It could have been a book on the last year in finance.
Reaching the end of 2009, Highs and Lows could be the way to describe this year's gyrations or any year for that matter as even in an ocean of calm there are periods of turbulence.
Anyway, Highs and Lows is one of the last 2 of 7 titles by Sempe published for the English speaking world by Phaidon, The other one is 'Panic Stations'.
In all these years, I have always thought of Jean Jacques Sempe as utterly French even though he did a number of covers for the New Yorker.
There is wit to his humor but not in a mean way, more of a look at human frailties.
If I was to condense what Highs and Lows is about, I would say crowds, isolation and humanity.
From the lonely man of page 69 having to choose between Priest and Psychoanalyst to the ocean of people of 'less is more' at page 82-83 (numbers I assigned as there are none) to the display of Chairman Mao by a human tapestry (105-106), people are there at risk of being 'crushed'.
I might make it sound gloomy but as any cartoonist and illustrator, Sempe accentuates some traits as a way to make us think and also cherish our very humanity.
No bitterness found here, rather affection with a touch of worry.
Jean Jacques Sempe has witnessed his share of events in his life, I am sure, as he was born in 1932, same year as my mother.
I would not have known that Sempe was published by Phaidon if for a visit at their Pop Up store in New York for a cookbook signing.
They sent me a sample of his US published works and thanks to this nice gesture, I was able to share my thoughts on Highs and Lows.
The remaining 5 titles in this serie are 'Nothing is Simple', 'Everything is Complicated', 'Sunny Spells', 'Mixed Messages', 'Monsieur Lambert'.
Pick one. Any of Sempe's books would make a great holiday gift for someone who does not mind French humor and slices of life couched in detailed drawings.
Captions are translated from the original French by Anthea Bell, who also translated the Asterix comics.
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