BOOK OF GENESIS
book of genesis
W. W. Norton & Company 2009
Book of Genesis is illustrated by American cartoonist Robert Crumb, that purports to be a faithful, literal illustration of the Book of Genesis. It reached #1 the New York Times graphic novel bestseller list and on the Christian books list at Amazon.com.
Given Crumb’s past body of work, and his professed rejection of religion, many assumed when the book was announced that it would be a satire or otherwise profane or subversive send-up, and were surprised or disappointed to find it “straight-faced”. Crumb “resisted the temptation to go all-out Crumb on us and exaggerate the sordidness, the primitivism and the outright strangeness” found in the Bible—the depictions of sex are explicit, but not gratuitous. In his introduction to the book, Crumb writes he has “faithfully reproduced every word of the original text,” each word hand-lettered. The book’s cover contains the warning, “Adult Supervision Recommended for Minors”.
Great work, makes the Bible even more inscrutable in parts. Why did the good guys in Sodom offer their daughters to “do whatever you want” while saving the “divine” men whom the denizens of Sodom wanted to sodomize? My main complaint is Crumb makes everything look grubby and crass, there are no graceful or lovely figures here. Even the angels looks like skid-row bums. But an admirable work.