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Mad Men: the Illustrated World
As swingin' as the 1960s-an officially licensed tie-in to the wildly popular hit television series Mad Men
By turns fun, sophisticated, and celebratory, this is an eye-popping and inventive companion to the hit show Mad Men, as well as a salute to the era of cocktails and Camelot. Inspired by the artistic styles that defined 1960s advertising, Dyna Moe creates a candy-colored record of the time, exploring such topics as:
•The office culture, including secretary etiquette and hangover workarounds
•The cocktail craze, with Sally Draper's cocktail menu
•Pastimes and fads, such as Pete and Trudy's dancing lessons and Bert Cooper's art
• '60s icons from Jackie to Marilyn
•Boardroom and bedroom shenanigans
•The burgeoning suburban lifestyle
•Fabulous fashion, including hairstyle how-tos and bonus paper dolls of Joan
By turns fun, sophisticated, and celebratory, this is an eye-popping and inventive companion to the hit show Mad Men, as well as a salute to the era of cocktails and Camelot. Inspired by the artistic styles that defined 1960s advertising, Dyna Moe creates a candy-colored record of the time, exploring such topics as:
•The office culture, including secretary etiquette and hangover workarounds
•The cocktail craze, with Sally Draper's cocktail menu
•Pastimes and fads, such as Pete and Trudy's dancing lessons and Bert Cooper's art
• '60s icons from Jackie to Marilyn
•Boardroom and bedroom shenanigans
•The burgeoning suburban lifestyle
•Fabulous fashion, including hairstyle how-tos and bonus paper dolls of Joan
96 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 24, 2010
As a man not generally prone to elation or other humiliating ecstasies, I nevertheless admit that I was elated and momentarily even giddy when I received Mad Men: The Illustrated World from my good bud Montambeau for mein Geburtstag. (Side note: There are still a lot of presents from a lot of Goodreaders currently at-large. I'll assume they were tied up with the rigamarole involving those printer cartridges shipped from Yemen. But don't worry... I will be checking the postmark dates when they finally roll in.) So before I get to the intense literary criticism, I'd like to thank Montambeau for finding a perfect gift. And why is it so perfect?
[Because] Mad Men is nearly a perfect television show. And let's be honest here. I grade television shows on the curve for the most part because this is the medium that brought us nine years of The King of Queens and a spinoff of an insurance commercial about cavemen -- which wasn't even funny in the first place, but all kinds of Hausfraus, Everymen, and people that like the Eye-talian cuisine at the Olive Garden seemed to dig it, so why not? (And when's that waitress gonna refill our breadstick basket anyway? What part of free and unlimited doesn't that uppity bitch understand?) Yes, I am being a tad elitist, but come on... a television series about cavemen transplanted into modern society? The ontology of it is the elephant in that particular room. The elephant that comes up and sits on your face.
But anyway, better than Cop Rock, better than Jennifer Slept Here, and certainly better than Manimal is Mad Men, a drama generally about the transformation of American society throughout the 1960s, more specifically insofar as it is illustrated by the goings-on at a Madison Avenue advertising agency named Sterling Cooper and, later, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, and even more specifically as it manifests itself in the life of the mysterious ad man Don Draper, who glowers, barks, and fucks chicks aplenty, but gets the job done in a pinch. Don't like his ad ideas, Mr. Fancy Pants Client? Well, Draper will throw you out on your ear and charge you a consulting rate for doing it. And then he'll go bang your wife, if she's not a chubbo. But don't ask him about Korea or the shoebox. He's touchy.
This book is a lot better than you'd expect it to be. Really. You and I are both savvy, world-weary types, and we know a scam when we see one. And TV and movie tie-in books are as scammy as they come. (Very recently, some company had the gall to publish Sterling's Gold, Roger Sterling's autobiography discussed in the show, but guess what... It's not even a faux autobiography, which would be bad enough. It's a compilation of Roger's quips from the show. Pure recycling at hardcover prices. In other words, a consumerist fuckover. Don't fall for it.)
Now don't get me wrong. Mad Men: The Illustrated World is in fact a novelty book. There's no getting around that. It's not literature, by any stretch of the imagination. It's more like a souvenir. You know how when you go to a big Broadway show and they have those people selling 'souvenir programs' for, like, fifteen bucks or more? What those programs generally amount to are a dozen pages of photographs from the show on heavy stock paper with blurbs and banal trivia interspersed throughout. But this Mad Men souvenir program is much, much better. It actually has funny and clever stuff in it. And there are no photos at all. It's filled with pretty cool (kitschy) illustrations by somebody named Dyna Moe.
