JennetteFulda

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February 15, 2012 37 Comments

The only thing better than a Chinese version of your book is an illustrated Chinese version of your book

Please don't eat the cover!

Whenever I receive a package I’m not expecting I assume it’s a bomb. Or anthrax. Or a pig’s heart. (You won’t think I’m so silly when I’m killed one day by an anthrax bomb hidden in a pig’s heart!) So when I opened the package that had been left under my welcome mat I was deliriously happy and surprised to discover that it was the Chinese version of my book, Chocolate & Vicodin. I started hollering, “Yes, yes, yes!” to myself so loudly that my downstairs neighbors must have thought I was getting some Valentine’s Day lovin’. Ever since the translation rights sold last year I’ve been curious to see what my book would look like printed in Chinese characters. How they would translate “Angerballz” in my acknowledgements section? I started to flip through the book to see, and that’s when I noticed it.

This book was illustrated!

Pill poppin' mama

The beginning of each chapter includes an image depicting the content of that chapter in hilarious, overly-literal fashion! The story of my life had been illustrated! I do believe this is THE MOST AWESOME THING EVER. The girl even sort of looks like me, if I were thinner, never changed my clothes, and had boobs. In chapter one above I’m chomping on pills that look like baguettes, one of which has blinded my left eye, while I’m either shaking my fist towards the sky or trying to knock myself out with an awkward right hook. This totally happened, I’m sure. I just don’t remember it because of all the pills I took.

Just take my blood, why dontcha'?

I love that the doctor in this one is wearing one of those weird shiny, metal circle thingies like no doctor I have ever met. I will give the illustrator realism points for the MRI films in the background, though I can’t tell if they captured my venous angioma in proper detail.

Chocolate and Vicodin

Hey, it’s chocolate and Vicodin! Just like the title! This should have been the cover, right?

Sympathy for your coworker

I want to send this to my old work friends and ask them which coworker they think they are in this illustration. I also love that the illustrator thought I brought an entire IV stand to work when I actually just had a lead inserted in my hand for treatment at home. I bet I would have gotten a lot more sympathy if I’d dragged the whole stand around! Good thinking!

I don't even know how to tie a noose knot

I know I am totally twisted, but this illustration had me laughing forever. I don’t even know how to tie a noose!

Treatment of allergic!

This image gives me great faith in the quality of the translation for the rest of the book.

I'm a porcupine!

The acupuncture picture is tied for first as my favorite. I don’t know which part I love more, that I’m a porcupine or that my money is flying away on wings. Does this mean the value of the yuan is rising?

I should send this to my old chiropractor

I should send this picture to my old chiropractor. I’m sure he’d love to have it framed for his office.

Road to the clinic

Evidently the road to my headache clinic wound through the mountains. And I drove there with with my head out the car window. On the wrong side of the car.

MRI

This image is the best actual depiction of what I went through. That look on my face? That was TOTALLY how I felt after a year of all these effing tests the told me nothing worthwhile.

Massage

It’s interesting that the massage therapist is depicted as being Chinese, whereas the acupuncturist was somewhat indistinct. It makes me wonder how they translated my thoughts on Eastern medicine, and what any Chinese readers will think of my views on Western and Eastern medicines. At least it looks like I’m having a good time!

Trippin!

Here is the other image that is tied as my favorite. I think I’ve found a new profile picture! I love the swirligig eyes!

Run, Jennette. Run!

I like how triumphant this picture is, but I’m probably running away because the clinic HAS AN ARM. Creepy!

So there you go! The story of my life in images. If the illustrator of this book ever stumbles upon this post, I want him or her to know that in all honesty I love, love, LOVE, these images. No sarcasm. I love it in the same way I love the opening of Katamari Damacy or the Mr. Sparkle commercial from The Simpsons. I love that there is some weird, alterna-world version of my book out there. I can tell that the illustrator really did read the book, or they at least received notes from someone who did. I’m particularly charmed that the girl looks sort of like me, so I’m guessing they had my author photo to work off of. If not, good guess you guys!

I had been having a rather crap day because my headache has been partying rather hard in anticipation of its four-year anniversary in two days, but as soon as I got this book I was instantly ecstatic. It made my day. My week. Hell, it made my month. It is truly one of the most awesome things I have ever received. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I’m not sure where in China this book will be available. I’d like to imagine it in bookstores or airports or little news stands. Maybe workers at Foxconn will read it in their barracks while they’re suffering from horrible headaches caused by those toxic chemicals they inhale so we can buy iPhones at affordable prices. I dunno.

