Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen
My rating: 4/5 cats
more of the same sarah andersen-style charm and doodles; if you liked the first two books, you’re bound to like this one. i find her endlessly delightful, and the only reason i liked this book SLIGHTLY less than the first two is that the last part is a long essay directed at young artists about how to handle self-doubt, internet trolls, and criticism in general. which is a fantastic thing to have done and i’m sure it is going to help the people for whom it is intended, but i am not one of those people, so while i applaud her thoughtfulness and sincerity, the little scribbled person inside of me is screaming MOAR PICKTURES PLEEZ! & etc.
but apart from that quibble, i’m thrilled that all of her usual themes are back on parade, many of which my own inner scribble can relate to
and ever since ms. andersen discovered her inner cat person, documented in Big Mushy Happy Lump, her scribbly tentacles can stretch out and ensnare the cat-people of the internet with cuteness like this
which is pretty damn savvy, since the internet is 94% cat.
but yeah, apart from the letter to young artist part, there’s so much here that speaks to my values: cats, coziness, books and halloween, and also to my failings; all the self-flagellation over perceived shortcomings or underachievements, regardless of whether the goals are even realistic ones.
also life’s great secret is revealed -that the cure for all of life’s problems is found in taking a disproportionate amount of pleasure in the littlest things.
i am all appreciation, approval, and gratitude for sarah andersen.