An addition to being a remarkably gifted cartoonist, Herb Block also became an accomplished writer, particularly on the subjects of his work and times. During his lengthy career, he published twelve collections of his cartoons. Many included extended written commentary, a feature that distinguishes his books from those of most cartoonists. A Library of Congress staff member’s request for a booklet of cartoons about communism led to the first published collection of his cartoons, a pamphlet entitled Herblock Looks at Communism (1950). Publication of The Herblock Book: Text and Cartoons followed in 1952, succeeded by ten additional titles over the decades—each containing a distinctive group of cartoons and text conveying Block’s insights about a defined period of the twentieth century. His writing culminated in Herblock: A Cartoonist’s Life (1993, 1998), the autobiographical account of his career and philosophy.