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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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www.ellenforney.com

MARBLES

Ellen Forney

Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me

Artists are supposed to be crazy, right? But what happens when it’s not a romantic notion anymore, but a true mental disorder?
Acclaimed illustrator and graphic artist Ellen Forney gets to the heart of the matter in her graphic memoir, MARBLES. When she was diagnosed with bipolar at the age of 29, it felt like a badge of honor to Ellen, but just a few months later her mood plummeted, and she wondered, would medication flatten her creativity, or would she implode without it?

In Marbles, Ellen chronicles her own wild manias and deep depressions, while weaving stories of famous bipolar artists and writers throughout, to explore the relationship between "craziness" and creativity. Taking readers through some of the clinical aspects of the disorder, Ellen introduces a whirling world of brilliant creativity darkened by horrific downswings. Her illustrations lend themselves perfectly to this mad-cap and deeply personal memoir that will appeal to a mainstream audience. Ellen Forney has collaborated with Sherman Alexie on the bestselling and National Book Award-winning novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, in which her illustrations are widely praised.
Available products
Book

Published 2012-11-01 by Gotham Books

Book

Published 2012-11-01 by Gotham Books

Comments

What's the difference between crazy-brilliant and crazy-crazy? Eisner-nominated cartoonist Ellen Forney considers the answer in this bracingly honest memoir, which explores the links between creativity and mental instability. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder before her 30th birthday, Forney chronicles her experiments with therapy, pills, and mood monitoring (''How could I keep track of my mind, with my own mind?'' she sighs) while researching other so-called ''crazy artists.'' (Vincent van Gogh and Michelangelo were bipolar too.) All of that might sound bleak, but the book is surprisingly fun to read, bursting with manic adventures (illicit hookups! costume parties! spontaneous tattoos!), cautionary tales (one emotional crash leaves her in a forest, hugging a tree), and wild drawings that perfectly illustrate her mood swings. By the time she finds the right treatment, Marbles isn't just a great story; it's proof that artists don't have to be tortured to be brilliant. Read more...

LA CUPULA (SPANISH), EDIZIONI BD/ALPHA TEST (ITALIAN), EDITORA WMF MARTINS FONTES LTDA (PORTUGUESE), GUY DELCOURT PRODUCTIONS (FRENCH), CONSTABLE & ROBINSON LTD (ENGLISH), EGMONT GRAPHIC NOVELS (GERMAN)