Jim Good & Bob Kann

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courtesy the authors

Jim Good, left, Bob Kann and the cover of 'The Gallery of Lost Gargoyles.'

Jim Good, left, Bob Kann and the cover of 'The Gallery of Lost Gargoyles.'

Did you know Madison used to have many buildings decorated with gargoyles? If not, it may be because it’s not true. But authors Jim Good and Bob Kann have used their active imaginations to make it so, at least in print, in the new book The Gallery of Lost Gargoyles: A Laugh Out-Loud, Too-Good-To-Be-True History of Madison’s Art, Architecture, and Nonsense Mixed in a Blender and Served Hot. Andy Moore disentangles fact and fiction here. The authors will discuss the book at this launch event.

media release: Authors Jim Good and Bob Kann invite you to an evening of laughter at the book launch celebration of The Gallery of Lost Gargoyles: A Laugh Out-Loud, Too-Good-To-Be-True History of Madison’s Art, Architecture, and Nonsense Mixed in a Blender and Served Hot.  

In the book, Good and Kann tell the untold story of twenty-one buildings in Madison and the history of gargoyles that once allegedly adorned their facades. Good has created extraordinary linocuts of gargoyles carved from blocks of linoleum and the authors jointly wrote the histories of the roles they played in those buildings.

The tales include:

1.The stunning performance by operatic diva Maria Callas outside of the Barrymore Theater in 1931 leading to the creation of the Maria Callas Gargoylarotti gargoyle.

2.The heroic rescue of a woman blinded in a fierce snowstorm in 1990 by the St. Bernard Church canine gargoyles and the efforts by the neighborhood to have the gargoyles removed because of their thunderous snoring.

3.The creation of the Gargoyle Olympics in celebration of track star Jesse Owen’s victories in the 1936 Olympics and his 1938 exhibition presented at Breese Stevens Field. The new sports competition included the Gargling Song Challenge (“Throat Singing) and the Scariest Snarls event (“Rage Ranting”).

4.The unforgettable career of Gaseous Gargoyle from 2018-21, the world’s only balloon gargoyle that expelled hot air from its mouth and acted as a nursemaid to peregrine falcon chicks from atop the smokestacks of the MG&E Power Plant.

5.The Frank Lloyd Wright look-alike gargoyle that once briefly peeked from under the “prow” of the First Unitarian Society Church.

And there’s plenty more: architectural commentary, word play, fascinating history, architectural commentary, and cameo appearances by Babe Ruth, Belle La Follette, and Louis Armstrong.

In a review in Isthmus, Andy Moore wrote “The Gallery of Lost Gargoyles is a real and imagined romp through Madison for the seriously unserious…. irresistibly disinformative from the start…. Their sense of humor and ability to lie to your face drives the fiction.” 

Mary Manering wrote for the Friends of the Lakeview Library, “Need a good laugh? Then put this event on your calendar! And tell all your friends and family. The Gallery of Lost Gargoyles is the creative product of Bob Kann and Jim Good.” The Friends of the Lakeview Library hosted these two in September for a rousing presentation of gargoyles (real or imagined?) on some of Madison’s iconic buildings. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the stories and artwork of what could have been if these two had been in charge of Madison’s architecture!”

Comments from readers include:

“The funniest thing I’ve read in years.” 

“OMG.  It is so awesome! You so captured Mr. Wrong {Frank Lloyd Wright} and the building challenges that I had to keep reminding myself that this was written tongue deeply in cheek.”

“Your book came and it’s brilliant.  It’s too delicious to take in one sitting so I haven’t finished it yet.  … How gargullible am I? Still laughing from so much mad cleverness.”

Learn more about the book at jimgoodgallery.com