Winners and Losers

Winners and Losers is interesting in that it reviews the perceptions assigned to certain types of people based on their abilities, appearances, or status at birth–pretty much things that individuals cannot control. Yet, these are the things which dictate a massive portion of our lives in a society that designates people “winners” or “losers.” I like that the book was to the point, written in short adages, and used hints of humor to handle a delicate topic. There were very minor editing mistakes, as well, which is a plus. – Amazon Review

Winners and Losers:
Heretical Cartoons about the American Religion of Winning
(The Slings and Arrows of Mundane Fortune)

“Winning is not the most important thing, it’s the only thing.” If Americans have a national creed, that’s it. We care only about the winners: the most successful, beautiful, brilliant, talented, or charming among us. They matter, their faults are tolerated, their kindness exaggerated, and their companionship sought. Losers live in a different world. This book of witty cartoons and aphorisms by Dr. Art Hartz, a former medical researcher fleshes out the two worlds,

All among us who’ve struggled to be a winner will have a laugh of recognition at the cartoon of a crawling, thirst-stricken man in a desert who bypasses a drink of water and even a beautiful woman to grab a trophy declaring him Number 1. And the cartoon of St. Peter greeting a hapless selection to the higher reaches of heaven with the commendation, “What you did better than everyone else was inspire feelings of superiority?”

Although the pure luck of our genes and economic circumstances of our parents largely decide who wins, we love to take credit for it as in a cartoon of a man winning at a dice game who blusters, “Damn, I’m good.” And many will relate to the “super hero” of losers who says after his travails that his super power is the ability “to transcend rejection.”

These funny, thought-provoking cartoons show just how deeply the culture of winning and losing determines our self-esteem and relationships with our co-workers, friends and family. Great gift for all those in your life who face daily the pressures to achieve the thrill of victory and cushion the agony of defeat.

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About the Author

After retiring from a career as a medical researcher, Arthur Hartz worked with a team of artists to produce a series of cartoon books, the Slings and Arrows of Mundane Fortune. Slings and arrows in the title of this series refers to the daily attacks most people face on their self-esteem and relationships. From a distance these attacks are interesting and often funny. Four books have been completed with cartoons and aphorisms grouped according to the sources of the slings and arrows:

1. Winners and Losers, Heretical Cartoons About the American Religion of Winning

2. The Autumn Years, Cartoons from the Front Lines of the Battle Against Aging

3. Love and Marriage, Cartoons About Imperfect People Managing Their Most Important Relationship

4. Friendship, How Hard Can That Be

The talented artistic team for the series of cartoon books includes Aleksandar Jovic from Serbia, Mike Wolfe from Salt Lake City, and Heroud Ramos from Peru. Hartz describes what he wants, the artists draw what they like, and then they work it out — amicably.

Dr. Hartz was born in Baltimore; raised in Farmington, New Mexico, and worked in medical schools in Milwaukee, Iowa City, and Salt Lake City. Currently he and his wife, Ellen, live in St. Louis. He enjoys his grandchildren and talking to people in Latin America who can tolerate his Spanish.