I’m going to do something here I probably shouldn’t do - I’m going to compare this book with Knisley’s last effort, An Age of License. In general bookI’m going to do something here I probably shouldn’t do - I’m going to compare this book with Knisley’s last effort, An Age of License. In general books should be judged on their own merits but the timing of these two releases, their similar cover treatments, and even some of their overarching themes do mark them as something of a package pair
…which is a long way around saying I enjoyed Displacement far more than An Age of License. The author seems more engaged with telling the “complete” story here as she chaperones her elderly grandparents on a cruise - there’s a “warts and all” atmosphere to Knisley’s take on these events that ring more truthful to me. I like the way that Lucy engages with the more frustrating aspects of caring for the elderly here and that honestly does lend weight to some of the trickier parts of the book I didn’t fully connect with.
I liked the way that the author attempted to weave in some of her grandfather’s memoirs into the tale, but those passages did not mesh as well as I would have liked with the main narrative. They also give the consequence of radically off-balancing the reader’s perception of the “grands” as individuals… which is probably exactly what Knisley was shooting for but left my view of the book a bit off-kilter.
As always, Knisley’s economy of line is wonderful to see and the watercolor pages of Displacement are wonderful to look at. ...more
Every time Rabagliati digs into his younger years, he finds gold. Paul Joins the Scouts is another triumph from the cartoonist. While the shocking-butEvery time Rabagliati digs into his younger years, he finds gold. Paul Joins the Scouts is another triumph from the cartoonist. While the shocking-but-true plot revelation toward the end of the story is strikingly memorable, my favorite part of the author's work here is the way he humanizes the scoutmasters as much as he does the boys in the troop. It makes that final twist all the more heart-wrenching. What a gem....more
The best parts of comedian Patton Oswalt's first book were the sections he dedicated to memoir; it makes quite a lot of sense that Oswalt's second booThe best parts of comedian Patton Oswalt's first book were the sections he dedicated to memoir; it makes quite a lot of sense that Oswalt's second book would be entirely dedicated to telling stories from his past. These stories, many of which deal with his early career as a stand-up and subsequent successes as a screenwriter and actor, are couched around his deep, obsessive love of film. I enjoyed Sliver Screen Field, which I felt worked both as a memoir and a document of the comedy scene of the late 1990's/early 2000's, when the wheels were falling off the wagon and comedians with unique points of view had to find new means and venues to ply their craft. I felt the appendices provided were a little much; the "imaginary" film festival didn't do much for me and the list of movies the author saw seemed besides a lot of the points he was making. Having said that, it's a good book and probably the best of Oswalt's two efforts. ...more
Childhood is traumatic. Even "good" childhoods are sometimes incredibly hard to revisit and I have to give Liz Prince massive kudos for digging deeplyChildhood is traumatic. Even "good" childhoods are sometimes incredibly hard to revisit and I have to give Liz Prince massive kudos for digging deeply and being brutally honest about her experiences growing up while not kowtowing to societal expectations of gender identity. Prince is unsparing in her recollections, especially in regards to herself. That's a rare trait in most memoirists, who want to present the best, most uncompromising versions of themselves. What makes Tomboy work so well is that Prince is documenting a time where a young person has to make constant compromises. How Liz navigates that world makes for compelling reading. ...more
Lucy Knisley's probably my favorite cartoonist/memoirist right now, which is why I hesitate to say that An Age of License is an occasionally interestiLucy Knisley's probably my favorite cartoonist/memoirist right now, which is why I hesitate to say that An Age of License is an occasionally interesting effort with some lovely illustrations... but structured in a way that keeps the reader at a distance from some of the stories she's telling, to the book's detriment. What becomes frustrating about is that Knisley seems aware of this deficit in her storytelling, glossing over details and potential criticisms by pointing out that she's doing it within the narrative.
As a fan, I'll take any and all work from Knisley - she's a superlative artist and many of her observations are glorious. I just wished for a little more depth because the author is more than capable of it....more
This doesn't often happen with a book, but I'm genuinely not sure how I feel about Paying For It, Chester Brown's somewhat exhaustive cataloging and eThis doesn't often happen with a book, but I'm genuinely not sure how I feel about Paying For It, Chester Brown's somewhat exhaustive cataloging and explanation about his choice to patronage prostitutes for his sexual desires.
As a piece of craft, I enjoyed it. I think Brown's a master at crafting comic memoirs and a lot of the choices he makes to be deliberately vague or at times confrontational are deliberate and meant to challenge his readership. Brown's tackled a complex issue from the inside and while I don't want to commend him, certainly Paying For It goes places that a lot of other memoirs wouldn't tread. I was pretty happy with the way Brown ends up by the end of this narrative, having traded one kind of monogamy for another.