I do know that I absolutely love this interpretation of my work. I love that you read it backwards, like a Japanese manga. I love that there’s a bizarre clip art image of an angry man on the cover trying to eat the title. I love that there is an ad for a book on how to pass the GMAT on the inner flap. I love it all.

Someone on Twitter suggested I have these images framed, and I am so down with that. I received six copies, so I can cut one up in the name of home decor. It looks like this might be the purchase page on the Chinese publisher’s web site if you’re dying to get a copy. I’m sure they’d be happy to watch your money fly toward them on wings.

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Leave a Comment (37) Read more about: book, chinese, chocolate & vicodin, drawings, headache, headaches, humor, illustration, medicine, pictures, publishing, translation

Jennette Fulda is the author of:

Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn't Go Away

"Smart, unflinchingly honest, and laugh-out-loud funny."

- Lisa Genova, New York Times best-selling author of Still Alice

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Comments

  1. Jen says

    February 15, 2012 at 8:48 am

    This is so much fun! Congratulations!

    Reply
  2. nacho says

    February 15, 2012 at 9:18 am

    this is the most awesome thing ever. congrats!

    Reply
  3. Mindy says

    February 15, 2012 at 9:53 am

    I totally understand why you love these! They are fantastic and framing them sounds like a super idea. Congratulations!

    Reply
  4. fd says

    February 15, 2012 at 10:17 am

    Congrats, this is totally awesome! I would be really happy too.

    It strikes me as weird that they put a man on the cover though.

    Reply
  5. Naomi says

    February 15, 2012 at 10:25 am

    Cute — but the picture of you going into the tube for the MRI makes you look pregnant. What’s up with THAT?

    Reply
  6. Mymsie says

    February 15, 2012 at 10:43 am

    LOVING these images!

    Reply
  7. shauna says

    February 15, 2012 at 10:51 am

    This is just beyond magnificent! So sad that we are deprived of armless buildings in the West!

    Reply
  8. Dup says

    February 15, 2012 at 11:26 am

    BEST ILLUSTRATIONS EVER! I too would be thrilled to see my life depicted this way. You are so lucky! When you get them framed and hung, be sure to take a picture so we can see how it came out. What fun!!

    Reply
  9. Missy says

    February 15, 2012 at 11:42 am

    Awesome! This makes me wish my copy were illustrated. Thanks for sharing them.

    Reply
  10. NRE says

    February 15, 2012 at 1:46 pm

    LOVE! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  11. Amy says

    February 15, 2012 at 5:39 pm

    Oh my god, tears!!! I am laughing so hard! They are AWESOME!

    You appear to be quite pregnant in the MRI (?) machine, too!

    I can’t believe you have had a headache for nearly 4 years. I can’t begin to imagine how awful it is for you 🙁

    Reply
  12. Natalie says

    February 15, 2012 at 6:41 pm

    Just wonderful. They should have got the same illustrater for the cover though – you look a bit odd as a balding man.

    Reply
  13. Miss E says

    February 16, 2012 at 2:29 am

    Wow, I think this is just so awesome!! Congratulations!! The illustrations are hilarious, love them.

    Reply
  14. Amy G says

    February 16, 2012 at 5:31 am

    I love the illustrations! That has to be the coolest thing I have ever seen.
    Having read your book, I agree that someone put alot of thought into the drawings.
    Congrats on being published in China.

    Reply
  15. Kim says

    February 16, 2012 at 8:53 am

    They are fantastic! That would have made my month too!

    Reply
  16. Katharine says

    February 16, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    Yay! What fun! And congrats!

    Reply
  17. Jenny says

    February 16, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    OMG, this is the bomb. Congrats!!!

    Reply
  18. Emmie says

    February 16, 2012 at 10:51 pm

    best.thing.ever.
    dying!

    Reply
  19. Chrissy says

    February 17, 2012 at 12:30 am

    I wonder if there are no chiropractors in China? Or in the area where the illustrator lives…[bc the illustrator’s idea of chiropractic care is quite humorous.

    I can see why you got a headache driving to the clinic. Haha

    But they drew you pregnant in the MRI picture…

    Very cool package to receive!! I can just see you all curled up with your book taking it all in. And then calling your Mom. 🙂

    Reply
  20. Lulu says

    February 17, 2012 at 4:02 am

    Hiya, I don’t think this book is meant for China, it uses Traditional Chinese characters instead of Simplified Chinese characters used by Communist China. Probably this translation will be sold in Taiwan, Chinatowns in other countries, etc. Can’t wait for your book to be published in China though! 🙂

    Reply
  21. Stephanie O'Dea says

    February 17, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    I love this! Congratulations! And I definitely say yes to the cutting one up to frame the graphics. so cool, congratulations!

