By Robert Duncan
Publisher: Lion Children’s Books
ISBN: 9780745979939
This book is from CCGB member and Goliath of the pen, Robert Duncan.
Many years ago, way back in 1976, he wrote and illustrated a book retelling tales from the Bible. It did rather well and, together with a 1987 reprint, sold over 80,000 copies. Now it’s found a new publisher, receiving a design overhaul but no updated cartoons. Which is odd, because, as you’ll see below, Robert Duncan just doesn’t draw like that anymore.
He did consider changing them, but thought, “They have their own quirky 1976 style, and it worked then so why change?” That’s fair enough, then.
Robert has a crack at such tales as Noah’s Ark, Ten Nasty Plagues, and Samson Has A Haircut, retelling them in an accessible manner with a glint of humour and fun. But you don’t have to take my word for it.
Tim Rice originally called the book ‘an irresistible interpretation of the scriptures’ and has stood by those words by providing a new foreword for this edition.
I was also rather pleased to read that John Le Mesurier once read an audiobook version, of which remastered CDs are available.
That’s not a bad outcome from a book created 45 years ago, and it looks like it may bring Robert some attention and further income for some time yet. He mentions that there’s a strange Kuala Lumpur connection, too, but doesn’t expand upon it. Feel free to let us know, Robert…
And if you liked that: Ask him nicely and you might get a signed copy with a cartoon.
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