Bad Island
- Downloads：6127
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-05-08 10:51:42
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Stanley Donwood
- ISBN：0241983908
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
'Bad Island is an extraordinary， unsettling document: a silent species-history in eighty frames， a mute future archive。 I can imagine it discovered in the remnants of a civilisation; a set of runes found amid the ruins。 Stark in its lines and dark in its vision， Bad Island reads you more than you read it' Robert Macfarlane
'I've read lots of Stanley's stuff and it's always good and I am in no way biased' Thom Yorke， lead singer of Radiohead
From cult graphic designer and long-time Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood comes a starkly beautiful graphic novel about the end of the world。
A wild seascape， a distant island， a full moon。 Gradually the island grows nearer until we land on a primeval wilderness， rich in vegetation and huge， strange beasts。 Time passes and things do not go well for the island。 Civilization rises as towers of stone and metal and smoke， choking the undergrowth and the creatures who once moved through it。 This is not a happy story and it will not have a happy ending。
Working in his distinctive， monochromatic lino-cut style， Stanley Donwood carves out a mesmerizing， stark parable on environmentalism and the history of humankind。
'I've read lots of Stanley's stuff and it's always good and I am in no way biased' Thom Yorke， lead singer of Radiohead
From cult graphic designer and long-time Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood comes a starkly beautiful graphic novel about the end of the world。
A wild seascape， a distant island， a full moon。 Gradually the island grows nearer until we land on a primeval wilderness， rich in vegetation and huge， strange beasts。 Time passes and things do not go well for the island。 Civilization rises as towers of stone and metal and smoke， choking the undergrowth and the creatures who once moved through it。 This is not a happy story and it will not have a happy ending。
Working in his distinctive， monochromatic lino-cut style， Stanley Donwood carves out a mesmerizing， stark parable on environmentalism and the history of humankind。
Reviews
Hans
，
Rating - 3 stars （liked it） + 1 bonus star for the mesmerizing presentation of the waves of water。 The only other wordless linocut / woodcut graphic novels that I have read are by Lynd Ward。 This is a tricky genre because each image has to stand on it's own， progress the story， and activate known themes/ideas within the readers mind。 The reader has to be active in the process to create the story。 The story has to be cut to the core to convey the full story in a small set of images。I really loved Rating - 3 stars （liked it） + 1 bonus star for the mesmerizing presentation of the waves of water。 The only other wordless linocut / woodcut graphic novels that I have read are by Lynd Ward。 This is a tricky genre because each image has to stand on it's own， progress the story， and activate known themes/ideas within the readers mind。 The reader has to be active in the process to create the story。 The story has to be cut to the core to convey the full story in a small set of images。I really loved the start of this book， though my connection with the story was dimmed / broken through some of the scenes。 （view spoiler）[I guess I wasn't imagining strange monsters on the island during the slow approach。 （hide spoiler）]I want to also direct readers to Richard McGuire's wordless graphic novel Here which presents the history of one location over the course of many years--such a beautiful work。 。。。more
Sonic
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Good book。
Kirk
，
Wordless graphic novels are tricky and the only ones I can remember my really liking are a couple by Christophe Chabouté。 Maybe I need to see more people and expressions to latch onto a story。 Donwood's linocuts， though they would make decent stand-alone prints， did not make much of an impact on me。 It's a story about the rise and fall of civilizations and the cyclical nature of history。 But I read through it in a couple of minutes。。。Fans of Radiohead， specifically Thom Yorke's The Eraser album Wordless graphic novels are tricky and the only ones I can remember my really liking are a couple by Christophe Chabouté。 Maybe I need to see more people and expressions to latch onto a story。 Donwood's linocuts， though they would make decent stand-alone prints， did not make much of an impact on me。 It's a story about the rise and fall of civilizations and the cyclical nature of history。 But I read through it in a couple of minutes。。。Fans of Radiohead， specifically Thom Yorke's The Eraser album （Google image search） will already be familiar with Donwood's artwork。 。。。more
