Review: Cautionary Tales for the New Millennium by Eric Nielsson, Jay Munro (Illustrator)
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Summary
A droll, slightly jaundiced look at contemporary morés, this mini collection of very short illustrated stories reaches below the funny bone to expose insights and truths about who we are and what we are becoming.
Even in the best of times, life has always been complicated and confusing. But the new social and technological dynamics that have taken over our world since the turn of the century have flummoxed us beyond belief (and maybe redemption). Navigating through this bewildering minefield called life while keeping your sense of humor intact is what Eric Nielsson's Cautionary Tales for the New Millennium is about. In just a few words, he manages to capture the droll, ironic realities of the modern everyday while making us think (and smile).
Jay Munro's illustrations offer delightful counterpoint to Eric Nielsson's tales of woe and wonder, and the combination is a memorable collection that is reminiscent of The New Yorker's old short humor pieces.
Review
Even though these stories may be short in length, they are all packed with a whimsical punch. As our everyday lives progress socially and technologically, these collective short stories humor the reader and make them think simultaneously of what would happen in certain situations in the future. Each story was complimented with beautiful illustrations capturing a nostalgic appeal redolent of the "old New Yorker pieces". Just the right pace with it's witty story lines, Cautionary Tales for the New Millennium, will leave the reader shaking their head and chuckling because as funny as it seems these might be what could happen in the future.
Reviewed by Michelle Bowles
Book Information
Publisher: Pixel Hall Press
Publication date: 10/1/2013
