McKenzie River Reflections ( 2/28/01)
Reviewer’s Choice

“A Parallel Universe” by Wolfgang Niesielski
Warning! This book is not for everyone. You will either love it or hate it, however, if you have an offbeat sense of humor and love cartoons, by all means read this book.
Author and cartoonist Wolfgang Niesielski calls it a situation of "John Malkovich meets Gary Larson" and warns the reader they will enter a world no one should visit without a proper sanity check. Imaginative, very much so and very European in thought waves. With a coffee table book like this in your house your friends will certainly wonder where you were mentally when you bought it. It's a lot of fun, it's a lot of nonsense, but if you like a taste of the weird once in a while, this book's for you.
Wolfgang writes and draws with a wacky, offbeat humor, no sweet and charming characters in his views from another world. His view of humans and animals is slightly crude, has raw appeal, and a certain ugly charm. Best of all you won't have to hide it from the kiddies, they won't even begin to understand it. Of course they may wonder what their parents see in it or even why they have it around the house.
Wolfgang lived in East Germany until he was thirteen. He says he discovered humor and how he could use it as a defense mechanism to cope with a bleak life-style.
If you like to delve into the unusual and explore alternate states of mind, you will enjoy this book.