The book is broken up into one and two-page spreads about a given topic, most of them alluding to a particular episode or plot point of the series. For example, there's a page about the notorious fainting couch (i.e., how to accessorize it to make it less... ugly is the word I'm looking for). There's also a guide for total establishment squares (like Draper) who go down to the Village to check out some bongo music or beatnik poetry. There are also era-specific food and cocktail recipes, and factual blurbs on real life Mad Men settings. And closing out the book are some Joan Harris paper dolls, along with clothes and accessories -- although I can't imagine anyone destroying the book to actually use them. (I love that the paper dolls come with a paper accordion. Wasn't that a great scene?)
Yes, I was worried at the beginning of season four. The first two episodes were mediocre at best, but then somehow the show blossomed and it ended up (possibly) being the best season ever. Occasionally the show dabbles too much in coincidence and melodramatic happenstance for my liking, but the writing is generally so sharp and the characters are so great that I can overlook the fact that whenever two people have sex that aren't supposed to be having sex, a pregnancy seems to result. And I'll even forgive them for killing off Ida Blankenship, one of the best supporting characters ever. But the pain is still fresh, so be gentle. (And Bert Cooper had better be coming back for season five or I will fire off a strongly-worded letter to... I don't know, but somebody!)
[Because] Mad Men is nearly a perfect television show. And let's be honest here. I grade television shows on the curve for the most part because this is the medium that brought us nine years of The King of Queens and a spinoff of an insurance commercial about cavemen -- which wasn't even funny in the first place, but all kinds of Hausfraus, Everymen, and people that like the Eye-talian cuisine at the Olive Garden seemed to dig it, so why not? (And when's that waitress gonna refill our breadstick basket anyway? What part of free and unlimited doesn't that uppity bitch understand?) Yes, I am being a tad elitist, but come on... a television series about cavemen transplanted into modern society? The ontology of it is the elephant in that particular room. The elephant that comes up and sits on your face.
But anyway, better than Cop Rock, better than Jennifer Slept Here, and certainly better than Manimal is Mad Men, a drama generally about the transformation of American society throughout the 1960s, more specifically insofar as it is illustrated by the goings-on at a Madison Avenue advertising agency named Sterling Cooper and, later, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, and even more specifically as it manifests itself in the life of the mysterious ad man Don Draper, who glowers, barks, and fucks chicks aplenty, but gets the job done in a pinch. Don't like his ad ideas, Mr. Fancy Pants Client? Well, Draper will throw you out on your ear and charge you a consulting rate for doing it. And then he'll go bang your wife, if she's not a chubbo. But don't ask him about Korea or the shoebox. He's touchy.
This book is a lot better than you'd expect it to be. Really. You and I are both savvy, world-weary types, and we know a scam when we see one. And TV and movie tie-in books are as scammy as they come. (Very recently, some company had the gall to publish Sterling's Gold, Roger Sterling's autobiography discussed in the show, but guess what... It's not even a faux autobiography, which would be bad enough. It's a compilation of Roger's quips from the show. Pure recycling at hardcover prices. In other words, a consumerist fuckover. Don't fall for it.)
Now don't get me wrong. Mad Men: The Illustrated World is in fact a novelty book. There's no getting around that. It's not literature, by any stretch of the imagination. It's more like a souvenir. You know how when you go to a big Broadway show and they have those people selling 'souvenir programs' for, like, fifteen bucks or more? What those programs generally amount to are a dozen pages of photographs from the show on heavy stock paper with blurbs and banal trivia interspersed throughout. But this Mad Men souvenir program is much, much better. It actually has funny and clever stuff in it. And there are no photos at all. It's filled with pretty cool (kitschy) illustrations by somebody named Dyna Moe.
The book is broken up into one and two-page spreads about a given topic, most of them alluding to a particular episode or plot point of the series. For example, there's a page about the notorious fainting couch (i.e., how to accessorize it to make it less... ugly is the word I'm looking for). There's also a guide for total establishment squares (like Draper) who go down to the Village to check out some bongo music or beatnik poetry. There are also era-specific food and cocktail recipes, and factual blurbs on real life Mad Men settings. And closing out the book are some Joan Harris paper dolls, along with clothes and accessories -- although I can't imagine anyone destroying the book to actually use them. (I love that the paper dolls come with a paper accordion. Wasn't that a great scene?)
