SOMEWHERE READING BOOKS (TL) -- I first met Omaha World Herald cartoonist Jeff Koterba at an editorial cartoonist's convention in Oklahoma City. We were freshly graduated from college, where we'd both earned numerous awards for our cartoons in our respective college newspapers.
Friendship came easy for two Midwestern kids sharing a similar and specific goal of becoming a newspaper cartoonist. We were giddy at the convention, reporting back when one of us had an actual conversation with a Jeff McNelly or one of the other cartooning superstars on hand.
We kept in touch through the years, reporting on our progress toward our shared goal. Jeff scored first: A regular gig as the sports editorial cartoonist at the Kansas City Star. When the big leagues called Jeff -- a staff position as the editorial cartoonist at the Omaha World-Herald -- and he had to stop the weekly sports cartoons at the Star, it was my name he recommended for the now-vacant position.
So I followed in his footsteps, penning a weekly editorial cartoon for the Star's sports page. The Kansas City Chiefs, then quarterbacked by Joe Montana, were featured on Monday Night Football and the broadcasting team showed and discussed my cartoon on air during the game. A lot of people called me to tell me they'd seen it. The first person I called was Jeff.
Jeff was now a nationally syndicated, staff editorial cartoonist ... and still looking out for me. I'd get e-mails or calls regarding new cartoonist openings. We collaborated on a comic strip that ultimately went nowhere, but was fun to work on. I drove to Omaha and he showed me around town (I keep threatening to return).
I bring all this up because I want to enthusiastically recommend his recently published memoir, "Inklings."
When I heard he was writing it, I was excited because I'm always interested in reading about editorial cartoonists. Having read the book, it's about much, much more.
Among other things, it's a remarkably well-written book about families and how they function (and sometimes don't). Jeff, true to form, remains eloquently pragmatic and even optimistic in the face of a difficult childhood.
“I also know we are a family filled with regret. We are the clouds of smoke left behind on the launch pad as the rocket soars skyward. But even in our fog of disappointment, the rocket itself, its power and speed, gives us hope and makes us believe that at any moment our luck might change.”
The book is filled with wonderfully realized moments like this as Jeff trudges toward his dream in the face of an unusual father, being struck by lightning and dealing with Tourette's.
Ultimately, "Inklings" is about dreams, both realized and unrealized, and the cost and rewards of following them ... no matter how far-fetched they might seem.
It's the best book I read in 2009. Check it out.
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