Having said that, I also think Brown is working backwards from a worldview I cannot entirely agree with… especially in the way he seems to paint the woman he visits as pretty idealized in their backgrounds. By that I mean, he takes each girl as though they were doing what they do entirely by their own liberated choice. Certainly Brown comments on some of the seedier, more dangerous aspects of prostitution in his appendices, however he doesn't seem to let those thoughts get in the way of his good time, so to speak.
In the end, my problems with some of that stuff got in the way of my appreciation of Paying For It, but the book remains a worthwhile read....more
An enjoyable follow-up to the author's first memoir. I missed the "gag a page" episodic nature of Telgemeier's Smile, but I also liked that Sisters waAn enjoyable follow-up to the author's first memoir. I missed the "gag a page" episodic nature of Telgemeier's Smile, but I also liked that Sisters was its' own thing. ...more
I'm a tremendous fan of Michel Rabagliati and was looking forward to reading a new Paul book. Loosely autobiographical, Paul Goes Fishing details PaulI'm a tremendous fan of Michel Rabagliati and was looking forward to reading a new Paul book. Loosely autobiographical, Paul Goes Fishing details Paul and his wife Lucie's first pregnancy woes, mostly against the backdrop of a fishing vacation in Quebec.
Rabagliati weaves several themes throughout Paul Goes Fishing: the sacrifices and practicalities of parenthood, a nostalgia for a less technologically advanced world, and an abiding appreciation for the natural world. His storytelling here is pleasant and relatable, with plenty of diversions from his main narrative... and for me, that was part of the problem with Paul Goes Fishing.
While some of these plot cul-de-sacs are very interesting, the greater majority of them are either superfluous (the visit to the Louis Cyr museum) or just barely relevant to the plot (the Catcher in the Rye section). In this respect, I felt like Paul Goes Fishing suffered a bit in comparison with some of the author's previous work.
I enjoyed this book but if I was going to recommend a Paul book to new readers, I'd be more inclined to direct them to Paul Has a Summer Job, a more cohesive work. ...more
I've always enjoyed Roz Chast's contributions to The New Yorker and I was interested to see how that sensibility would play out in a longer-format graI've always enjoyed Roz Chast's contributions to The New Yorker and I was interested to see how that sensibility would play out in a longer-format graphic memoir. As it turns out, Chast's irreverence works like gangbusters as she focuses on her elderly parents them during their final years.
Chast avoids treacly sentiment in favor of gentle good humor. Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant also takes on much-needed gravitas as Chast uses the format to more closely examine her relationship with her parents - a distant and somewhat hen-pecked father and an overbearing, often angry mother. The author's willingness to be frank not only about her parents' faults... but her own faults as a daughter are what make this book quite unique and easy to recommend. ...more
In Turn Around Bright Eyes, Rob Sheffield does many things by grounding them in his confessed love for karaoke. He takes us inside the world of a "karIn Turn Around Bright Eyes, Rob Sheffield does many things by grounding them in his confessed love for karaoke. He takes us inside the world of a "karaoke pro." He recalls much of his time living in New York City during 9/11. In one of the highlights of the book, Sheffield dishes on what it's like to be a part of a rock 'n roll fantasy camp.
Those things all make for good reads and Sheffield is an able writer with a wicked sense for deploying deep cuts of popular culture to illustrate his point of view and they make the book worth reading. However, they are not what this book is truly about.
What this book is mostly about is Sheffield's relationship with Ally, the woman who becomes his second wife. If you don't know Sheffield's work from Rolling Stone, you probably know his memoir Love is a Mix Tape wherein he walks readers through his wonderful, tragic first marriage, couching it in his efforts to sum up the relationship with a perfect cassette compilation. Here, Sheffield uses karaoke (in its' many forms) as a backdrop for his burgeoning relationship with Ally in much the same format as that previous effort.
While not as emotionally resonant as his earlier book, there's a rapturous, joyful quality to Turn Around Bright Eyes I love, in that it's about a guy who thought he was finished finding out that he has a second chance at love. Hopeful and earnest isn't easy to pull off in such a cynical world but Sheffield does it in spades. While this book isn't as cohesive as his last two efforts, it's still well worth a look, especially for fans of the author's debut memoir....more
I've enjoyed Josh Neufeld's comics previously (A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, his collaborations with Harvey Pekar) and was interested to dip intI've enjoyed Josh Neufeld's comics previously (A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, his collaborations with Harvey Pekar) and was interested to dip into some of his earlier work. I liked aspects of this travelogue very much. Certainly the best story in the book, The Cave of Fear, details some off the beaten track exploring in Southeast Asia, really captures a sense of place in a way that can only be done with comic travelogues. I dug the way Neufeld blended his own thoughts on the experience with those of his girlfriend and certain sections of this story were downright harrowing.
