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Vertigo: A Novel in Woodcuts (Dover Fine Art, History of Art) Paperback – January 26, 2009

by Lynd Ward (Author), David A. Beronä (Introduction)
4.8 out of 5 stars 31 ratings
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One of the finest wood engravers of the twentieth century, Lynd Ward took his work to a new dimension when he created the "wordless novel. "Gods' Man, his first novel in woodcuts, appeared in 1929; during the 1930s, he published five more pictorial narratives. Ward earned the Library of Congress Award, the Caldecott Medal, and other prestigious awards. Vertigo, published in 1937, is considered to be his masterpiece. Telling this poignant story with 230 stylized woodcuts, the artist rewards his readers' eyes with the intricate beauty of his craft — and satisfies their spirits with a freedom of interpretation that extends beyond the reach of words.
Published more than seventy years ago in the midst of the Great Depression, the dramatic tale of three people dealing with financial instability, joblessness, and debt rings strikingly true today. A young girl who longs to be an accomplished violinist, and a boy who hopes to become a builder, find their dreams shattered by desperate economic times. When an elderly gentleman wields his power to cut his business losses, all three lives are changed forever. Includes a new introduction by David Beronä, a woodcut novel historian and the author of Wordless Books: The Original Graphic Novels.
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  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dover Publications
  4. Publication date
    January 26, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    6.1 x 0.7 x 9.1 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0486468895
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0486468891
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

American artist and storyteller Lynd Ward (1905-85) illustrated more than 200 juvenile and adult books, working in wood engraving, watercolors, oil, and lithography. He is particularly famous for his woodcut-illustrated wordless novels, the precursors to today's graphic novels.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications (January 26, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0486468895
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486468891
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.35 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.7 x 9.1 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 31 ratings

About the author

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Lynd Ward

Lynd Ward

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Lynd Kendall Ward (June 26, 1905 – June 28, 1985) was an American artist and storyteller, known for his series of wordless novels using wood engraving, and his illustrations for juvenile and adult books. His wordless novels have influenced the development of the graphic novel. Strongly associated with his wood engravings, he also worked in watercolor, oil, brush and ink, lithography and mezzotint.[1] Ward was a son of Methodist minister and political organizer Harry F. Ward.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
31 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the artwork of this woodcut novel, with one noting how well the shadows are laid out. They find the book to be worth the effort.

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4 customers mention "Artwork"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the artwork of the book, describing it as beautifully done, with one customer highlighting the well-laid-out shadows and another noting the great titles by modern woodcut masters.

"...Pen and Ink artists would like it too. The way shadows are laid out is well done...." Read more

"...I enjoy this book at many levels. The woodcut artwork alone deserves attention, irrespective of the stories it tells, partly because of the way it..." Read more

"...the great titles by modern woodcut masters reproduced so beautifully by Dover Publications (Firefly Press and Abrams deserve mention as well)!!..." Read more

"Absolutely beautiful novel. Story takes a little work to decipher, but definitely worth the effort." Read more

4 customers mention "Value for money"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book worth the effort and consider it awesome.

"If you are into prints and good books, this is one for you. Pen and Ink artists would like it too. The way shadows are laid out is well done...." Read more

"...Just go and buy all these wonderful books by Lynd Ward, Frans Masereel, Otto Nuckel, James Reid, et al.,..." Read more

"awesome book!" Read more

"...Story takes a little work to decipher, but definitely worth the effort." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Working girl
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Done Artwork
    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    If you are into prints and good books, this is one for you. Pen and Ink artists would like it too. The way shadows are laid out is well done. The story is told well without a word: people, good and bad never change.
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  • wiredweird
    5.0 out of 5 stars What's old is new again
    Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    First published in 1937, Ward's Vertigo paints a triptych of Depression-era images - the kind with a new urgency in the 2008-9 economic downturn. The first of these stories, The Girl, traces years of a young woman's life from childhood, through high school graduation, and into the promise of a happy and fulfilling adulthood. The promise isn't kept, however, when personal tragedy strikes, followed by a long, slow slide into poverty. As happens so often in life, this sad story ends with a minor, almost trivial moment that captures the bitter irony of that broken promise. The second story, The Elderly Man, examines months in the life of a captain of industry. That captain is sinking, however, as his health fails, his business collapses, and his lieutenants launch a brutal union-busting campaign that seems to horrify him. In this book's third story, The Boy, time compresses even further, to just a few days. After leaving an abusive home, his decline on the streets comes even faster.

    Of course, the ambiguity of these wordless stories and complex images means that other readers will see things very differently than I do. These images and narratives practically beg readers to impose their own vision onto the story. Each reader and perhaps each reading can be a unique experience.

    I enjoy this book at many levels. The woodcut artwork alone deserves attention, irrespective of the stories it tells, partly because of the way it evokes the WPA style of the later Depression years. Then, modern readers might find interest in this grandfather of the modern graphic novel, showing how complex and mature the medium has been and can be again. The stories in these "pictorial narratives" explain this book's 70+ years of popularity, however, putting human faces to a few of the Depression's many tragedies.

    -- wiredweird
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Lu
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Masterpiece In Woodcuts from Dover Publications!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    I highly recommend all the great titles by modern woodcut masters reproduced so beautifully by Dover Publications (Firefly Press and Abrams deserve mention as well)!! This type of art does not exist anymore. Just go and buy all these wonderful books by Lynd Ward, Frans Masereel, Otto Nuckel, James Reid, et al., which are now available at such great prices! Many Thanks to David A. Berona and the people at these fine publishing companies for continuing to bring such great works of art back to us! Is Ward's "Song Without Words" on the horizon?(!)
    8 people found this helpful
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  • C~A~T
    5.0 out of 5 stars Classic within graphic novels.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This book had some great stories in it, and reading without words is a very new experience. I enjoyed it a lot. If you to are interested in this book I suggest researching the wood carving techniques that were used as well as the stories, as they can be hard to interpret.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Christina Kellagher
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    awesome book!
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  • Writer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Absolutely beautiful novel. Story takes a little work to decipher, but definitely worth the effort.
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  • CV0725
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Love it!
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  • ctf
    3.0 out of 5 stars Minor disappointment
    Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Really interesting concept.
    I'm excited to get into it.
    It came really quickly from Amazon LLC themselves supposedly new; unfortunate that my copy came water damaged though.
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  • Maurizio Ciato
    5.0 out of 5 stars Vertigo: la vertigine del racconto
    Reviewed in Italy on January 21, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Acutezza, precisione, incisione, forza all'insegna di un vortice narrativo ed emotivo. La concretezza dell'immagine trasformata in un flusso cerebrale senza soluzione di continuità tra realtà e immaginazione. Che si tratti di un capolavoro è cosa ormai ovvia; bello sarebbe se si ripresentassero in libreria con più frequenza questi esempi di efficace e riuscita narrazione per immagini. non tanto un'imitazione o un palliativo alla letteratura, ma letteratura specifica essi stessi.
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