I'm going to make it happen! Will probably just be a simple announcement, "Hey, next month we're going to talk about this book" and then a Tuesday newsletter devoted to the book and its discussion
Persepolis is on my list of top 10 favorite books ever so I’m glad to see it recognized. It was a local bookstore’s book club read and opened me to the world of graphic memoirs/novels and illustrated works.
A friend, whose husband has Parkinson's disease, recently loaned me a book My Degeneration, a Journey Through Parkinson's by Peter Dunlap-Shohl. It's a graphic book and is helpful in understanding the illness. A good way to present information.
Just a friendly reinforcement of the point that the library is a *great* source for graphic novels, collections, histories, etc. especially when you combine it with electronic delivery via Hoopla and the like. In the last month or so, I read four (Here, Stamped from the Beginning, Japan's Longest Day, All Tomorrow's Parties) which is at least three more than I would have read, had I needed to buy them outright.
P.S. I think Austin's pointed this out before but don't sleep on graphic non-fiction either!
Now that I think about it, looking at the GN section is a fairly manageable way to browse subjects since really anything—fiction, history, memoir, bio, etc.—can be in there.
But yeah, since manga and YA GNs are so big with younger readers, it's totally consistent with libraries' missions to commit those dollars.
I'm guessing it's the case it Austin TX too but our library system is also part of the county library federation system which really widens the amount of stuff you can get your hands on.
RE graphic memoirs: I adore the “Mophead” books, a series of graphic mini-memoirs for kids of all ages by poet-scholar-artist Selina Tusitala Marsh (https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/authors-and-editors/s/selina-tusitala-marsh). Austin, you’d love her work! She describes her writing process as “led by line”: she starts with the drawn line on the page, and the storylines follow. Selina’s latest Mophead book, “What Knot You Got?,” teaches kids to untangle their own knottiest knots by drawing and writing their way through them.
If you're interested in romance, definitely check out Sarah MacLean's list for the NYT. None of her picks are on the final list, but she is not only a reader and writer of romance but also a romance-focused intellectual. She thinks a lot about the history of the genre and the work it does.
Do photographs count? "Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far" by Stefan Sagmeister is an art object and includes a ton of masterfully crafted physical typographic experiments.
Other image/word books I love: "No One Else" by R. Kikuo Johnson. "GLEEM" by Freddy Carrasco. "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. "You & a Bike & a Road" by Eleanor Davis. "Paper Girls" by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang. It's not from this century but "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud is a visual communication textbook disguised as a comic book.
I'm glad all the people in this post are getting more recognition for their work. Thanks for sharing, Austin!
I hadn't thought of the name R. Kikuo Johnson in a while — he seemed poised to be the next hot shit a while back after NIGHT FISHER (2005?!?) but then he fell off my radar. I have noticed a lot of his illustrations in The New Yorker, and it looks like he's been working steady: https://www.rkikuojohnson.com
Eleanor Davis is so good and I love that book so much. I thought about putting it on this list, actually.
I didn't keep up with PAPER GIRLS, need to revisit.
Yes, a genius. We have multiple of her children's books. I discovered R. Kikuo Johnson through the New Yorker and "No One Else" feels closer to that type of work than "Night Fisher." Paper Girls was good but I was also reading them as they came out so going to into the comics store every couple weeks to pick up new issues probably added to the enjoyment. Oh I had no idea about McClouds wife, that's terrible. The intro from his site about the new book is VERy exciting though. I'm now going through all these comments and putting a hundred holds at the library.
Toronto-based grade school teacher/comic Lunarbaboon. Digs deep into parenthood and the heavy emotions during this life stage and beyond. Fun illustrations and endearing dialogue!
I was floored by Lauren Weinstein's Mother's Walk and Leela Corman's You Are Not A Guest. Smaller entries, and small press, which I've really enjoyed discovering. Miriam Katin's Letting it Go was also amazing - such loose, expressive drawings with no panels that really opened my mind to what's possible with graphic novels.
Grandma Gatewood's Walk (Appalachian Trail), excellent book. Also, I have been watching some online workshops with 2 illustrators Augustwren.com and GKabaker.com they are generous and mesmerizing. I loved the L. Barry doc.!
I've been a Lynda Barry fan since I first saw her comics in The Rocket (Seattle music publication) in the 80's. The Rocket was my introduction to several "fringe" comic artists, and my tastes still run towards the strange.
