Description
A collection of illustrated short stories, each one about the relationship of humans and the animals, both wild and domestic, that share the urban environment of the inner city.
Genres
Collections
Publication
Crows Nest, NSW : Allen & Unwin, 2018.
Pages
209
User reviews
LibraryThing member AliceaP
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan reminds me why I'm always telling everyone that Shaun Tan is my favorite illustrator. His illustrations are beautiful and his prose is wonderfully written. Organized by different animals, the chapters explore various aspects of humanity with short essays (and
Tan shines a light on the darker aspects of humanity like cruelty, thoughtlessness, divisiveness, and greed because he wants to show that this isn't all that we are and we can strive for so much more. His work is considered sci-fi/fantasy because the scenarios themselves are 'unrealistic' like men turning into frogs or pigs that can survive even if you're hacking into them piece by piece over several weeks. But haven't you thought about what it would be like to walk away from all of your responsibilities and have someone else take care of you without any design or nefarious intention? What if you lived in a place where almost everything was industrialized and you were simply a cog in a giant machine slogging away in a factory hating your day to day? And what if the only bright point in your life happened at the end of your shift when you and your fellow employees climbed onto the back of the last surviving (ginormous) yak? That seemed pretty believable up until that very last line didn't it? That's because there's a touch of reality mixed in with the absurd making this one of the loveliest things I've read in quite a while. If you've never read Tan before pick up Tales from the Inner City and then pick up everything else he's ever written because you'll be hooked. 10/10
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in some cases poems) accompanied by full page color illustrations. I broke down a few of the stories to my mom who thought they were rather dark and bleak but I explained this is how Tan gets his meaning across. This book looks at life in the inner city through the eyes of animals as a way to explore humanity both its cruel, despairing underbelly and its hopeful, optimistic fur (this analogy got away from me). For example, one story features a secretary who walks into the boardroom of the company she works for only to find that all the members of the board have inexplicably turned into frogs. She goes panics (including going back to her desk to play a few hands of computer solitaire) and worries she will be blamed and possibly fired before deciding the best course is to take these frogs home and care for them as if they were her pets. It turns out that this suits both herself and the frogs equally well because they were tired of being burdened with the troubles of being human. And here we thought all frogs wanted to be turned into handsome princes!Tan shines a light on the darker aspects of humanity like cruelty, thoughtlessness, divisiveness, and greed because he wants to show that this isn't all that we are and we can strive for so much more. His work is considered sci-fi/fantasy because the scenarios themselves are 'unrealistic' like men turning into frogs or pigs that can survive even if you're hacking into them piece by piece over several weeks. But haven't you thought about what it would be like to walk away from all of your responsibilities and have someone else take care of you without any design or nefarious intention? What if you lived in a place where almost everything was industrialized and you were simply a cog in a giant machine slogging away in a factory hating your day to day? And what if the only bright point in your life happened at the end of your shift when you and your fellow employees climbed onto the back of the last surviving (ginormous) yak? That seemed pretty believable up until that very last line didn't it? That's because there's a touch of reality mixed in with the absurd making this one of the loveliest things I've read in quite a while. If you've never read Tan before pick up Tales from the Inner City and then pick up everything else he's ever written because you'll be hooked. 10/10
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LibraryThing member Herenya
This collection is about interactions between animals and people in a city landscape. Each story focuses on a different animal and is accompanied by gorgeous full-page illustrations. The stories are fantastical and poignant -- strange, surreal, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes melancholy and
My favourites were: “Moonfish”, about a family who climb up buildings to fish in the sky; “Dog”, about the relationships between dogs and people over time; and “Cat”, about a mother and daughter who notice missing cat posters after their own cat dies.
I really liked: “Crocodile”, about a building which, unbeknownst to many, has crocodiles living on one floor; “Frog”, about board members who turn into frogs; “Tiger”, about whether people are willing to look silly to avoid being preyed upon; and “Eagle”.