Jamie
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I love Stanley Donwood and Radiohead， but this work is a little too "we live in a society" for me。 It tells a worthwhile environmental message， but in a very on-the-nose， Banksy way。 Sometimes it would be nice to see this theme expressed in a less nihilistic and depressing way; it's possible to get an important message across with a productive or， God forbid， hopeful attitude。 The state of the environment and humanity can indeed be very discouraging， but I personally find inspiration a much more I love Stanley Donwood and Radiohead， but this work is a little too "we live in a society" for me。 It tells a worthwhile environmental message， but in a very on-the-nose， Banksy way。 Sometimes it would be nice to see this theme expressed in a less nihilistic and depressing way; it's possible to get an important message across with a productive or， God forbid， hopeful attitude。 The state of the environment and humanity can indeed be very discouraging， but I personally find inspiration a much more powerful tool for inciting change。 。。。more
Courtney Byrne
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Beautiful and poetic， without any need for words。 All about destruction and rebirth。
Alan Fricker
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A slight thing but if you like Stanley donwood then you will like this。 And I do。
Bob
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How to depict the history of Planet Earth — without words — in 90 pages or less。Check it out and see how close author/artist Stanley Donwood comes — and if you agree。Does this graphic novel tell the story accurately？What if Donwood is right？
angelofmine1974
，
My review of this book can be found on my Youtube Vlog at:https://youtu。be/wj0xs8W7hHsEnjoy！ My review of this book can be found on my Youtube Vlog at:https://youtu。be/wj0xs8W7hHsEnjoy！ 。。。more
Anita Maria
，
It takes a special skill to create an entire book without using any words， Stanley Donwood has managed to do just that。 Forcing the reader to create their own narrative， Donwood's message is painfully clear， our planet has gravely suffered & we need to change our ways in order to save it。 IMO good is a perfect book for young reader and the young at heart。 I hesitated adding this to my challenge， but it too is in fact a BOOK！ My first book I've read as an adult in one take☺ It takes a special skill to create an entire book without using any words， Stanley Donwood has managed to do just that。 Forcing the reader to create their own narrative， Donwood's message is painfully clear， our planet has gravely suffered & we need to change our ways in order to save it。 IMO good is a perfect book for young reader and the young at heart。 I hesitated adding this to my challenge， but it too is in fact a BOOK！ My first book I've read as an adult in one take☺ 。。。more
Dave Schaafsma
，
A short wordless post-apocalyptic lino-cut graphic novel by Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood that is simple and spare， and while not surprising， still packs some lyrical power。 We begin with the creation of a pristine natural world that is eventually ruined by man and （un）-"civil"-ization， only to return to itself， eventually， human being-less。 So it can be read backwards or forwards， really。Reminded me of the also post-apocalyptic wordless novel Flood， by Eric Drooker， which can also be r A short wordless post-apocalyptic lino-cut graphic novel by Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood that is simple and spare， and while not surprising， still packs some lyrical power。 We begin with the creation of a pristine natural world that is eventually ruined by man and （un）-"civil"-ization， only to return to itself， eventually， human being-less。 So it can be read backwards or forwards， really。Reminded me of the also post-apocalyptic wordless novel Flood， by Eric Drooker， which can also be read backwards or forwards， also maybe more powerful for it's wordlessness。 Both can be read in one sitting。 。。。more
Mike
，
Well。。。 that was depressing。 Wonderful artwork， but nothing terribly original。 If I had seen these exact same images all in a row in an art gallery， I think the impact would have been greater。 The desire would likely have been there to linger， the need to go back and forth in time and make comparisons， to ask deeper questions of myself and of the art as I moved forward。 In book form。。。 it didn’t really work for me。 With a book， my desire becomes to turn the page， to progress， to find out what’s Well。。。 that was depressing。 Wonderful artwork， but nothing terribly original。 If I had seen these exact same images all in a row in an art gallery， I think the impact would have been greater。 The desire would likely have been there to linger， the need to go back and forth in time and make comparisons， to ask deeper questions of myself and of the art as I moved forward。 In book form。。。 it didn’t really work for me。 With a book， my desire becomes to turn the page， to progress， to find out what’s next。 The internal drive with the same art is altered simply by binding the images together and putting it in my hands。 It’s really a shame， because I think there could have been more power to this had the publisher come up with a more unique format。 I’m reminded of Shaun Tan’s The Arrival， but too “on the nose” to be as thought provoking。 。。。more
