Prelude to a Million Years and Song Without Words: Two Graphic Novels

Woodcuts #4-5

by Lynd Ward, David A. Beronä (Introduction)

One of the twentieth century's finest engravers, Lynd Ward created remarkable woodcuts that resonate in both the heart and the imagination. His dramatic images present complete, self-contained narratives in both of these wordless tales. Prelude to a Million Years unfolds against the backdrop of the Great Depression, portraying in thirty illustrations a sculptor's struggles in an industrial society. Song Without Words explores one woman's emotional journey through pregnancy and childbirth in a series of twenty-one images described by the author as "a kind of prose poem."
Ward's memorable works have been honored with such prestigious awards as the Library of Congress Award, the National Academy of Design Print Award, the New York Times Best Illustrated Award, the Caldecott Medal, and the Regina Award. An introduction by woodcut historian David A. Beronä places these stories within the context of Ward's career and the graphic arts world of the 1930s.

Genres: Art, Graphic Novels

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

LYND WARD (1905-1985) illustrated more than two hundred books for children and adults throughout his prolific career. Winner of the Caldecott Medal for his watercolors in The Biggest Bear, Mr. Ward was also famous for his wood engravings, which are featured in museum collections throughout the United States and abroad.

Married to May Yonge McNeer, several of whose works he illustrated. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Reviews

[Петър Керкелов · Rating 5 out of 5]

it wasn't until after i was finally able to tell a beautiful word story out of each of the wordless stories to my girl when i marked the book as read. i really hated those make-a-story-out-of-a-picture exercises in school. i guess they weren't that useless.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two graphic novels contain a series of stunning images of a rather pessimistic nature, having been created in the depths of the depression.

[Michael P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed here the latter half of this book because I reviewed the first part when I read a separate edition a couple of years ago. SONG WITHOUT WORDS is wonderful. A couple considers having a baby in 1936, but the woman looks at the state of the world as the result of the fallen condition of mankind and fears the world is not a fit place to have a child. The child they have, however, brings hope.

Lovely, loving, and beautifully rendered, this is a compelling graphic story.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning work.