Behind Every Great Novelist...

I laughed out loud when I saw the illustration to a New York Times Book Review (5/13/12) Christopher Benfey review of a book titled “Lives of the Novelists,” by John Sutherland. The illustration is in the form of a nine-paneled cartoon, and is titled “Behind Every Great Novelist….” The nine panels are titled as follows: Childhood Trauma, Miserable Job, Moment of Self-Discovery, Episode of Debauchery, Pathologic Ambition, Loyal Pet, Neglected Spouse, Personal Demons, and -- wait for it! -- Years of Boring Hard Work. I love the dramatic stereotypes of the first eight panels and then the surprise juxtaposition and reality check provided by the last panel.