Oddballs by Westergard, Jim - 2011

(Vancouver, BC): Heavenly Monkey, 2011. Westergard, Jim. Quarto. 96pp. One of thirty copies, signed by the author/illustrator, Jim Westergard. Illustrated with forty wood engravings immortalizing infamous people, ranging from well-known oddballs such as Lizzie Borden and Hunter Thompson, to more obscure characters, including the tenth-century Icelandic poet Gunnlaug Wormtongue, who was known for his offensive and unpopular poetry, and the Gentleman Bandit Bill Miner, who is said to be the originator of the phrase "Hands up!" Westergard includes himself in the group, with a self-portrait as the frontispiece. Each illustration is accompanied by a short biographical sketch on the facing page. The expressive, often darkly-humorous illustrations and cheeky descriptions of each character make this book a quirky delight. With an Introduction by Barry Moser and an Afterword by publisher Rollin Milroy. Bound in blue cloth with a spiderweb-patterned glassine dust wrapper. As new.