BOOK REVIEW: ‘Life is With People’ by Atticus Lish

Image from The NErvous Breakdown
Life is With People by Atticus Lish Cover
Image from Goodreads

Now, when some think of Lish, they think of his phenomenal breakout debut, Preparation For The Next Life, which I easily call one of the best novels I’ve ever read. Before that, though, hidden under the radar as a small print run, was Life is With People, also released by Tyrant Books.

With Life Is With People, we see a different side of Lish. Preparation… was politically correct, and in this collection of drawings, we see a world that isn’t – a world that equally reflects our own.

It’s hard to describe these drawings in detail, as some of them seem to resemble something sketched in the notebook of somebody who is half-insane half-genius. There’s something simply beautiful about these drawings, all on lined paper and looking as if they have been carved in with a pen. Lish fantastically manages to portray ugliness in humans, both physically and spiritually, and it’s a theme that he doesn’t shy away from in this collection. It’s a testament to Lish’s understanding of the human brain, that he can be both satirical and ernest on how people react.

One of the most astonishing things about this collection is the way that within three different drawings, Lish can make you laugh, feel sad and be uncomfortable. Often it’s a combination of these emotions that register, as the culture and people that Lish portray are ones that we are familiar with, but instead pretend doesn’t exist. The text accompanying it is often sharp, and when it doesn’t register it’s not an issue, because there are plenty of other drawings in this book that will connect with you.

After putting this book down, you will have to fight a compulsion to pick it up again, until you cave in. Though know that it is one that you should keep away from children and prudes, as often the drawings are uncensored in their nudity and their violence – which it is all the better for.

Know that by purchasing it you are picking up a quick read, Life is With People can be read in one sitting, but it is something you’re going to want to return to. It’s the combination of high brow art and the doodles that you pass to your friends in school.

This is the recently re-released 2nd edition, with a ton of extra drawings. There’s no better time than now.

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