Pictures are a fundamental aspect of how people communicate, and cave paintings are among the oldest records of human intelligence. Why then do most people feel they can’t draw, and why are pictures often considered as less important or complex than language? Are drawing and speaking really so different?

For over twenty years, Neil Cohn has pioneered research exploring these questions in linguistics and cognitive neuroscience, and Speaking in Pictures presents this work for the first time as a graphic novel for a wide audience. This work challenges the conventional understandings of how pictures communicate, how people learn to draw, and the nature of language and pictures themselves. With humor and a clear, accessible tone, Speaking in Pictures introduces ground-breaking scientific research as a non-fiction graphic novel—written and drawn by Neil Cohn—that takes the reader on an inspiring journey through the study of communication and the mind.

Coming early 2026

2026 / 306 pages