Lance ‘Limerature 101’ Hansen on a podcast
Lance Hansen, author of Humorist Book’s Limerature 101, is on the latest edition of the “Blockhead: Cartoonists Talk Comics” podcast. Check it out. Thank you kindly.
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An Evening With Lance Hansen and ‘Limerature 101’
Philadelphia’s Partners and Sons Art and Comics, one of the best and most iconic indie stores around, hosted an event for Humorist Books author Lance Hansen. Old fans and new fans — Fansens — showed up in big numbers for the illustrator and comic poet’s public presentation of Limerature 101. Lance signed books, read aloud from his bestselling collection of witty limericks about great works of literature — and mingled with the crowd. It was charming, the Philadelphia faithful were charming, and Partners and Sons is a great spot. If you ever need to hold an author event or a meet-and-greet in the greater Philadelphia area, we highly recommend it.
We also highly recommend you going back in time and meeting Lance while he signs your copy of Limerature 101. You can’t do that, but you can get buy it right here and right now, and check out these pictures that Humorist Books Marty Dundics captured that special night.
6 Important Writerly Questions with Lance Hansen
Lance Hansen, by Lance Hansen
I’m madly jealous of Lance Hansen, and I’m only exaggerating a little bit. I can do a lot of things fairy well, most of the them involving artistic pursuits and the creation and manipulation of words, but I’m always deeply impressed with people who can ad lib a quick, structured poem — particularly a pointed, humorous one — and anybody who can draw. Well, would you get a load of this guy? This Lance Hansen? He can do both of those things, and extremely well. Fortunately, for literally everyone, he’s decided to not keep those gifts to himself, and, after gracing Mad, The Nation, and American Bystander with his work, he’s published his first book with Humorist Books. That book is Limerature 101: Literary Classics in Five Lines or Less (With Pictures).
So, he’s taken the entirety of the history of literature, picked out a few dozen classics, and broken each one down into a hilarious, lightly critical summary-meets-review, and accompanied each one with an original illustrated portrait of the author. Check out a few spreads right here. Hansen recently took a break from his busy schedule of casual excellence to sit down and answer some questions about his life, his work, and everything (else).
1. Who are you? What are you doing here?
My name is Lance Hansen. I am a cartoonist and writer of light verse. I have a new book out called Limerature 101.
2. Since “Where do you get your ideas?” is a terrible question, what made you want to write this book?
I started writing these poems while I was at work. I guess was trying to keep my mind off of the state of the world, back in the beginning of the pandemic.
3. How did you keep writing this book?
Out of desperation.
4. Who is this book for, anyway?
Hmm. Bookworms? Lit majors? Librarians? Hopefully, a lot of people.
5. Any darlings you had to kill?
Well, not really. There was one version of one of the limericks that maybe could’ve been a bit offensive, that I kinda liked, but after discussing it with the publisher and the editor, we decided to use the one that’s in the book (which I liked also). I’m usually pretty open to editing suggestions and I try not to get too attached.
6. What are you working on now?
I’m working on a graphic novel. It’s a biography of German photomontage artist, social critic and satirist, John Heartfield. The book is a collaboration with the artist’s grandson, John M Heartfield. I’m also a staff artist at The American Bystander.
Limerature 101: Literary Classics in Five Lines or Less (With Pictures), by Lance Hansen. Go get it then.
Excerpts from Lance Hansen’s ‘Limerature 101’
Happy pub week to Lance Hansen. The illustrator, humorist, poet, and highly informed literary aficionado has combined all of those talents to create a wholly unique and extremely delightful title for Humorist Books: Limerature 101: Literary Classics in Five Lines or Less (With Pictures). Indeed, that’s exactly what we’re getting here. It’s a survey of the history of the western literary canon, with each author and their masterwork condensed into a single, teasing limerick and an accompanying portrait. It’s all very fun, funny, and maybe even a little educational? Check it out, here are a bunch of samples, straight from the text.
Limerature 101: Literary Classics in Five Lines or Less (With Pictures). Get it now from Humorist Books.