Drawn to New York: An Illustrated Chronicle of Three Decades in New York City

A declaration of love to Peter Kuper’s adoptive city, where he has lived since 1977, this diary is a vibrant survey of New York City’s history. Kuper’s illustrations depict a climb to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge, the homeless living in Times Square, roller skaters in Central Park, the impact of September 11, the luxury of Wall Street, street musicians, and other scenes unique to the city. With comics, illustrations, and sketches, this work of art portrays everything from the low life to the high energy that has long made people from around the world flock to the Big Apple.

Drawn to New York is a reflection of one artist’s thirty-four years on twelve miles of island with eight million people in a city whose story is ever being written.

Praise:

“Kuper is extraordinary, a one-of-a-kind talent, and like the city it chronicles, Drawn to New York is beautiful, mutinous, kaleidoscopic, and essential.”
—Junot Díaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

“Drawn to New York is Peter Kuper’s New York, and anybody who’s spent any time here, physically or otherwise, will recognize the energy and architecture, the grime and crowds, the beautiful humanity, the foods, odors, and sights. Love it or not, there’s no place on Earth quite like New York City, and few people have captured it as effectively as Kuper.”
—Newsarama

“One of the strongest and truest radical voices to emerge from contemporary America.”
—Alan Moore, author of Watchmen and V for Vendetta

“As a cartoonist and graphic novelist, Kuper’s art reflects the sequential grid that is Manhattan. Each window tells a story, and the rows of squares and infinite right angles form a map of one man’s journey through the modern labyrinth. When viewed as a whole, Kuper’s concrete visions of New York amount to an epic love poem.”
—Eric Drooker

“The island of skyscrapers, the Mecca of cities, and well-known capital of the world, is the backdrop of this colorful odyssey of Peter Kuper and marks a triumph in his already successful career. Drawn to New York is a perfect choice while listening to ’New York, New York,’ though not played by Sinatra.”
—Rolling Stone (Mexico)

About Peter Kuper:

Peter Kuper’s illustrations and comics have appeared in Time, New York Times, and MAD where he has written and illustrated “Spy vs. Spy” every month since 1997. He is the co-founder of World War 3 Illustrated and has remained on its editorial board for over 30 years.

He has produced over 20 books including The System, Sticks and Stones, and Stop Forgetting to Remember. Peter has also adapted Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and many of Franz Kafka’s works into comics including The Metamorphosis. Peter lived in Oaxaca, Mexico from July 2006–2008 during a major teachers’ strike and his work from that time can be seen in his book Diario de Oaxaca (PM Press).

He has been teaching comics courses for 25 years in New York and is a visiting professor at Harvard University.

About Eric Drooker (Introduction):

Eric Drooker is a third-generation New Yorker, born and raised on Manhattan Island. His paintings are frequently seen on covers of The New Yorker magazine, and hang in various art collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Drooker is the author of two graphic novels, Flood! A Novel in Pictures (winner of the American Book Award), and Blood Song: A Silent Ballad. He collaborated with Beat poet Allen Ginsberg on the underground classic, Illuminated Poems. His provocative art has appeared on countless posters, book and CD covers, and his hard-edged graphics are a familiar sight on street corners throughout the world.

See and hear author interviews, book reviews, and other news on Peter Kuper's page HERE

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