Katra
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Visually stunning。
Sean Kottke
，
People bad
Corrina Buchan
，
Wow my first adult picture book！ This took me under 5 minutes to read and I enjoyed it for what it was， 80 lino-cut pictures depicting a fate of humanity from prehistoric into an apocalyptic future。 I’m probably too ignorant to appreciate the art completely， all I can say is it was fun reading into the pictures and the story they tell， although the story in question I feel I’ve seen done many times before so it didn’t tax the old imagination too much。 Wouldn’t buy it for myself but it was a gift Wow my first adult picture book！ This took me under 5 minutes to read and I enjoyed it for what it was， 80 lino-cut pictures depicting a fate of humanity from prehistoric into an apocalyptic future。 I’m probably too ignorant to appreciate the art completely， all I can say is it was fun reading into the pictures and the story they tell， although the story in question I feel I’ve seen done many times before so it didn’t tax the old imagination too much。 Wouldn’t buy it for myself but it was a gift。 Guess it would be good if you’re a Radiohead fan。 。。。more
Lara
，
So， I picked this up while pulling holds just because the cover looked cool。 It literally took me about 2 minutes to read it， since there are no words and the art is only on one side of each page。 And。。。Well。Not a new concept at all， and the art is fine， but it’s not intricate or surprising and doesn’t seem to contain any sort of hidden meanings or anything。 I finished it and basically just said， “K” and moved on。 I mean， I guess he’s juxtaposing the destruction of nature with the destruction of So， I picked this up while pulling holds just because the cover looked cool。 It literally took me about 2 minutes to read it， since there are no words and the art is only on one side of each page。 And。。。Well。Not a new concept at all， and the art is fine， but it’s not intricate or surprising and doesn’t seem to contain any sort of hidden meanings or anything。 I finished it and basically just said， “K” and moved on。 I mean， I guess he’s juxtaposing the destruction of nature with the destruction of mankind， but。。。we all get this already， right？？？I guess I’d recommend this if you have 2 minutes you need to fill up with something kind of mindless， but probably not otherwise。 。。。more
Emilia P
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a bit obvious， huh。 :p neat-ish。
Donna Ciriello
，
Not my preferred format， but still pretty good。 I bumped my rating to 4 stars for the creepy factor of the art work。
Joe Lilley
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Love the oppressive black n white vibes。 Stole a page for a tattoo
Megan
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Very intense for a book with no words and fairly simple graphics。 I absolutely loved it！
Becca
，
Maybe 2。5？ I’m not into post-apocalyptic parables， but these linocuts are hypnotic。
Sarah
，
The Robert MacFarlane blurb from the book， “I can imagine it discovered in the remnants of a civilization; a set of runes found amid the ruins。 Stark in its lines and dark in its vision， Bad Island reads you more than you read it。” I’m sorry， but what？ This graphic novel doesn’t tell us anything new， and it doesn’t show us anything we haven’t seen。 It is comically terrible and almost juvenile in its representation。 Every single sentence I’ve read about this graphic novel reminds us that the auth The Robert MacFarlane blurb from the book， “I can imagine it discovered in the remnants of a civilization; a set of runes found amid the ruins。 Stark in its lines and dark in its vision， Bad Island reads you more than you read it。” I’m sorry， but what？ This graphic novel doesn’t tell us anything new， and it doesn’t show us anything we haven’t seen。 It is comically terrible and almost juvenile in its representation。 Every single sentence I’ve read about this graphic novel reminds us that the author is the artist who has worked almost exclusively with Radiohead and I can only imagine this was enough argument for publication。 。。。more
Maggie Ignasiak
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Worth watching every line
David