There are so many good graphic novels/nonfiction books available now. I checked my Goodreads and I've logged 287 over the years. A few top picks:
- Donner Dinner Party (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #3) - this whole series based on historical figures and events for middle grades is a lot of fun.
- Saga by Brian K. Vaughan
- The Borden Tragedy by Rick Geary (one of his multi-volume series of true crime stories)
- I Lived in a Clown Motel, and Pool Disaster both by Christopher Sebela (perhaps a bit niche here, but I'm a big fan of the Clown Motel in Tonopah and stayed there once myself)
There are also a lot of graphic memoirs and biographies, which I always enjoy.
That whole Hale series is a lot of fun. There was a big gap in the Saga series, but he's back to publishing new issues fairly regularly. I think the Sebela books can only be obtained through his website.. yep! Still available: http://www.christophersebela.com/shopsmart
Wow! Someone else who's read Clown Motel.I did a pin-up for his High Times comic a long time ago. He's written a lot of comics, check out his website. http://www.christophersebela.com/
Yes please resurrect the book club! I was a literati member and tried to keep going after you left. But it just wasn't the same.
I'm going to make it happen! Will probably just be a simple announcement, "Hey, next month we're going to talk about this book" and then a Tuesday newsletter devoted to the book and its discussion
This.
on it!
My favorite thing is Monsters. Incredible.
Really great. I didn't realize VOLUME TWO is out?!?! https://www.fantagraphics.com/products/my-favorite-thing-is-monsters-book-two
I KNOW.
Excited to dive into all these links!
Persepolis is on my list of top 10 favorite books ever so I’m glad to see it recognized. It was a local bookstore’s book club read and opened me to the world of graphic memoirs/novels and illustrated works.
A friend, whose husband has Parkinson's disease, recently loaned me a book My Degeneration, a Journey Through Parkinson's by Peter Dunlap-Shohl. It's a graphic book and is helpful in understanding the illness. A good way to present information.
Oh wow, it looks like Penn State has a whole series of "Graphic Medicine" books https://www.psupress.org/books/series/book_SeriesGM.html
This is the coolest.
Just a friendly reinforcement of the point that the library is a *great* source for graphic novels, collections, histories, etc. especially when you combine it with electronic delivery via Hoopla and the like. In the last month or so, I read four (Here, Stamped from the Beginning, Japan's Longest Day, All Tomorrow's Parties) which is at least three more than I would have read, had I needed to buy them outright.
P.S. I think Austin's pointed this out before but don't sleep on graphic non-fiction either!
The graphic novel section at the library is usually my favorite. It's been such a growth genre/form that they usually allocate good budget for it.
Now that I think about it, looking at the GN section is a fairly manageable way to browse subjects since really anything—fiction, history, memoir, bio, etc.—can be in there.
But yeah, since manga and YA GNs are so big with younger readers, it's totally consistent with libraries' missions to commit those dollars.
I'm guessing it's the case it Austin TX too but our library system is also part of the county library federation system which really widens the amount of stuff you can get your hands on.
RE graphic memoirs: I adore the “Mophead” books, a series of graphic mini-memoirs for kids of all ages by poet-scholar-artist Selina Tusitala Marsh (https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/authors-and-editors/s/selina-tusitala-marsh). Austin, you’d love her work! She describes her writing process as “led by line”: she starts with the drawn line on the page, and the storylines follow. Selina’s latest Mophead book, “What Knot You Got?,” teaches kids to untangle their own knottiest knots by drawing and writing their way through them.
Well you definitely listed my favs … Tamera Shopsin, Lynda Berry, Jon Klassen, Maira Kalman! And one new guy… Chris Ware.
Yay book club re-up!!
Truthfully, I get the best information about books from you, so thanks!
Stay tuned for new book club!
If you're interested in romance, definitely check out Sarah MacLean's list for the NYT. None of her picks are on the final list, but she is not only a reader and writer of romance but also a romance-focused intellectual. She thinks a lot about the history of the genre and the work it does.
D&Q doesn't miss.
Do photographs count? "Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far" by Stefan Sagmeister is an art object and includes a ton of masterfully crafted physical typographic experiments.
Other image/word books I love: "No One Else" by R. Kikuo Johnson. "GLEEM" by Freddy Carrasco. "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. "You & a Bike & a Road" by Eleanor Davis. "Paper Girls" by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang. It's not from this century but "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud is a visual communication textbook disguised as a comic book.
I'm glad all the people in this post are getting more recognition for their work. Thanks for sharing, Austin!