Yes, I was worried at the beginning of season four. The first two episodes were mediocre at best, but then somehow the show blossomed and it ended up (possibly) being the best season ever. Occasionally the show dabbles too much in coincidence and melodramatic happenstance for my liking, but the writing is generally so sharp and the characters are so great that I can overlook the fact that whenever two people have sex that aren't supposed to be having sex, a pregnancy seems to result. And I'll even forgive them for killing off Ida Blankenship, one of the best supporting characters ever. But the pain is still fresh, so be gentle. (And Bert Cooper had better be coming back for season five or I will fire off a strongly-worded letter to... I don't know, but somebody!)
July 8, 2014
Let me tell y'all something: I found this book on a shelved section in my public library for sale for 25 cents (You can either pay 25 cents per book or $1 for five books) and this was one of the best books I've ever bought for my collection. Man Men addicts (myself included) will adore the hilarious content and plot line drops while being mesmerized by the illustrations that explores more in depth the environment of the entire 60's ad men lifestyle. I can't wait to make myself a perfect old-fashioned!
January 3, 2020
Dyna Moe's artwork is fantastic, and her book features some of her best pieces. With fun quips and games included, there's something for any 'Mad Men' fan, big or small.
August 14, 2015
This book is an official companion book to the hit television series and is beautifully illustrated in the artistic style of the 1960s advertising featured in the show. This book features brief essays on multiple topics including tongue-in-cheek references to the show, the history behind aspects of the time period (such as the layout of the office space itself), recipes for drinks and meals of the period, behind the scene essays written by characters from the show, and beautiful paper doll drawings of Joan's famous style.
It was fun reminiscing about the show and the iconic time period it featured by browsing through this book. Sections I particularly enjoyed include the section detailing the history of the office as we know it; it was originally "modeled on the factory: rows and rows of identical desks of workers who plugged away at figures the way their downstairs equivalents plugged rivets into tractors or electric fans or whatever consumer goods they were mass-producing" (12). I also enjoyed the section giving a brief bio on Conrad Hilton, the directions to make mixed drinks that were popular during the time, the actor Rich Sommer's write-up on learning to tie a tie for the show, and the image of Americans in Europe. At the end of World War II, "most Europeans viewed Americans as liberators. [...] It took only two decades for boorish American tourists to overrun the slowly rebuilding Continent and destroy that goodwill forever. However, the most significant aspect of this book are the beautiful illustrations throughout.
I did feel like this book struggled to set a unified tone. The topics and feel to each of the written pieces didn't always mesh well. They moved from historical to satirical to purely informational without notice. However, I think the artwork tied everything together and all topics were entirely relevant to the show.
It was fun reminiscing about the show and the iconic time period it featured by browsing through this book. Sections I particularly enjoyed include the section detailing the history of the office as we know it; it was originally "modeled on the factory: rows and rows of identical desks of workers who plugged away at figures the way their downstairs equivalents plugged rivets into tractors or electric fans or whatever consumer goods they were mass-producing" (12). I also enjoyed the section giving a brief bio on Conrad Hilton, the directions to make mixed drinks that were popular during the time, the actor Rich Sommer's write-up on learning to tie a tie for the show, and the image of Americans in Europe. At the end of World War II, "most Europeans viewed Americans as liberators. [...] It took only two decades for boorish American tourists to overrun the slowly rebuilding Continent and destroy that goodwill forever. However, the most significant aspect of this book are the beautiful illustrations throughout.
I did feel like this book struggled to set a unified tone. The topics and feel to each of the written pieces didn't always mesh well. They moved from historical to satirical to purely informational without notice. However, I think the artwork tied everything together and all topics were entirely relevant to the show.
September 21, 2011
A lovely collection of tidbits and trivia on the sixties, with very nice illustrations and a good sense of humor. Not directly connected to Mad Men but still an enjoyable read.
June 28, 2018
Quirky, fun book, by illustrator Dyna Moe, who had a great feature on one of the Mad Men DVDs--can't remember which season. She also, has a great eye for graphic design, follow her on Instagram, and this book uses her great illustrations she started to make for season 2 and then was picked up by AMC for the Mad Men Yourself image generator. Before I watched that featurette I and my then many friends on FB used the generator.
This is deep, serious, but a fun read for any Mad Men fan--with Dyna Moe's awesome sense of sarcasm added like a great Martini olive or that orange slice on the side of your Old Fashioned!
This is deep, serious, but a fun read for any Mad Men fan--with Dyna Moe's awesome sense of sarcasm added like a great Martini olive or that orange slice on the side of your Old Fashioned!
