Book Review: THE SHAPE OF IDEAS by Grant Snider

First, a confession:

I’ve long been a fan and a follower of Grant Snider’s “Incidental Comics.”  Seeing one of his comic strips pop-up in my Twitter feed is like a gift of sunshine to brighten my day.   My eyes delight in his whimsical artistry; my mind gleefully applauds his creative perspective; and my heart gratefully savors his insightful ideas.  So much so, I bought and framed one of his poster size comics “The Troubled Typeface” for place of honor over my writing desk.

But…

It wasn’t until I bought THE SHAPE OF IDEAS: An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity and started to read it that I realized I could sum up, with just one word, what makes Grant Snider’s work so special  — JOY!

He shares joy through his simple but sophisticated artistry — from the colors he uses to the flow of characters and ideas from panel to panel, every element of his comic strips feels like a joyous celebration of the whole.

He reveals joy through his comedic and childlike embrace of awe and wonder —  luring us with the comforting familiarity and ordinariness of everyday life while reveling in the discomforting strangeness of the extraordinary that comes into our lives.

He creates joy through his recognition of the complexities of life and the worthiness of others — reassuring our inner child that no matter our role or task each of us has a creative spirit that is worth finding, nurturing, and sharing.

There are 98 comics strips in THE SHAPE OF IDEAS exploring the creative process in its many manifestations — Inspiration, Perspiration, Improvisation, Aspiration, Contemplation, Exploration, Daily Frustration, Imitation, Desperation, and Pure Elation.  But don’t think that this feast of ideas is just an exploration of creativity.

THE SHAPE OF IDEAS is an joyous approach to life  — Embrace it!

Share it.

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