of dreams is rendered with wit and charm by the deft pen of Nick Thorkelson'
'Stylish, evocative and often amusing, Thorkelson and company bring to life Morris’ poetry and socialist politics while also highlighting his tireless commitment to the aesthetics of everyday life via his contributions to stained glass, wallpaper, and furniture. An inspiring and timely tribute to the creative impulse'
