The Art of Tony Millionaire is both a beautiful coffee table book and a long narrative of the artist's life, from growing up in an artistic family to his establishment of himself in the profession. Musician Elvis Costello opens the book with an explanation of what it's like to make a career as an artist with an assumed name, and the various pressures that result, like in the case of Mark Twain or Lewis Carroll or even Elvis himself.

Millionaire's work has appeared in so many places (Saturday Night Live, Adult Swim, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Believer, anthologies, animated features, and of course Maakies and Sock Monkey) that he has a wealth of work to choose from. Millionaire likes to have fun both in his artwork and in his writing about it, so some of it's tongue-in-cheek but the overall effect of the entire work is a wonderful look back from a wildly inventive and creative artist.

Millionaire has always been a daring artist, which is evident here. Some of the work is rarely seen before, some of it popular. I love Millionaire's writing style as much as his art. He has a way with words that is fun and never intrusive; the text guides you through this collection nicely.

The Art of Tony Millionaire will probably appeal most to those who are already fans, but if you aren't familiar with his artwork, you'll find his work a breath of fresh air.