The Four Elements

I was first introduced to Roz Chast's work in The New Yorker but was never quite sure what to make of her cartoons. Her understated, offbeat humor escaped me when I would happen upon one of her drawings in the magazine. Then, I bought this book, purely out curiosity. I was hooked! It's hard to describe Chast's style. It's satirical but not mean-spirited. She pokes fun at the very average, situation and very average people -- people named Mabel and Vern -- but with a twist. Her cartoons on childhood and its traumas are absolutely priceless. Her sense of humor, writing, and drawings are distinctly her own. No, this might not be the type of humor that will send you rolling to the floor, but the more you read, the more funny everything in Chast's quirky world becomes. She's actually added phrases to my vocabulary. I only wish I could find more of her books in print! (I also highly recommend "Proof of Life on Earth.")