Saturday, April 16, 2016

The Peter Arno of Novelists

In 1930 Wood Kahler, author of a novel called Early to Bed, published Smart Setback. In reviewing it, the Philadelphia Inquirer called Mr. Kahler "the Peter Arno of novelists." Cartoonist Peter Arno, now five years at the New Yorker, had established quite a name for himself. To be worthy of this comparison, one imagines Wood Kahler must have been as witty and sophisticated as Arno, a writer made up of equal parts Fitzgerald and Wodehouse mixed into a perfect cocktail. Alfred A. Knopf, publisher of the novel, was eager to let the New Yorker's readers know of the Inquirer's review.

The New Yorker, November 8, 1930, page 116


Today, Peter Arno remains one of the most famous cartoonists of his generation and is the subject of a new biography. Wood Kahler is forgotten.


Note:  Peter Arno: The Mad, Mad World of The New Yorker's Greatest Cartoonist will be released on Tuesday. Author Michael Maslin is a New Yorker cartoonist and the Peter Arno of biographers.

Michael Maslin will join Edward Sorel in conversation on April 18 at Columbia University, the Peter Arno of American academic institutions.

More Arno links:

Peter Arno posts on Ink Spill.

Peter Arno in Chris Wheeler's Cartoon(ist) Gallery. Mr. Wheeler is the Peter Arno of cartoon book collectors.

Peter Arno in April's Vanity Fair.

Peter Arno in a recent Wall Street Journal article.

Peter Arno here on Attempted Bloggery, where I am generally regarded as the Wood Kahler of bloggers.

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