The passport

Saul Steinberg (1914 - 1999) was a Romanian and American cartoonist and illustrator, best known for his work for The New Yorker. Steinberg was born in Râmnicu Sărat, Buzău County, Romania to a family of Jewish descent. He described himself as "a writer who draws". This new edition of THE PASSPORT is reason for all Steinberg fans to celebrate. When this remarkable book was first published 25 years ago, it was completely misunderstood. As John Hollander says in his introduction to the revised edition, "THE PASSPORT masqueraded as a cartoon book, and hardly a reviewer at the time understood the nature of the masquerade, or how this book was an artistic act and at the same time a witty and profound commentary on artistic action". This classic collection of over 350 illustrations can be seen as an autobiographical account of Steinberg's life in America, which began with his immigration to this country in 1942. THE PASSPORT contains Steinberg's now-famous visual parodies of legal documents filled with 'trompe l'oeil' pictures and flash signatures, and his travel impressions of Western Europe, the Middle East, the Middle West, Palm Beach, Istanbul, Manáos and Hollywood. The revised edition contains additional material dating from the period 1948-to 1954, and never before published.