Having said that, there were some muddled messages throughout the book and I thought the final story in the collection, detailing the death of Neufeld's grandmother, his return to America, and some final thoughts on the death rites and spirituality he encountered in his travels just didn't hit the mark. The final chapter works very hard to be a summative piece but it's just to many ideas without clear focus....more
An engaging read, I enjoyed the way David Chelsea in Love didn't discriminate between its' protagonists; both David and Minnie seem equally awful throAn engaging read, I enjoyed the way David Chelsea in Love didn't discriminate between its' protagonists; both David and Minnie seem equally awful throughout their courtship. By the end of this collection, much of the back and forth between the characters had become tiresome, but that's sort of the point, right?...more
I enjoyed A Matter of Life in that it sees Brown veer away from his most familiar territory to look at different aspects of his life which have been lI enjoyed A Matter of Life in that it sees Brown veer away from his most familiar territory to look at different aspects of his life which have been lightly touched on in his other comics. I was especially interested in reading his thoughts about parenting, which feels like a natural progression for Brown as a storyteller and cartoonist.
While I'm not sure the connection between fatherhood and Brown's loss of faith is completely drawn, I liked the way the vignettes are layered to tell the story. This isn't my favorite recent compilation from the author, but I think it's an interesting signpost for future work....more
While certain aspects of Cleveland are repetitive if you've been reading Harvey Pekar's work for awhile, the book is still a fantastic capstone to PekWhile certain aspects of Cleveland are repetitive if you've been reading Harvey Pekar's work for awhile, the book is still a fantastic capstone to Pekar's career. Grumpy but ultimately optimistic, the history of Cleveland is documented here in fine style and I'm excited to read to whatever comic project Joseph Remnant chooses to work on next....more
Black’s well-known to my generation as one of the players from MTV’s much-beloved sketch show The State and has gone on to a career in Hollywood, ofteBlack’s well-known to my generation as one of the players from MTV’s much-beloved sketch show The State and has gone on to a career in Hollywood, often appearing on television and in commercials. He’s carved out a distinct niche for himself as a snarky know-it-all and I’ve enjoyed much of his work post-State… but I wasn’t chomping at the bit to read his book. I decided to give it a shot and I am ridiculously glad I did.
You’re Not Doing It Right is quite simply, the most accurate book I’ve ever read about what it’s like to be a husband and father in the 21st century. There’s depth to this book I did not anticipate. Black’s observations are shrewd and often biting… but they’re never inaccurate. The bald-faced way Black lays out his feelings is sometimes shocking; at various points he details the times where he has flat-out hated both his wife and children in a manner which defies the traditional “happy home and family” image most of us carry.
If that was all the book was about, You’re Not Doing It Right would be funny but morally bankrupt. I could easily see another comedian taking the short way around and simply presenting that concept, but Black doesn’t do that. What most impressed me about the book were not the laughs (and there are many) but the heart and sentimentality. Black starts from a comedic situation (I hate my wife and kids) and works backwards and forwards to reveal the truth behind being a mate and a parent today. You will occasionally have moments where you despise your kids… but you despise yourself more for being a person who would feel that way, and that motivates you to be better then you thought you ever could be. I can’t say I’ve ever called my wife a c*** (the word Black uses I can’t even bring myself to type) but I’ve experienced many of the same emotions and frustrations detailed here. That marriage is HARD is not a new concept. What is slightly new in our society is that it’s so easy for many to just quit trying. Simply having that option is part of Black’s default view of matrimony; what becomes admirable is the way he combats that view and displays through those sour feelings the love he feels.
It’s a wonderful book which comes with about as high a recommendation as I can give....more
A memoir detailing Benincasa’s struggles with depression and agoraphobia, Agorafabulous is often funny and occasionally moving. As someone who dealt wA memoir detailing Benincasa’s struggles with depression and agoraphobia, Agorafabulous is often funny and occasionally moving. As someone who dealt with depression in my teenage years, Sara’s observations come from a candid, compelling place....more
Fantastic. Derf does a masterful job of illustrating the circumstances under which Jeffrey Dahmer became the monster he was... but does so with somethFantastic. Derf does a masterful job of illustrating the circumstances under which Jeffrey Dahmer became the monster he was... but does so with something close to pity. The author's off-kilter, alt-comics influenced style works perfectly with the subject matter. Really well done....more
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