    Reply
  22. Mom says

    February 17, 2012 at 2:43 pm

    Chrissy, that is what she did. I came home from work to hear her message on the answering machine with giggles interspersed throughout. I called her back and we had a great laugh together as she described the illustrations. The visuals are even funnier!!!

    Reply
  23. JenFul says

    February 17, 2012 at 3:59 pm

    @Lulu – Thanks for the clarification. I know absolutely nothing about Chinese so I can’t tell the difference.

    Reply
  24. Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says

    February 17, 2012 at 7:51 pm

    I’ve had this post in my inbox for awhile and kept forgetting to look at it, I’m so glad I did! This is so funny! So I presume you still get paid as people in China buy the book, right? How cool is that! Way better than Valentine lovin’. Sorry the headache is in a bad mood.

    Have you tried…yea, just kidding. I read the book. Though clearly I didn’t need to read the book, I could have just waited for the illustrated version!

    Reply
  25. Rebecca in SoCal says

    February 18, 2012 at 6:09 am

    Awesome. Really.

    The tests, though…(the look on your face when the tests told you nothing). I’m trying to decide whether I like my doctor’s thoroughness or dislike her “let’s try every test we can” when I went to her with a painless ankle swollen to the size of a softball. Thank the gods I have good insurance, because I had x-rays, physical therapy, ultrasound,and MRI, all to diagnose water retention. Am I happy to know it’s nothing serious, or irritated at the tests?

    Reply
  26. JenFul says

    February 18, 2012 at 8:11 am

    @Rebecca in SoCal – I think they partly do it to avoid getting sued for malpractice, but what I dislike more than any personal irritation is that all the unnecessary testing is part of the reason health care costs are rising. Of course, if you’re the person who gets diagnosed by an extra test, you probably don’t care 🙂

    @Everyone – BTW, the reason I look pregnant in on of the pictures is because the CT tech almost forgot to ask me if I was pregnant before exposing me to x-rays. I made a joke about it in the book. That’s one of the reasons I know the illustrator actually read the book, because it’s a rather small detail.

    Reply
  27. Elizabeth says

    February 18, 2012 at 10:37 am

    It really goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that I am sorry to hear that the headache is still there.

    However, these illustrations are fabulous. You should demand that the next English edition includes them. My personal favourite is the IV stand one.

    Reply
  28. Lyn says

    February 18, 2012 at 7:28 pm

    oh my gosh!! This is the funniest thing EVER!!! I want to write a book just so I can get illustrations like this. The noose! The porcupine quills! Hahaha! LOVE!

    Reply
  29. Sheryl says

    February 20, 2012 at 12:23 pm

    Now you really are an international celebrity! This is great, and a lot of fun to see.

    Reply
  30. Debby says

    February 20, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    This is the most awesome thing ever! I love these illustrations. Thanks for sharing them and giving us a peek!

    Reply
  31. courtney says

    February 23, 2012 at 7:49 pm

    OMG. Who would have though that to my pipe-dream list of supercool things to happen (ending up in a New Yorker cartoon; ending up as the answer to a crossword) I should add “have book translated/illustrated in Chinese”? Love it. You MUST frame.

    Reply
  32. Julia Jones says

    February 24, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    Those are definitely the BEST drawings ever for your book. I love the idea of having them framed and in your house. “Oh these? Did I mention to you that my second book was translated in Chinese?” So so cool!

    Reply
  33. Heather says

    February 24, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    This is too cool! Congrats on getting your book published in China and having illustrations of yourself! They’re so fun! 🙂

    Reply
  34. Susan says

    February 27, 2012 at 9:21 pm

    Amazing!

    Reply
  35. Irisrainbow says

    March 20, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    You have a loooong neck! Or the illustrator thinks you drive a micro car. . .love the pictures!

    Reply
  36. Andrea says

    April 23, 2012 at 9:01 pm

    OMG! Having just finished your book today I am peeing here. Love it. Awsine unafgert! Or awesome imagery – if my cat were not standing between me and my laptop keys. (As a cat person I hoped you would appreciate that and I did not go back and edit!)

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. JenFul » My four-year headache anniversary says:
    February 17, 2012 at 5:04 pm

    […] received a Chinese translation of a book your wrote about the horrible years to come that will be illustrated to hilarious affect,” I would have been like, “What?” I can only imagine what bizarre stories the me […]

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