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A super short and simple， dialogue free graphic novel about growth and destruction。 I wasn't wowed， but I wasn't underwhelmed。 The art is dark and moody which I enjoy。 A perfect quick "read" when you're trying to finish a last minute reading challenge >< A super short and simple， dialogue free graphic novel about growth and destruction。 I wasn't wowed， but I wasn't underwhelmed。 The art is dark and moody which I enjoy。 A perfect quick "read" when you're trying to finish a last minute reading challenge >< 。。。more
Casey （ish-i-ness）
，
I feel like the basic idea behind this book has been done many times in every possible medium， but the black and white simplicity of the linocut prints almost hypnotizes， allowing you to sink into the progression of time depicted， as if you are one of the strange shadow creatures that lurk between the bold lines。
Jo Oehrlein
，
One frame per 2 page spread and no words， you can flip through this story quickly。It's a story of scary animals and exploding volcanos and then starting over and different animals。 Eventually， we have bombers and nuclear power plants and have a different level of destruction。 One frame per 2 page spread and no words， you can flip through this story quickly。It's a story of scary animals and exploding volcanos and then starting over and different animals。 Eventually， we have bombers and nuclear power plants and have a different level of destruction。 。。。more
Melody
，
Quite good
Daenerys
，
A history of an earth-like island from unspoilt to ravaged by humans through industrialisation and war。 The story is told with no words through 80 or so lino-cut style illustrations。 It starts with the island viewed from the sea as if through a looking-glass， then changes into a series of scenes illustrating the wildlife - dinosaurs， unicorns and other strange beasts。 In the background， among the trees， pairs of eyes can be seen watching the unfolding scenes （spoiler alert: they're us）， adding t A history of an earth-like island from unspoilt to ravaged by humans through industrialisation and war。 The story is told with no words through 80 or so lino-cut style illustrations。 It starts with the island viewed from the sea as if through a looking-glass， then changes into a series of scenes illustrating the wildlife - dinosaurs， unicorns and other strange beasts。 In the background， among the trees， pairs of eyes can be seen watching the unfolding scenes （spoiler alert: they're us）， adding to the slightly eerie feeling of the images and the lack of text。 When the owners of the eyes come a little closer they are still black， shadowy figures， but they kickstart the decline of the island - spears and an abandoned axe next to a pile of felled logs being the first sign of civilisation。 You can imagine what happens after that。 There is very little room for hope here， and the environmentalist message is so obvious I feel a bit silly mentioning it， but the illustrations are beautiful and eerie。 。。。more
R。
，
>:p
Rod Brown
，
With every other page being blank， it only takes about five minutes to "read" this wordless graphic novel that's illustrated in a woodblock style that reminded me of Peter Kuper。 And even at five minutes， it's pretty much a waste of time。 It's not even an original idea， as the artist simply shows the rapid passage of time on a particular geographic location。I like to take notes when I read a book for tagging purposes。 Here's the complete set: islands， dinosaurs， volcanoes， forest fires， wildfire With every other page being blank， it only takes about five minutes to "read" this wordless graphic novel that's illustrated in a woodblock style that reminded me of Peter Kuper。 And even at five minutes， it's pretty much a waste of time。 It's not even an original idea， as the artist simply shows the rapid passage of time on a particular geographic location。I like to take notes when I read a book for tagging purposes。 Here's the complete set: islands， dinosaurs， volcanoes， forest fires， wildfires， unicorns， industrialism， war， nuclear warfare。 （Yep， that was "unicorns" in the middle there。） I'm pretty sure there's some rule somewhere that any improv or fiction that ends with nuclear armageddon is just making use of a really bad cop-out。Oh， and congratulations on the worst cover blurb of the year go to Robert MacFarlane， best-selling author of Underland: "Stark in its lines and dark in its vision， Bad Island reads you more than you read it。" 。。。more
mckenna ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ
，
kinda cool ig
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Bad Island
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Bad Island&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Bad Island&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0