Cover of Gods' Man: A Novel in Woodcuts

Gods' Man: A Novel in Woodcuts

Woodcuts seriesNext:Madman's Drum: A Novel in Woodcuts(1930) →

The most important work of American artist and illustrator Lynd Ward, Gods' Manis a powerfully evocative novel, told entirely through woodcuts. Ward (1905-85), in employing the concept of the wordless pictorial narrative, acknowledged his predecessors the European artists Frans Masereel and Otto Nuckel. Released the week of the 1929 stock market crash, Gods' Manwas the first of six woodcut novels that Ward produced over the next eight years. It presents the artist's struggles in a world characterized by both innocence and corruptions and can be considered a forerunner of the contemporary graphic novel, popularized by artists such as Daniel Clowes.

Read more

Although best known for his "novels in woodcuts," Ward was also a successful illustrator of children's books. In 1953 he won the Caldecott Medal for The Biggest Bear,which he both wrote and illustrated. His illustrations also appeared in numerous books that received the Newbery Medal. Ward's final work was the acclaimed wordless novel The Silver Pony(1973).

Until now, Gods' Manhas only been widely available in high-priced original editions. This top-quality, low-cost republication of Ward's masterpiece will be welcomed by collectors of his work as well as by readers new to his achievement.

Audience
adult
Length
short · 160 pages

Click a tag to see books like this one that share it. Point at it (on a phone, tap it) for less of it instead.

Read it? Sign in to help tag it.

Liked Gods' Man: A Novel in Woodcuts? Here’s where I’d start.

These suit anyone who liked Gods' Man: A Novel in Woodcuts. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.

  1. Flood! Shares graphic novels, art, wordless
  2. The City: A Vision in Woodcuts Shares graphic novels, art, wordless
  3. Destiny: A Novel in Pictures Shares graphic novels, art, wordless
  4. Blood Song Shares graphic novels, wordless, art

“People who read Gods' Man: A Novel in Woodcuts tend to reach for these next.”

  1. Cinema Panopticum
  2. House
  3. I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets!
  4. Dame Darcy's Meatcake Compilation

“If you want more of the same (fantasy about art), start with these.”

  1. Newave!: The Underground Mini Comix of the 1980s
  2. Kramers Ergot #4
  3. Kramers Ergot #6
  4. The Salon

“If it was the graphic novels that hooked you, try one of these.”

  1. Walking Shadows: A Novel without Words
  2. In the Sounds and Seas
  3. Pictures That [Tick]
  4. Sticks and Stones

“These start from a similar idea, even if they go somewhere else with it.”

  1. Wordless Books: The Original Graphic Novels
  2. New Hampshire
  3. Wave
  4. Passionate Journey