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Lot: In Words, The Paperback – 27 Oct 2008

by Michael Leunig (Author)

2 ratings

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Musings from a truly original thinker on eveything under the sun and many things over the moon. There are few aspects of existence to which Michael Leunig has not turned his renaissance mind, as a bemused and committed member of the human plight. From his cartoonist's sensibilities comes a peculiar journalism made of parable, memoir and soliloquy, on subjects ranging from the sublime to the subhuman. From the fragile ecosystem of the spirit to the brutalisation of the modern world. From the joy of primal epiphanies to the wretchedness of the violence we unwittingly commit against each other and our deeper selves each day. To hypocrisy and dispair in the political order. Military madness and the media. To violins, artists and newborn facials. The value of the mundane. Emotional mysteries and the night sky. Light and darkness in the national character. The wisdom of the innocent. The sadness of the brain-ridden. Humanity's redeeming pathos and our exquisite inseparabilitiy from the natural world. . . The lot. Even in the smallest, simplest things, Leunig finds the eternal key. And no matter how confronting the topic, he awakens and upholds the funny side. The uplifting side. The side you'd forgotten about - or didn't realise was there.

Product details

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Viking; 1 edition (27 October 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0670073024
ISBN-13: 978-0670073023
Product Dimensions: 22 x 2.8 x 15.4 cm
Boxed-product Weight: 422 g
Average Customer Review: 2 customer reviews
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 162,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #795 in Biographies of Artists, Architects & Photographers
- #1202 in Comic Strips (Books)
- #596 in Journalism & Nonfiction Writing Reference

Product description

About the Author

Michael Leunig has been drawing and writing for Australian newspapers since 1965. He was born in Melbourne and now lives on a farm in north-eastern Victoria. His work has been widely published overseas, and has been adapted in Australia for television, theatre and radio. His many titles include The Penguin Leunig, The Travelling Leunig, Ramming the Shears, Everyday Devils and Angels, You and Me, Short Notes from the Long History of Happiness, Why Dogs Sniff Each Other's Tails, Goatperson and Other Tales, The Curly Pyjama Letters, The Stick, Poems, Strange Creature and The Lot.

http-//www.leunig.com.au

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Peek

Often poignant, always human

4 June 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This man writes from his heart. It's interesting that some find his work (even his drawings) challenging. I, for my part, am often moved by his insight and his humanity. His love of country (not in the patriotic sense), and for the animals around him, and for the people in his life is obvious and ever-present.

I highly recommend this book and his other works. I would like to know this man more. He has the guts to say the things that I often do not say.

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A lot of words

18 October 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

Michael Leunig is an Australian cartoonist. His cartoons are quirky, recognisable, but basically just doodles. There is little point to them. Even when the point is included in big letters.

So what would Leunig’s writing be like? Unsurprisingly, they seem to be doodles; plenty of words, a few concepts thrown together, but very little real point.

In fairness, The Lot was not written as a book. My understanding is that Leunig wrote occasional editorial pieces for newspapers – as a sort of columnist but probably with longer articles than a typical column. Perhaps they qualify as essays. A cynic might think they were commissioned to fill space. Then, a few years later, someone thought these ephemeral pieces might benefit from being collected, bound, and sold off as some kind of state of the nation piece.

This approach doesn’t work. As a cartoonist, Michael Leunig has not really done much to justify his pontifications having greater weight attached to them than the rambling ideas of any other middle aged Melburnian. He does not have a track record of academic study, or experience of public office, or business insight. Fair enough, neither do some other newspaper commentators. But at least they seem to have something to say. Or even if they don’t, at least they make the minutiae of their daily routines sound interesting. Michael Leunig’s thoughts seem laboured, contrived and often seem to involve non sequiturs.

There are some political pieces, but even then it feels as though the inclusion of a buzzword such as “Aboriginal” or “Palestinian” will be enough to carry the day, even if the message is opaque.

The lack of any continuous theme makes this collection really difficult to read. It feels choppy and bitty, yet despite that it also feels very samey and repetitive. It’s not a long book, but I’d bet there are few people who’d ever manage to get to the end.

The Lot is proof that journalism is not literature and that verbosity is not profundity.

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Most helpful customer reviews on Amazon.com

Amazon.com: 4 reviews

Night Owl

Great collection of Leunig’s essays!

21 March 2019 - Published on Amazon.com

Verified Purchase

This is a wonderful collection of Leunig’s writing. It is moving, thought-provoking, and inspiring.

Vaya Cross

Great short stories with all of Leunigs usual wit and depth

19 July 2013 - Published on Amazon.com

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

There is plenty to think about after reading these short stories. I particularly enjoyed Vladimir the Duck and Leunig's dissertation on hope in the story 'The Bed in Winter.' Australians will identify with the story, 'Hello, Welcome to Our Drought' and many others. A fan of Leunig's cartoons, I had no idea he was such a masterful writer. A must read.

Heidi Ombler

great reading

29 January 2014 - Published on Amazon.com

Verified Purchase

The marvellous thing about reading Leunig is can can be light humour or very deep and wise - its depends on your mood and how deep you want to go! Easy to read wisdom.

2Roberts

Thoughtful life guidance

27 July 2014 - Published on Amazon.com

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

A thoughtful read.