Cartoons With My Dad: How Art Drew Us Together

I had a been a huge fan of author Brian Frazer's first novel, Hyper-chondriac, (mainly because I literally laughed aloud numerous times) so was excited to read his new book. In many ways, Cartoons With My Dad is a superior book, because, the author, a self-described ex-stand-up comic, has created a narrative structure that while at times is hysterically funny, it is also deeply emotional and deeply personal.The short of the story, is that Brian's mother was very sick her whole life and his father, who had many hopes and dreams, put those all on hold, to care of his mother. WHen the mother dies, Brian, the son, attempts to reconnect to his father by taking his jokes and having his father draw cartoons (think Far Side, sometimes darker, or more obscure). The journey is not an easy one, and in fact, has many setbacks, both for the father, Sam, and the author, Brian.You may be surprised by the rawness of the author's voice in letting you into his personal and family world, but that works for the book. The author continually makes jokes, (he likes to add joke footnotes) but allows the right amount of seriousness when applicable.This is a great book for adults who have older parents and who want to understand a new way of looking at their relationship with their parents. The book is an extremely fast read and also is extremely self-critical about the author's own cartoons and habits.I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a comic author who is also trying to tell you a real story.This is basically a coming of age story, told through the perspective of the son,

Full disclosure: I downloaded this book to my Kindle back in July 2019 and promptly started reading it, enjoying what I was reading. For whatever reason, or for no reason at all, I put it aside, claiming other self-declared obligations, real or imagined. It took the downtime afforded us by our current situation to get me to pick it up again, and I am so glad that I did. What a great escape from troubled times it proved to be. With a standup comedian's timing and knack for storytelling, Brian brings us on a relatable journey though several generations of his family that is heartbreaking, poignant, hilarious and most importantly, honest and vulnerable. And the cartoons are icing on the cake. I'm a sucker for father/son stories and found Brian's devotion to his dad while battling his own demons to be particularly inspiring. And Dad's attitude about grabbing life by the horns at 80? A lesson for us all that its never too late, or never too soon. And oh man, that poem for Irene. So lovely. Thanks Brian for sharing your story with us. Art does indeed heal the soul.

I read “Cartoons with my Dad” in 24 hours, a rarity for a guy that usually loses interest in a book. It’s a touching true story of a middle-aged son starting a new relationship with his aging father. Their relationship had been good all along, but it really grew after Dad was widowed and began to rediscover talents and passions long set aside while caring for an ailing wife/mother.Their reconnecting as adults in some ways reminded be of the father-son catch in the movie “Field of Dreams.” Some parts of this book are that touching, while others are hysterically funny and snarky. Even some of the cartoons are included, which might be a bonus for Far Side fans.Poignant, comical, and emotive, all rolled into one. It’s a great book for a Boomer guy as Dad ages. Great insight into how we’re a product of our environment. Like the insurance commercial says, it won’t keep you from becoming your parents, but you’ll laugh at seeing it happen to someone else.

I received this book as a gift from my wife (who knows I enjoy cartoons) but it turned out to be SO MUCH MORE! A bittersweet story that features the sort of heartbreak and disappointment we, as humans, can all relate to but into the midst of great sadness comes a poignant reminder, - life does not always give us, 'calm waters' but, if we make it through the storm intact, it is we who must choose if we'll allow the darkness to consume us or if we'll put it behind us and navigate to places that brings us happiness and fulfillment.The author, Brian Frazer and his Dad Sam chart a course together that clearly takes us into some dark, rough seas but joining them on the journey allows us to emerge into the light of a new possibility and reconnect in a way I'm not sure either of them expected. I'm glad I tagged along with them, I'm glad that their creativity, talent and circumstances brought them closer together and, as a consumer, I was especially grateful that it's pages were packed full of laughter and good humor!

First let me preface this by stating I am a failed writer, so I hate everything anyone writes that's successful. This book was given to me as a gift because I appreciate word play....(which sounds like sex play but is very different)and even thought I didn't WANT to like it, I found myself laughing out loud alone in the bedroom throughout this book, which convinced my wife I was engaging in sex play. "Cartoons with my Dad" is the perfect blend of humor and pathos and a must read for anyone who has ever had parents. I enjoyed it from the very first page, and the cartoons alone are worth the price of the book.

I was a big fan of the author's first book, Hyper-Chondriac, so I was excited to see he had written another poignant memoir. While this is a funny book (boy, is it funny) what sets it apart is how truly insightful it can be, both speaking to Frazer's deeply personal story, and to the universal truths of trying to live a life of purpose and joy while simultaneously trying to do what's "right" or expected. The elder Frazer, after decades of taking care of his ailing wife, achieves the kind of second-life renaissance that we should all hope for as we reach old age. I'm always touched by father-son stories, and this is a great one. I even gave a copy to my dad for Father's day! The prose is touching and hilarious, the cartoons are brilliant, and they story is worth a 2nd read. Well done, Frazers!