I started watching the HBO series and after one episode realized that I needed to do some homework. Luckily, this compendium was instantly available tI started watching the HBO series and after one episode realized that I needed to do some homework. Luckily, this compendium was instantly available through my public library's Hoopla service.
So now I know (sort of) what's going on. And I'm really enjoying the show, so I'll probably keep watching it. But I just can't figure out why this story has such a grip on everyone's imagination and why this series ends up on so many best-books-of-the-20th-century lists.
I'm sure it's me and not the material itself. Something I know about myself is that I don't read graphic novels easily. I come at them from a very defensive position to start with, not trusting myself to truly "get" what the author and/or artists are trying to convey with the mix of words and images. Sometimes I do, but more often than not, I don't. In this case, I found the artwork super distracting.
I did like how the comic-within-the-comic had the old school Ben-Day dots (I learned something!) -- that was a nice touch. But I found that whole two-things-going-on-at-the-same-time thing distracting. I'm sure it had some connection with the main story, but I just felt like I was being pulled in and out of the story. And there were points where I felt the authors thought, "hey - this would be a cool thing to draw and for the readers to see" (I'm talking to you, Dr. Manhattan's flying Martian palace). But is a flying palace necessary for someone who can just go wherever he wants? Why? Sooooo many panels taken up with this thing. And the way Sally Jupiter was drawn kept reminding me of Aunt Fritzi from the Nancy comic strip. There was something about every character that made me not like them and it was a real chore to drum up sympathy and care about any of them.
Also noted: for having so many (marginal and undeveloped) LGBT characters, there sure was a lot of homophobic language tossed around. Ah, the 80s.
I just couldn't stop asking myself questions like this, and it took me out of the story too often. I'm glad I read it, but I can't say I liked it. Maybe it will grow on me? ...more
I don't read graphic novels very often -- they're kind of difficult for me. I find the emotions heightened through the illustrations in a way that makI don't read graphic novels very often -- they're kind of difficult for me. I find the emotions heightened through the illustrations in a way that makes me uncomfortable. And I plow through them way too fast, and worry that I'm not appreciating the artwork enough.
This is really, really, good. Joe, a teenager in Canada, is bullied relentlessly and rather brutally by his classmate Jason. Joe is avoiding school and not taking the bus, but rather walking through the wintry landscape of his town, taking solace in the nature that surrounds him. On a few of these walks, he encounters a moose, the appearance of which starts some changes.
Won't say more, but I really enjoyed this. It's haunting, simply but effectively drawn, and has an ambiguous ending that will leave you with a lot of questions....more
A humorous exploration of emerging technology concepts presented by biologist Kelly Weinersmith and her spouse, Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal cartA humorous exploration of emerging technology concepts presented by biologist Kelly Weinersmith and her spouse, Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal cartoonist Matt Weinersmith. Each chapter covers a topic, featuring some pretty impressive research into the issue, interviews with prominent researchers and inventors, and assessment of how awesome (or awful) this technology could be, and a special nota bene about some specific aspect of it.
Interspersed are funny cartoon panels poking fun at humanity and our likely approach to these topics. Topics include bioprinting, fusion, cheap space travel, asteroid mining, programmable matter, robotic construction, and other things. I like their even-handed approach that mixes excitement with an abundance of caution. A great way to learn about emerging big-picture technologies and the people working with them.
Also -- loved the physical construction of this book. Nice heavy paper. Also loved the humorous footnotes. ...more
Such a beautiful telling of a family story, especially poignant in light of recent turmoil surrounding US immigration policy and the recent viewing ofSuch a beautiful telling of a family story, especially poignant in light of recent turmoil surrounding US immigration policy and the recent viewing of the PBS series on the Vietnam War.
Thi Bui tells the story of her family fleeing Vietnam and emigrating to America in the late 1970s. Writing from the perspective of a new mother, she tells the story based on her parents' interpretation of events, and in the telling, gains insight into the chaotic world that shaped their attitudes toward family and life in general. The art is amazing and just so evocative of her feelings and memories. It's a beautiful depiction of how children slowly grow to understand their parents once they themselves have become parents.
While visiting friends last week the news came out about the upcoming film version of A Wrinkle in Time. I hadn't read it since I was a kid, and one oWhile visiting friends last week the news came out about the upcoming film version of A Wrinkle in Time. I hadn't read it since I was a kid, and one of my friends mentioned there was a pretty good graphic novel version that had come out recently. After I got home, I was waiting in a local public library branch for some car service to finish up, and found it on the shelf.
I barely remember reading this when I was younger. I remember finding it confusing as a kid. It's still a bit confusing to me. I did like the graphic novel treatment of this, but I felt like some of the characters came across as a bit flat -- maybe it was the limited palette of white, black and a weird shade of blue . Mrs. Who and Mrs. Whatsit were nearly indistinguishable to me. But it's a great story and overall the illustrations do add to it. I'd be interested to know more about the process of how Larson chose which text to include and exclude.
Now I'm trying to remember if I read any of L'Engle's sequels to this......more
Heard a mention of the musical based on this graphic novel in a podcast I've started listening to (Nancy) and remembered that I'd had this book in theHeard a mention of the musical based on this graphic novel in a podcast I've started listening to (Nancy) and remembered that I'd had this book in the back of my mind.
This is an intensely personal memoir of artist Alison Bechdel's years growing up in a family with some serious communication problems in central Pennsylvania. It tells the story of her own coming out, which happened in parallel with the slow realization that her father was also gay. The characterizations are so good, and I love how Bechdel's drawings convey the intensity, longing and confusion that marked her childhood.
I really want to see the musical Fun Home now......more
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