I almost loved “Bear”, in which bears turn up with lawyers to sue humans.
And there was something I liked about nearly all of these tales, even the ones which were a bit too bleak. I loved the illustrations (for example, “Sheep”), or I was intrigued by the ideas (“Lungfish”), or I thought the message was an important one to make so powerfully (“Rhino”). I also appreciated the variety of this collection.
Memorable and recommended.
How much do I love our family? This much. When any kind of emergency strikes, good or bad, we snap together like parts in a machine, like a submarine crew at war in the tin-can clutter of our home, none of the usual debate, character assassination, woeful monologues and turgid handwringing. I’ve learned to love crises for this reason, how they make us pull together and forget all our separateness and sadness; this was the second great gift of the moonfish.
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sometimes hopeful.My favourites were: “Moonfish”, about a family who climb up buildings to fish in the sky; “Dog”, about the relationships between dogs and people over time; and “Cat”, about a mother and daughter who notice missing cat posters after their own cat dies.
I really liked: “Crocodile”, about a building which, unbeknownst to many, has crocodiles living on one floor; “Frog”, about board members who turn into frogs; “Tiger”, about whether people are willing to look silly to avoid being preyed upon; and “Eagle”.
I almost loved “Bear”, in which bears turn up with lawyers to sue humans.
And there was something I liked about nearly all of these tales, even the ones which were a bit too bleak. I loved the illustrations (for example, “Sheep”), or I was intrigued by the ideas (“Lungfish”), or I thought the message was an important one to make so powerfully (“Rhino”). I also appreciated the variety of this collection.
Memorable and recommended.
How much do I love our family? This much. When any kind of emergency strikes, good or bad, we snap together like parts in a machine, like a submarine crew at war in the tin-can clutter of our home, none of the usual debate, character assassination, woeful monologues and turgid handwringing. I’ve learned to love crises for this reason, how they make us pull together and forget all our separateness and sadness; this was the second great gift of the moonfish.
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LibraryThing member WeeTurtle
Foremost, I would say Tales from the Inner City is as familiar as it is fantastical. Though the details in the narrative of each written piece might border on the absurd, the feelings shared by the characters and evoked from the art feel natural and relatable. The stories and art evoke an emotional
Tan’s artwork is as much a part of this work as the passages of poetry and prose. Each tale is followed by a painting that encapsulates the story, and, as I had to learn with The Arrival, I recommend any reader to take their time and take in each painting and appreciate what it conveys.
I was surprised how large the book was, being familiar only with Tan’s The Arrival. It is heavy enough for me to prefer to rest it in my lap while reading, holding it with both hands and the textured cover and thick pages attest to the production quality. Perhaps is it my nature, or perhaps in metaphor, the design of the book further recommends itself to ponderous thought. I will be keeping this book around a while.
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gamut: awe, joy, sadness, loss, hope, despondency, curiosity…, and each gives us a point from which to reflect on our nature and our character with ourselves and with others, in particular, the animals we live with. Perhaps one flaw -if one sees it as such- might be the sense of melancholy that follows throughout.Tan’s artwork is as much a part of this work as the passages of poetry and prose. Each tale is followed by a painting that encapsulates the story, and, as I had to learn with The Arrival, I recommend any reader to take their time and take in each painting and appreciate what it conveys.
I was surprised how large the book was, being familiar only with Tan’s The Arrival. It is heavy enough for me to prefer to rest it in my lap while reading, holding it with both hands and the textured cover and thick pages attest to the production quality. Perhaps is it my nature, or perhaps in metaphor, the design of the book further recommends itself to ponderous thought. I will be keeping this book around a while.
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LibraryThing member Bitter_Grace
Shaun Tan is a creator of unbridled inventiveness. A master artist and storyteller, his craft is at the pinnacle of one of my favourite genres: picture books for older readers. This one explores the relationship between humans and our environment using a series of surreal, exquisite short stories.
