Vicky (1) (1913–1966)

Very witty, small book produced for the 1950 UK General Election, where Clement Attlee faced off against Winston Churchill. A potent mix of clever poems by Katzin (a writer for the left-leaning New Statesman) and sharp illustrations by Weisz (at that time, the editorial cartoonist for the Liberal [large L] News Chronicle), making this a treat for fans of English history. A lot of the material does require a knowledge of the politics of the late 1940s and early 1950s, but even if you don't show more have that, it's very cleverly done. Some of Weisz's illustrations foreshadow his later work for the Evening Standard, such as his depictions of R.A. Butler. show less

A mixed blessing, this book. On the one hand, it is a celebration of the life and work of Victor Weisz, the Hungarian immigrant that was one of the most brilliant of David Low's successors to the mantle of "Greatest British Cartoonist." There is a lot of rare material to be found here, not available elsewhere. The sad part is that Weisz killed himself, and there were no more books and collections of his work while he was alive.