And to Think We Started as a Book Club . . . - by Tom Toro (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

What can Leonardo DiCaprio, Bernie Sanders, Greta Thunberg, and Elon Musk all agree on? That Tom Toro's cartoons belong in their social media feeds. Now, with this debut collection by one of The New Yorker's contemporary stars, everybody can enjoy the timeless witticism and thigh-slapping wisecracks of Toro's cartoons without needing to go online.

In Tom Toro's hilarious world, the Grim Reaper binges television while Superman shops for health insurance. The collection features original chapter art that sets the perfect tone for these brilliant cartoons and what they reveal about the absurdity of modern life, all drawn in the author's wry and winsome style

Showcasing hundreds of Toro's greatest hits from his fifteen-year career at the New Yorker, as well as previously unpublished cartoons that we shouldn't shy from calling "undiscovered masterpieces," this book is sure to delight readers--if not outright corrupt them.

Review Quotes

"I absolutely loved this collection by Tom Toro, one of my favorite cartoonists on the planet. Toro's punchlines are more than merely witty, they are brutally honest, emotionally cathartic, and legitimately laugh-out-loud hilarious. This book is the perfect gift for that special someone in your life who appreciates high-quality New Yorker-style cartoons." (Simon Rich)

"I highly recommend this book to any book club whose members are intimidated by large blocks of contiguous text. Also, to book clubs whose members like to laugh uproariously. All other groups, please consult Oprah." (Emma Allen, Cartoon Editor, The New Yorker)

"I only wish household magnets were stronger so I could put this whole book on my fridge." (Hannah Gadsby)

"The moment we live in is dark, absurd and hopeless. An inescapable nightmare which will grind each and every one of us beneath its pitiless hell-wheels. Will these brilliant, hilarious cartoons help? No. They absolutely will not. Not at all. No."
(Patton Oswalt)

"Tom Toro is a master of the art of the single panel cartoon. If you enjoy laughing out loud while you're in the company of strangers or by yourself, you will love this book." (Roz Chast)

"Tom Toro's cartoons are so funny and expressive. His intermittent use of colors in black and white images is such a brilliant idea. The jokes somehow play out in my head like little movies. Really great work." (Fred Armisen)

About the Author

Tom Toro is a cartoonist and award-winning children's book author & illustrator whose work has been a popular feature of the New Yorker for over a decade. His drawings also have appeared in the New York Times, Playboy, the Paris Review, and many other publications. He is the creator of the comic strip Home Free with Andrews McMeel. Tom's books include How to Potty Train Your Porcupine (Little, Brown), A User's Guide to Democracy (Celadon), I'm Terrified of Bath Time and Back to School, Backpack! in collaboration with Simon Rich (Little, Brown), and Tiny Hands (Dock Street Press). I'm Terrified of Bath Time is the recipient of the 2023 Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award and the 2024 Kentucky Bluegrass Award. Tom was a finalist for the 2019 and 2022 Reuben awards for gag cartoonist of the year. He serves as the current chair of the Northwest Chapter of the National Cartoonist Society. Tom has been profiled by NPR, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Huffington Post. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, kid and cats.