You Might Be From Minnesota If…

You Might Be From Minnesota If… is a delightful, illustrated romp through the State of Minnesota. From one of the most celebrated cartoonists in the US, Kirk Anderson delivers his unique take on America’s most unique state, tickling the funny bone on every page. As Anderson proves, Minnesota is proud of who it is and likes nothing better than a good laugh.

Five questions with our authors

1. What inspired you to become a political cartoonist in the first place?

I love politics. I love art. I love humour. Put them in a blender and you get political cartoons. Art communicates politics more quickly than words, and humour lets people’s guard down. Political cartoons are a secret shortcut into our brains.

2. Who or what is your greatest inspiration as a cartoonist?

Legions of cartoonists, artists, social commentators and activists, like George Orwell, Norman Rockwell, Dr. Seuss, Mad Magazine, Arthur Miller, Dalton Trumbo, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, The Santa Cruz Comic News, Clay Bennett, Tony Auth, and many other metaphoresters.*

*”Metaphorester”, as far as I know, is a wonderful term invented by Matt Wuerker (cartoonist for Politico).

3. You Might Be From Minnesota If ... is your first book. How does that feel? How different was doing a book from drawing for newspapers or magazines?

It feels like sculpting a marble statue as opposed to whittling figurines.

4. Was it a difficult process to choose which cartoons to include in the book?

I asked friends to test-drive the cartoons and let me know which were roadworthy and which were not.

5. What is the one thing you would like for people to take away from this book?

There is more to Minnesota than mild-mannered Scandinavians riding snow blowers to a church lutefisk dinner. Minnesota is home to twice as many Germans as Norwegians, rural Worthington (pop. 13,000) is home to more Latinx than whites, and there are more Ethiopian delis in the state than fast-food lutefisk drive-thrus. We are large, we contain multitudes.

Kirk Anderson’s award-winning cartoons have been seen regularly in the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. His cartoons have been reprinted in The New York Times, The Onion, Washington Post, Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and Forbes.com. Kirk has also illustrated magazine and book covers, and contributed animation to documentary films. His work has been chosen for exhibitions from the Warhol Museum to the Middle East.

WACKY

Lucky me! I get to write a blurb for a book by one of my favourite cartoonists ever, Kirk Anderson! Minnesotans have been enjoying Kirk's clever satire and lively art for decades, and now he's sharing his unique insights into everything that makes this place special ... the good, the bad, and the just plain wacky. You betcha you might be from Minnesota if you have this hilarious book on your living room coffee table!

Steve Sack Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, Minnesota Star Tribune

HILARIOUS

Minnesota and its people are far more diverse and fascinating than Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon may have led you to believe. And there are few who present that in funnier fashion than Kirk Anderson. Anderson captures the culture in all of its contradictions, comforts and absurdities, hilariously portraying what makes life in Minnesota so unique... and uniquely rewarding.

Rob Hubbard arts critic, St. Paul Pioneer Press

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