Ethel and Ernest were solid members of the English working class, part of the generation that lived through the most tumultuous years of the twentieth century. They met during the Depression—she working as a maid, he as a milkman—and we follow them as they court and marry, make a home, raise their son, and cope with the dark days of World War II. Briggs's portrayal of how his parents succeeded, or failed, in coming to terms with the events of their rapidly shifting world—the advent of radio, television, and telephones; the development of the atomic bomb; the moon landing; the social and political turmoil of the sixties—is irresistibly engaging, full of sympathy and affection, yet clear-eyed and unsentimental.

Briggs's illustrations are small masterpieces; coupled with the wonderfully candid dialogue, they evoke the exhilaration and sorrow, excitement and bewilderment, of experiencing such enormous changes. As much a social history as a personal account, Ethel & Ernest is a moving tribute to ordinary people living in an extraordinary time.

"The creator of The Snowman turns his magical paintbrushes on his own parents in this funny book, which is bound to bring a tear to your eye . . . You'll learn more about the changes of the last century than you will in most history books." --The Times (UK)

"A tender biography of Briggs's parents from their meeting in 1928 to their deaths in 1971. The simple cartoon drawings belie a deeply moving story of love, war, parenthood, and old age. Part social history, part tribute, part love story, this is probably Briggs's masterpiece." --The Mirror (UK)