I got a copy of Sarah Andersen's
Herding Cats from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It took me some time to actually download it because it wouldn't work on the Kindle so required downloading something new and, if you can tell from my recent reviewing schedule, doing things that require extra work is not something I've managed to accomplish much of recently.
But I did get it downloaded and then I devoured it. If you aren't already familiar with
Andersen's comics, get with it. Sorry, that was a bit aggressive. But really, her stuff is adorable and relatable (assuming you are socially awkward) and you should just do yourself a favor.
She draws comics about her anxiety, about body hair, about being a comic, about her love of dogs and cats, about her reaction to the news these days (see "about her anxiety"), all good things.
The comics are short (at most 6 panels) and are each stand-alone. Unlike something like
Hyperbole and a Half, while the work is about Sarah, it never really goes the extra step to being a memoir. I can't say I that I know more about her (or feel like I know more about her) than surface level things, despite the end of the book being made up of actual text and Sarah talking about being an artist, dealing with criticism and the advice to "Go make stuff". Good things, don't get me wrong, but it's just not as touching or intimate as Ali Brosh's stuff. Though I didn't really mean to compare the two artists and that is unfair and this isn't to say one is better or one is worse. They are different and both entertaining for their own reasons. But don't go into Andersen, expecting Brosh (or vice versa, really).
I realize this is short but I'm not sure what else to say. She's funny and relatable, and yeah, I had probably seen most of these comics online before reading them in the book so there's also that if you want to check out her stuff, even though I feel like I should encourage you to buy her stuff. I say, having received a free copy, so don't listen to me too closely, I guess. But yeah, check out her stuff. It's swell.
Gif rating:
Title quote from page 27
Andersen, Sarah.
Herding Cats. Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2018. NetGalley
