The Autobiography of a Snake: Drawings by Andy Warhol

While Andy Warhol may not be described as charming, this quaint book recording his earlier illustrations for the fashion reptile leather company of Fleming-Joffe, Ltd. certainly deserves that appellation. Pastel colors trace the journey of the so-called Noa the Boa who has the “creative soul of an artist and an actor.” This sinuous scaly snake smilingly slithers its way up into society. Starting with the bejeweled Cleopatra, the reptile clings to Jacqueline Kennedy, bonds with the Rockefellers, embraces Liz Taylor, hugs Princess Grace, and visits other elite socialites. It reflects the underlying aspirations of the penholder himself. Spritely rhyming calligraphic script face the delightfully whimsical drawings of the socially climbing snake. Each and every artwork shown in this book will provoke delight and pleasure for the viewer, and one just waltzes through the pages. This is a story that will delight all ages and take the reader back in time to the 60s, when Warhol had not yet become an icon but was clinging to the leading ladies highlighted in the news. The illustrations and even the text would make a captivating children’s book.