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rev. 1.17.08

Although I never met Kurt Kuersteiner to this date, he is one of the people who I interviewed at a long distance in my book. In the process of interviewing him I bought his wonderful book. I enjoyed every moment reading it. It is extremely well done! - "Razorback" from Squidoo.

Kurt Kuersteiner did an excellent job of putting this book together and he does a great job of analyzing Jack Chick, even though he doesn't go into depth about whether or not Jack Chick is right or wrong in his theological wars, (as I have done in my own work of Chick). Kuersteiner aimed to look specifically at the artwork and the story telling that have come out of Chick's publications in order to discuss Jack Chick more as a cultural phenomenon, which Kuersteiner did with great success. Kurt also adds his own humor and sarcasm throughout the work which in most cases I found to be spot on.

A quick aesthetic note: The artwork in Kuersteiner's book is also quite professional. Kurt was able to reproduce Chick Publications and keep their original feeling, while at the same time meld it together with his own written text. I thought the layout was quite good as well. It was a top notch job.

I originally bought this book and interviewed Kurt when I was writing my own book refuting some of Jack Chick's wilder claims and slanders which he produced based on the false testimony the the religious fraudster Alberto Rivera. (My book is called Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness: The Truth about the Vatican and the Birth of Islam). Kurt Kuersteiner is one hell of a knowledgeable source of information about Jack Chick and his book is definitely the ultimate in depth resource spanning the entire career of Jack Chick and his Chick Publications. Keep it up Kurt! Haw! Haw! Haw!

-Gary Dale Cearly, Author

Hey Kurt. I was just catching up with a friend who I had lent your excellent book, and he had a very astute comment on about the book. He said "the tone was just right." I agree. I was especially impressed at how you maneuvered through the Conspiracies chapter. It was very readable and easy to follow, despite the wildness of the charges and counter-charges involved, and that ever allusive quality known as "truth" that may or may not have any bearing on this topic. I had always avoided the Crusader Comics because of this confusion, now I'm devouring them.

Anyway, I really have enjoyed your book. Best, Tim

June Review (excerpt) from Editor's Notebook by Lee Ingalls:

"Kuersteiner's book is admirable for its dispassionate, at times ironic, but never dismissive treatment of the pointedly divisive work of a very un-P.C. artist. We get a brief biography of Jack T. Chick, who turns out to be not surprisingly a bit of a recluse and mediaphobe. There's a section on Chick imitators and parodies, another section with feedback from fans and critics and even a guide to creating your own tracts. The bulk of the book is taken up with illustrated reviews of tracts and comics (by Kuersteiner and other contributors) along with their estimated values. The book closes with "A Visit to Chick Publications," an account of the author's trip to meet Jack T. Chick himself. Not surprisingly, the highlight for collector Kuersteiner turns out to be the warehouse. ('It was the Fort Knox of Chick tracks!') ...Bless my soul."

i loved it very entertaining. i learned more about chick tracts than ever and chick himself. didn't realize you were the author till i got my copy great job. very very well put together and very informative. -KDannel

Your book is amazing, I can tell that it is a real labor of love. And thanks for including the picture I sent you of the cracked window at "ground zero". -Paul Hernandez

Great job on the Unofficial Guide to the Art to Jack Chick! Someone sent me the Reuters article and I immediately ordered one. I would have bought it directly from you if I had discovered you were offering it in time. I received my copy on Friday and I've been greatly enjoying it since. I'm impressed with the quality of the writing as well as the vast amount of content. It's definitely the best Schiffer book I've come across. - Kirk D.

I wanted to thank you for your book... I had no idea it would be of this magnitude. I was quite surprised (and delighted), and spent most of one evening last week reading it (much to my wife's annoyance). Clearly you put a great deal of effort into it.

Richard Lee introduced me to Chick Tracts more than 20 years ago, and I have always enjoyed them. Your book brought back a lot of memories. I will be sharing with friends and relatives soon who, I'm sure, will be purchasing their own copies. - Robert

Thank you so much for the copies of your Unofficial Guide to the Art of Jack T. Chick. They arrived in good condition yesterday. I spent the wee hours of last night browsing each page-I couldn't sleep. It is written and researched very well so I commend you highly for it-I loved every chapter of it! It was also fantastic to have my letter published in it (I actually had forgotten what I had written)!

There was much I didn't know about what goes on behind the scenes, as the controversy over Todd and Brown; and the identification of the third artist (whose excellent drawings you reproduced on pages 142­143; the unpublished tract That Cursed Thing sounds so tantalizing it's a pity Chick never published it). I also found excellent the chapter on making your own tracts (if only our photocopier machines were made to photocopy on Letter size paper). Some of the parodies like Robin's tract is a gem.

Thanks again, John (from Australia)

Thanks John. I also appreciate your Chick tract memory included in the book!

GREAT BOOK! I mean that. I'm usually a bit critical about informational literature... If it's not an eye catcher (like Chick tracts) I usually just use them for reference. I buy other books only for that reason... But your book I can't seem to get away from it.. Lots of intresting stuff... I really am enjoying your take on tracts and the price guide... I know it was tough to put numbers on these... Some I think you did not give enough credit to but I can only go by how tough they were for me to come by. I'm going on a missions trip to Guatemala tomorrow and am bringing a load of Spanish ONE WAY and your book for the plane ride! Thanks. -Mark

Hey Mark,

I'm glad you like the book, especially since you are so knowledgeable about them to begin with. [Mark has bought and sold hundereds of rare tracts.] Many of those prices are averages from your giant auction last summer and the auctions before it. I've seen several go cheaper since then, but that's why I averaged it. You sold THE THING for $100, but I averaged it down with the price before that, and weighted your price 2/3rds because it was the most recent. The only price I had to predict was THE POOR REVOLUTIONIST, because at that time, I had never seen one auction, but I had received many standing offers to buy it at the average price I listed in the book ($150). The most recent one on eBay sold for $170.28! (9/12/07)

I just got your book in the mail a few hours ago --man is it tasty. Absolutely stunning design work; big, fat and dense --everything I love in a book. And funny as hell too... I was reading Andie Kittabb's review of "Payback" and the line, "Not surprising, really, since one would expect Baal worshippers to cause gas in canines." made me laugh out loud --WHAT A HOOT!!!!

I was also totally impressed with the sheer amount of information packed herein. I know you mentioned that you had to cut, what?? 80 pages out? What would have been those chapters.

Overall, you did an absolute great job --well worth $30.

Thanks so much, Paul Shiple

Hey Paul,

I'm glad it arrived safely and you like it. I certainly appreciate your "Chick memory" which was partially included, but alas, it was part of the 80 pages I had to reduce! (They insisted on only 220 pages.) The other sacrifices were reviews of parody tracts, copy-cat tracts, and all the Chick radio appearances, plus cassette tapes with Chick. That included the great CLOSET WITCHES transcription. But I let those go because I had to cut something and those segments are available on our site.

They also made me cut a few of my jokes, because they were "too offensive." The lion's share survived, and for that, I'm thankful. I was also pleased they stuck with my layout design for the book. Maybe they were just too lazy to alter it, but I was afraid they would eliminate the full color splash pages and recurring Icon themes, or might short change the many graphics strewn throughout. They came through through, so I'll have to say I'm pleased too. I only wish I could blame the typos I've since found, but alas, those are MY fault, and not Mr. Schiffer's (or as the GREEN ANGELS would say, "Lew Schiffer.") Haw-haw!

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