October 6, 2018
Great fun. You need to have seen the series to get a lot of the in-jokes but I doubt you'd be buying this unless you'd seen it.
"Activities for Children - Huckleberry Ghost!: A plastic mask of a beloved cartoon character becomes a quiet commentary on the observed and the observer. Junior walks silently through your home, face obscured. It's like you're in a Bergman film!"
"Activities for Children - Huckleberry Ghost!: A plastic mask of a beloved cartoon character becomes a quiet commentary on the observed and the observer. Junior walks silently through your home, face obscured. It's like you're in a Bergman film!"
February 18, 2022
Fun! Loved the recipes (Parker House Rolls: "Buy a bag of frozen rolls at the supermarket...Your kitchen is not a bakery, and you're a busy girl"), the paper dolls (not meant to be cut out), and the humor throughout.
May 17, 2017
Joyful
December 21, 2017
I bought this book back when Mad Men's heyday was new. I thoroughly enjoyed the sly humor and informative pieces. A must for fans of the show.
September 5, 2020
A cleaver and fun book on the time period with the show as the backdrop.
January 13, 2011
Mad Men: The Illustrated World is an official book based on the international hit TV series (which screens on SBS in Australia and some channel on pay TV. I obviously do not have pay TV otherwise I’d know more!). As the title suggests, it’s illustrated by Moe herself (very cool name, by the way).
The characters of Mad Men are instantly recognisable in their illustrations from Don to Betty to Roger and Joan. They capture that kitsch 60’s feel.
The written content I feel is a bit of a let down. It’s a mixture of recipes from the 60s, ironic attempts at humour that didn’t work for me (however, I’m not a big fan of American style humour. Give me Monty Python or Shaun Micallef). Some things are giggle worthy (eg. Make Your Own Folk Song) and I’m still wondering if I’m actually meant to cut out the Joan paper dolls (which are beautifully done).
This is cute, but it’s a better library read than purchase. I’m disappointed- the series is great but this feels forced at times.
The characters of Mad Men are instantly recognisable in their illustrations from Don to Betty to Roger and Joan. They capture that kitsch 60’s feel.
The written content I feel is a bit of a let down. It’s a mixture of recipes from the 60s, ironic attempts at humour that didn’t work for me (however, I’m not a big fan of American style humour. Give me Monty Python or Shaun Micallef). Some things are giggle worthy (eg. Make Your Own Folk Song) and I’m still wondering if I’m actually meant to cut out the Joan paper dolls (which are beautifully done).
This is cute, but it’s a better library read than purchase. I’m disappointed- the series is great but this feels forced at times.
April 26, 2011
For the Mad Men fan who wants to get fully immersed. This graphic novella has plenty of tongue-in-cheek references to the absurdities of the mid-century America, as well as dozens of references to the television episodes we all love. The illustrations themselves were done by Dyna Moe, the graphic artist who gained fame by providing weekly graphic themes of the shows and who is responsible for the "Mad Men Yourself" game found on AMC.com.
Packed within the humor and great pictures are actual facts that tie-in to the historical themes covered on the show. Recipes for dinners, appetizers and of course, drinks find their way into the collection as well.
Fans of Joan will be tempted to cut out the paper dolls found in the last few pages just to play with all her fabulous clothes and hair-do's.
A quick but fulfilling read that would satisfy the old or new Mad Men fanatic.
Packed within the humor and great pictures are actual facts that tie-in to the historical themes covered on the show. Recipes for dinners, appetizers and of course, drinks find their way into the collection as well.
Fans of Joan will be tempted to cut out the paper dolls found in the last few pages just to play with all her fabulous clothes and hair-do's.
A quick but fulfilling read that would satisfy the old or new Mad Men fanatic.
April 3, 2012
Nice little guide to the life of Mad Men in the1960s. The author Dyna Moe began drawing characters from the Mad Men series and putting them on the Internet during the 2nd season. They became such a sensation she was invited to create this companion piece book. The book not only contains her drawings but tidbits from the series, the lives of characters and information about the 60s as well. Fashion takes center stage. Hair dos are important and a guide for the traveling mad man is amusing. It also contains lots of drink recipes and suggestions for dinner, remember meatloaf? Ahh, the days before we started eating pink slime. A quick read with some fascinating fun facts and cute drawings of my favorite characters. Joan has 3 pages of paper doll outfits! Yeay!