AKR was a genius. RIP.
I hadn't thought of the name R. Kikuo Johnson in a while — he seemed poised to be the next hot shit a while back after NIGHT FISHER (2005?!?) but then he fell off my radar. I have noticed a lot of his illustrations in The New Yorker, and it looks like he's been working steady: https://www.rkikuojohnson.com
Eleanor Davis is so good and I love that book so much. I thought about putting it on this list, actually.
I didn't keep up with PAPER GIRLS, need to revisit.
Haven't heard of GLEEM!
We did UNDERSTANDING COMICS in the book club, and I was going to interview Scott but then his wife tragically died. So awful. https://austinkleon.com/2022/04/15/scott-mcclouds-understanding-comics/
I'm sure he's been through it but I keep holding out hope for his next book: https://www.scottmccloud.com/2022/11/04/on-the-drawing-board-visual-communication-and-beyond/
Yes, a genius. We have multiple of her children's books. I discovered R. Kikuo Johnson through the New Yorker and "No One Else" feels closer to that type of work than "Night Fisher." Paper Girls was good but I was also reading them as they came out so going to into the comics store every couple weeks to pick up new issues probably added to the enjoyment. Oh I had no idea about McClouds wife, that's terrible. The intro from his site about the new book is VERy exciting though. I'm now going through all these comments and putting a hundred holds at the library.
Toronto-based grade school teacher/comic Lunarbaboon. Digs deep into parenthood and the heavy emotions during this life stage and beyond. Fun illustrations and endearing dialogue!
I was floored by Lauren Weinstein's Mother's Walk and Leela Corman's You Are Not A Guest. Smaller entries, and small press, which I've really enjoyed discovering. Miriam Katin's Letting it Go was also amazing - such loose, expressive drawings with no panels that really opened my mind to what's possible with graphic novels.
Some not yet mentioned:
Graphic Novels
Igort: Japanese Notebooks, Kokoro
Guy Delisle, Pyongyang
The Rest of the World
Christina Lamb: The Sewing Circles of Herat, Small Wars Permitting, I am Malala, Farewell Kabul
The Other Rest of the World
Menno Schilthuizen, Nature’s Nether Regions
Michael Pollan, The Botany of Desire
Dan Saladino, Eating to Extinction
Stories
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Purple Hibiscus (+ all of her writing; akin to Chinua Achebe)
M.R. Carrey, The Girl With All the Gifts (best read without knowing *anything* about this book)
Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
Life
Kathrin Passig & Sasche Lobo, Dinge geregelt kriegen ohne einen Funken Selbstdisziplin
Marie Kondo, Magic Cleaning (yes I dare)
Jeff Potter, Cooking for Geeks (1st ed only)
Grandma Gatewood's Walk (Appalachian Trail), excellent book. Also, I have been watching some online workshops with 2 illustrators Augustwren.com and GKabaker.com they are generous and mesmerizing. I loved the L. Barry doc.!
The absence of poetry from the NYT list is mind boggling to me
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. So good.
Have you read Solutions and other Problems?? More recent and SO GOOD
I've been a Lynda Barry fan since I first saw her comics in The Rocket (Seattle music publication) in the 80's. The Rocket was my introduction to several "fringe" comic artists, and my tastes still run towards the strange.
There are so many good graphic novels/nonfiction books available now. I checked my Goodreads and I've logged 287 over the years. A few top picks:
- Donner Dinner Party (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #3) - this whole series based on historical figures and events for middle grades is a lot of fun.
- Saga by Brian K. Vaughan
- The Borden Tragedy by Rick Geary (one of his multi-volume series of true crime stories)
- I Lived in a Clown Motel, and Pool Disaster both by Christopher Sebela (perhaps a bit niche here, but I'm a big fan of the Clown Motel in Tonopah and stayed there once myself)
There are also a lot of graphic memoirs and biographies, which I always enjoy.
I need to get that Nathan Hale book for my kiddos!! They love those I SURVIVED books
I read SAGA issue by issue for a while and then... stopped? Need to go back.
I will check out these others!
That whole Hale series is a lot of fun. There was a big gap in the Saga series, but he's back to publishing new issues fairly regularly. I think the Sebela books can only be obtained through his website.. yep! Still available: http://www.christophersebela.com/shopsmart
Wow! Someone else who's read Clown Motel.I did a pin-up for his High Times comic a long time ago. He's written a lot of comics, check out his website. http://www.christophersebela.com/