# Eric Shansby

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**Eric Shansby** (born 1985) commonly known as **Shansby**, is an American [cartoonist](/source/Cartoonist) and [children's book illustrator](/source/Illustrator).[1][2] His cartoons appear in American news outlets, most prominently in *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)* alongside columns by humorist [Gene Weingarten](/source/Gene_Weingarten).[2]

## Early life and education

Shansby grew up in [Silver Spring, Maryland](/source/Silver_Spring,_Maryland). His mother was a librarian.[3] He was interested in art from a young age and would trace the images in the library books his mother brought home to him.[3] He drew caricatures of his classmates and teachers in elementary school.[3]

Shansby published his first comic strip in his sophomore year of [Montgomery Blair High School](/source/Montgomery_Blair_High_School),[3] where he was the art editor and a cartoonist for his high school newspaper.[3] He created both editorial cartoons and a strip *OxyMoron*.[4] There, he met *[Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)* writer [Gene Weingarten](/source/Gene_Weingarten) when Weingarten gave a guest lecture in Shansby's journalism class.[5][6] When Weingarten first saw Shansby's work, he noted it was "breathtaking stuff."[7]

For his work in high school, Shansby won The [Freedom Forum](/source/Freedom_Forum)'s Free Spirit Scholarship and the Maryland Scholastic Press and Quill & Scroll Society/National Newspaper Association's editorial cartoon awards.[3] At the 2002 Columbia Scholastic Press Association's Gold Circle Awards, he placed first in art/illustration portfolio, comic cartoons, editorial cartoons, and sports cartoons.[8] In addition, he came in second place for his cartoon portfolio and third place for editorial cartoons.[8] He graduated from high school in 2003.[4]

Shansby studied philosophy at [Yale University](/source/Yale_University), graduating in 2007.[9][6] At Yale, he was a member of [St. Anthony Hall](/source/St._Anthony_Hall) and was also a political cartoonist for the *[Yale Daily News](/source/Yale_Daily_News)*.[6][3][9]

## Career

While in high school, Shansby drew editorial cartoons for the weekly *[Montgomery County Sentinel](/source/Montgomery_County_Sentinel)*.[5][10] His political cartoons covered AIDS, environmental issues, gay marriage, human cloning, public education, and the Iraq War.[3] Once in college, he continued submitting to the *Sentinel*.[3] His work was also published in *Young D.C.* and *The Report Press Law Magazine*.[4]

In 2004, [Gene Weingarten](/source/Gene_Weingarten) asked him to illustrate *Below the Beltway*, his weekly humor column in [*The* *Washington Post Magazine*](/source/The_Washington_Post_Magazine).[6][3] Shansby began contributing to *Below the Beltway* while he was a freshman in college.[1] He also had a regular feature on the *KidsPost* website.[5]

Shansby illustrated the 2014 children's book *Me & Dog*, a parable on [atheism](/source/Atheism) written by Weingarten.[11]

In September 2018, Shansby left *Below the Beltway* as part of the redesign of *The* *Washington Post Magazine*.[12] Wiengarten stopped writing the column in 2021.[13]

## Personal life

On the [Kojo Nnamdi Show](/source/Kojo_Nnamdi), Shansby identified himself as a “culturally Jewish, American atheist.”[2]

## Publications

### Books

- *Me & Dog*. [Simon & Schuster](/source/Simon_%26_Schuster), Simon & Schuster, 2014. Written by Gene Weingarten and illustrated by Eric Shansby*.* ISBN 9781442494138*[2]*[14]

### As Contributing Artist

- *Compleating Cul de Sac*. Thompson, Richard, et al. Team Cul de Sac and ComicsDC, 2015.
- *Failure by Design: The Story Behind America’s Broken Economy*. Bivens, Josh. Cornell University Press, 2011. ISBN 9780801461132
- *World Politics in a New Era, 4th Edition*. Spiegel, Steven L., et al. Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN 0495007595
- *Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2007*. Brooks, Charles (Ed.). [Pelican Publishing](/source/Pelican_Publishing), 2007. ISBN 9781589804593
- *Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2006*. Brooks, Charles (Ed.). Pelican Publishing, 2006. ISBN 9781589803978
- *Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2005*. Brooks, Charles (Ed.). Pelican Publishing, 2005. ISBN 9781589802841
- *Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2004*. Brooks, Charles (Ed.). Pelican Publishing, 2004. ISBN 9781589802001

## References

1. Weingarten, Gene. [What's mightier, the pencil or the keyboard?](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/magazine/2004/02/08/whats-mightier-the-pencil-or-the-keyboard/663f0a5c-52fd-40ab-8fac-5d1558030fed/) Washington Post Magazine. February 8, 2004.

1. [Gene Weingarten & Eric Shansby on Comedy and Collaboration](http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2014-09-18/gene-weingarten-eric-shansby-comedy-and-collaboration). The Kojo Nnamdi Show. September 18, 2014.

1. Gonzalez, Susan (April 23, 2004). ["Freshman cartoonist illustrates Washington Post column"](http://archives.news.yale.edu/v32.n27/story2.html). *Yale Bulletin and Calendar*. Retrieved 2022-05-26.

1. ["Silver Chips Online"](https://silverchips.mbhs.edu/). *Montgomery Blair High School*. Retrieved 2022-05-26.

1. [Profile of a Teen Cartoonist](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304205451/http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/16429042/profile-teen-cartoonist). Literary Cavalcade (February 2005) vol 57, no. 7, p. 5. via EBSCO, accessed May 25, 2022.

1. [Eric Shansby](http://yaledailynews.com/weekend/2007/01/19/eric-shansby/). Yale Daily News. January 19, 2007.

1. Gardner, Alan (2005-11-29). ["Eric Shansby Success Story"](https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2005/11/29/eric-shansby-success-story/). *The Daily Cartoonist*. Retrieved 2022-07-08.

1. ["Local High School Publications Receive Awards"](https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?pagetype=showrelease&id=998). *Montgomery County Public Schools*. Retrieved 2022-05-26.

1. ["Yale Bologna Festival Information | Yale, MI"](http://www.yalechamber.com/page-bologna.html)

1. ["Fewer pens, more swords"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040918105645/http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/local/8508902.htm). Lexington Herald-Leader. 2004-09-18. Archived from [the original](http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/local/8508902.htm) on 18 September 2004. Retrieved 2022-07-08.

1. [On the Media: Me and Dog](http://www.onthemedia.org/story/me-and-dog/). WNYC. October 3, 2014.

1. Weingarten, Gene (September 27, 2018). ["An exit interview with my longtime illustrator"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/gene-weingarten-an-exit-interview-with-my-longtime-illustrator/2018/09/24/03ede1a6-b21c-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html). *Washington Post*. [ISSN 0190-8286](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0190-8286). Retrieved 2022-05-26.

1. Weingarten, Gene (September 23, 2021). ["Gene Weingarten: I won't humor you anymore"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/gene-weingarten-i-wont-humor-you-anymore/2021/09/21/8c6e2ce6-0bf8-11ec-aea1-42a8138f132a_story.html). *The Washington Post*. Retrieved May 25, 2022.

1. ["Eric Shansby"](https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Eric-Shansby/411252455). *Simon & Schuster*. Retrieved 2022-05-26.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Eric Shansby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Shansby) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Shansby?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.