Sempe

Jean-Jacques Sempé is one of the most successful and best-loved cartoonists in the world, best known for his cartoons that have graced the covers and pages of the New Yorker for decades. Sempé has published numerous collections of his work in his native France, but never before have they been translated into English. Phaidon Press is delighted to present the first English translated publication of NOTHING IS SIMPLE by Jean-Jacques Sempé, one of four witty and beautifully illustrated collections from this widely adored cartoonist.

NOTHING IS SIMPLE was the first book of Sempé drawings, originally published in 1962. In this classic Sempé collection, we find a timeless mix of everyday moments and surreal situations, captured with characteristic playfulness and attention to detail. Sempé's world is populated by nosy neighbors, mischievous schoolboys and thwarted lovers, by snooty holidaymakers and crowds of frustrated commuters in the big city. In one classic series, a woman looks horrified to witness an accident involving a truck, a restaurant-front and several bystander, and rushes to her friend's house to report, not of the accident, but the fact that she saw her friend's husband stepping out of a nearby bar with another woman. These inimitable drawings and watercolors, accompanied by perfectly judged deadpan captions, are fresh, engaging and hilarious.

Sempé's work, once just the one-of-a-kind illustrations that appeared before our eyes in delightful yet sporadic moments, can now be brought home as an enchanting part of every family's library. NOTHING IS SIMPLE, just one volume of four, includes more than 100 illustrations, both pen and ink, with captions translated by Anthea Bell. Professionals, children, and adults of any age will fall in love with these charming books.