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Right from the table of contents, which comprises the silhouettes of animals that are also the titles of the stories, we see clearly how humans are just another beast. One that has developed an empty system of worth (just ask the bears), while compromising the existence of all our fellow creatures. Some of the tales are dark, though never bleak: there is always a feeling of hope, that it’s not quite too late. Other stories are funny, enlightening, strange, magical. All are moving—the story about the dogs made me cry. The paintings are dreamlike and mesmerizing, perfectly encapsulating the mood of each story. This book is destined to become a prize volume in anyone’s library. Show Less
LibraryThing member kpolhuis
I was gifted with the privilege of reading this book for Early Reviewers. It was a tremendous gift, and an extraordinary privilege. Tan shapes words to draw out (and draw!) images, feelings, a response... and then drops on you his own pictures! It is fantastic! It is surreal. It is Shaun Tan!
LibraryThing member Lindsay_W
Wow. This is an amazing book! Each story is a gem, a wonder-filled journey of the imagination capped off with an incredible illustration that so beautifully captures the sentiment of the story. Take time to savour each story and image. Remind yourself to find beauty in the moment. Think about how
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the world would be different if all animals were recognized as “legal entities in a cosmic hierarchy.” Come to terms with the fact that humans are not at the top of that hierarchy. Understand that when we go against the laws of nature, there is only one possible result. Remember that, like the second gift of the moonfish, stories can pull us together and help us forget our separateness. Show Less
LibraryThing member KatyBee
Another amazing book from Shaun Tan. The artwork is so wonderful.
LibraryThing member brakketh
Shaun Tan is one of my favourite illustrators with nuance and depth in his simplest seeming images. A peaceful and surreal read.
LibraryThing member streamsong
These are lovely magical stories and illustrations of animals interacting with people in cities, Shaun Tan is the master of the unexpected and a brilliant artist.
The cover is a boy holding a moon fish. One fishes for these extraordinary creatures by sitting on the top of a tall building in the
My very favorite was the story of the bears which lawyered up and sued humans for torture, property theft and imprisonment. When there was no defense for the charges, the humans ... well
Highly recommended, but I’m not sure what category I’d put it into – illustrated stories, I suppose. My library has this listed as another YA book, but so many of the stories spoke to my adult heart.
The cover is a boy holding a moon fish. One fishes for these extraordinary creatures by sitting on the top of a tall building in the
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moonlight, holding fishing lines attached to balloons. Unfortunately, moon fish are not meant to live in our world.My very favorite was the story of the bears which lawyered up and sued humans for torture, property theft and imprisonment. When there was no defense for the charges, the humans ... well
Highly recommended, but I’m not sure what category I’d put it into – illustrated stories, I suppose. My library has this listed as another YA book, but so many of the stories spoke to my adult heart.
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LibraryThing member KimberleyR.
I enjoyed the illustrations more than the stories, many of which were a struggle to figure out what they were about. However I really appreciated the exploration of our relationship with animals for food, entertainment etc.
LibraryThing member fionaanne
A surreal collection of stories about the animals that inhabit our urban landscapes in impossible ways. From a boardroom full of frogs who used to be executives to giant slugs copulating in the night to giant yaks acting as warm, hairy buses carrying us home, each tale is illustrated with lush
I won a free copy of this book via LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
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paintings that give the sensation that although you haven't noticed our beastly friends, they've always been there, evolving by our sides. My personal favourite are the bears who sue us. Recommended.I won a free copy of this book via LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
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LibraryThing member adzebill
Glorious surreal paintings and short fictions to accompany them. I loved how the best way to protect yourself against urban tigers is to wear a mask on the back of your head, but this looks too ridiculous for all but an outcast few to embrace.
LibraryThing member caedocyon
Not at all subtle, will club you over the head with the moral of the story. Really nice illustrations, though.
Awards
Aurealis Award (Shortlist — 2018)
Ditmar Award (Shortlist — 2019)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration (Nominee — 2020)
The Indie Book Award (Longlist — 2019)
Original publication date
2018-10-30