Art of Rube Goldberg

Rube Goldberg was a cartoonist, humorist, sculptor, author, engineer and inventor, and in a 72-year career he illustrated a staggering, record number of cartoons--50,000. Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) was the most famous cartoonist and humorist of his time, possibly of all time. He worked in just about every medium, starting out as a vaudeville entertainer, hosting his own radio show, his own television program, created his own animated cartoons, wrote screenplays, short stories, poems and a novel. Known primarily for his cartoon inventions which were syndicated in daily newspapers throughout the world, Rube described his machines as a "symbol of man's capacity for exerting maximum effort to achieve minimal results," and believed most people went about things the hard way rather than using a more simple and direct path to accomplish their goals. The Art of Rube Goldberg is being created with complete access to the vast archives held at the Library of Congress, the Bancroft Library in the University of California, Berkeley and the Estate, and includes an overview of his entire career, from his very first drawing at age twelve to his later sculptures, as well as his iconic inventions and Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoons. Also included are rare photographs, letters, memorabilia and patents, many reproduced here for the first time. Rube Goldberg also wrote multiple autobiographical essays throughout his career and was extensively interviewed in the press and on radio and television. The Art of Rube Goldberg will include copious extracts from these primary sources so we can read about Rube in his own words. Also included are essays by noted comic historians, each with a unique take on Rube Goldberg and each writing about a different aspect of his varied career. Brilliantly designed and packaged to capture the inventiveness of Rube Goldberg's work, The Art of Rube Goldberg is a coffee table book for die-hard fans, casual fans and fans of all ages.