February 15, 2012
Heerlijk boek, volledig in ware Mad Men-stijl. Je hoeft geen fan/kenner van de serie te zijn om de mooie illustraties, vrolijke vormgeving, cheeky schrijfstijl, ironische humor en - let's be honest here - volledig welgekomen classic cocktail recepten te kunnen waarderen. Het is echter wel een pré, want zonder kennis van de serie doet het boek misschien wel wat random bijeengeraapt aan. Bovendien zijn de tekstjes vaak wel doorspekt met inside jokes en verwijzingen naar gebeurtenissen in bepaalde afleveringen.
Desalniettemin wel een aanrader, ik heb het mijn vrienden en kennissen ondertussen ook al tot in den treure toe lopen showen.
Desalniettemin wel een aanrader, ik heb het mijn vrienden en kennissen ondertussen ook al tot in den treure toe lopen showen.
October 16, 2010
If you loved Dyna Moe's illustrations on Flickr or the Mad Men yourself application you will adore this book.
It includes steps on dealing with the accidental Foot Amputation, Sally's drink recipes, an illustrated guide to what your secretary's hair says about her (Example: 'I only have sexual fantasies about my husband and my pastor') and how to create the perfect bouffant.
There are also some gorgeous paper doll illustrations of Joan and her costumes.
I love this book.
It includes steps on dealing with the accidental Foot Amputation, Sally's drink recipes, an illustrated guide to what your secretary's hair says about her (Example: 'I only have sexual fantasies about my husband and my pastor') and how to create the perfect bouffant.
There are also some gorgeous paper doll illustrations of Joan and her costumes.
I love this book.
December 28, 2010
As a "Mad Men" and 60s fan I loved this book!!! The drawlings of the characters were fantastic and Dyna's hints to the show were hilarious!!! It also has really great info on the 1960s and learning things about that decade and the real people referenced to in the show. Plus, the stories from Rich Sommer (Harry) and Bryan Batt (Sal) are great!!! This is a great book for any "Mad Men" fan!!!
August 12, 2011
What a fun book. Some of these things I remember hearing about in my childhood (I was a generation too late). None of the sex was ever brought out - very Victorian upbringing. I never made drinks but I did used to go get my parents' cigarettes. It was only $2 - I would not have payed the original $15.
February 2, 2013
Dyna Moe is an illustrator and a comedienne. She makes video shorts of minor renown. In 2008, she became internet famous for drawing a scene every week of Mad Men's second season. She illustrated the very popular avatar maker Mad Men Yourself for AMC in a similar style. You probably already knew that. She lives in New York City. This is her first book.
April 20, 2013
Because I have found myself addicted to the series I am reading about any material that comes out on it. This offer had me scratching my head a bit. The author Dyna Moe who is a comedian and illustrator offers attempts at humor on various topics that the episodes presented. I chuckled at a few, few and far between. Illustrations were pretty good though.
January 1, 2011
Wonderfully illustrated and hilariously written, complete with how-to tips for faking a knowledge of midcentury literature. Where was this when I needed to sound impressively well-read? A necessary read for any dry-witted fan of Mad Men.
January 18, 2014
This is my new favorite thing ever. I love the art style and the text is clever and funny. It's slyly referential to Mad Men, but if you'd never seen it before, you'd still enjoy its tongue-in-cheek look at the 60s.
October 23, 2010
This is my new favorite thing ever. I love the art style and the text is clever and funny. It's slyly referential to Mad Men, but if you'd never seen it before, you'd still enjoy its tongue-in-cheek look at the 60s.
September 6, 2016
A fun book with really cool illustrations. Offers little bits and pieces of lifestyle of the 60s, including cocktail recipes and instructions on how to fix those really huge hairdos. Nice coffee table book for every fan on the "Mad Men" universe.
August 13, 2012
I enjoyed this but I think it's going to have a limited market, as you've really got to love the Mad Men tv series to get anything out of this. It's like an illustrated Mad Men magazine, with a few very short articles, recipies, cocktail recipes, pictures, even paper doll Joans.
January 27, 2015
A funny summary of the people, events, background and culture of the Mad Men world. I thought there would be a little more history - but it was still a good sum up of the show in a humorous, cartoon style.
October 21, 2010
Insanely awesome for fan(atics) of the show!
November 7, 2010
I have Modcloth.com to thank for this. Thank you Modcloth. On a completely unrelated note, go check out modcloth.com its sooooooo effhing FANTASTIC!
January 22, 2011
It was ok. It had a few interesting recipes from the 1960's.
January 6, 2011
Got this as a Christmas present from my brother-in-law. Rather snarky and not too much new information, although the Joan paper dolls at the back of the book are awesome.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews