To sleep not, perchance to view a slide show . . .

by Ken

Unable to sleep, New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff tells us in his most recent blogpost ("To Sleep, Perchance (Very Good Chance) to Wake"), he turned to Ian Parker's article "The Big Sleep" in the magazine, about efforts by our friends the drug-makers to produce a superior new nocturnal knockout concoction.

"I'm pretty sure I got a lot out of Parker's account," Bob tells us, "though unfortunately I can remember very little of it due to Ambien-induced amnesia."

I'll leave you to check out Bob's account of Ian's account (and for that matter Ian's account itself), and jump to the "non-pharmocological" prescription for non-sleepers offered by "Dr. Bob" ("licensed Cartoonologist"). It is -- as if you hadn't guessed -- an "insomnia-cartoon slide show."

"It won't help you sleep," Bob says, "but it will lighten any dark night of the soul."

I've plucked out some of my favorites, starting with the Eric Lewis gem above and proceeding now with one of Bob's own creations.

"No, I don't need an alarm clock --
anxiety is my alarm clock."

"I couldn't sleep."

"I can't sleep. I think I'll get up
and solve all my problems."

"It's only insomnia if there's nothing good on."

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