Steady Rollin': Preacher's Kid, Black Punk, and Pedaling Papa

I got this book a few years back from a Kickstarter campaign for Birdcage Bottom Books. Steady Rollin' is a collection of previously published comics, and the only thing holding them together is that they are all autobiographical, roughly chronological, and feature the author and illustrator, Fred Noland. He is currently, in his own words, "an avid cyclist and proud papa." 

Over the course of this book he delves into lots of subjects and time periods, including looking at his upbringing as a literal son of a preacher man, his foray into the punk music scene, living in and around southern California, working at a car wash, various cycling trips, and a tense escapade where he tracked down someone who had stolen his bike. Along the way, I got a lot of insight into his politics, personality, and parenting. 

Each comic episode is a concentrated look at his life, sometimes funny, sometimes thoughtful, and always engaging. He tends to look at things, warts and all, and I appreciated the many truth bombs he dropped. At first I was disappointed that there was not a unified narrative, but I think this book has something better. Although the stories only really roughly fit together and were purposed for other venues, taken altogether they create a mosaic of man I find not only interesting and entertaining but also someone I'd actually like to meet and hang out with. I am not sure if we would get along necessarily, but I like the cut of his jib. And I really like his comics.

As I wrote earlier, Noland is a working artist, and he has produced work for many prominent magazines and venues. He has made a short graphic biography of Major Taylor, one of the USA's first global superstar athletes, and has been working on a longer one as well. He speaks more about his work and this book in this interview and also in this article.

I was not able to find many reviews of this book online, but Publishers Weekly called it a "companionable grab bag of humorous autobiographical shorts."

Steady Rollin' was originally published by Birdcage Bottom Books, but now you can get copies from Microcosm  Publishing (they offer a preview and more at the link).

Button Pusher

Button Pusher is a phenomenal graphic novel that manages to explore issues of ADHD in multiple ways, all the time still telling an emotionally engaging narrative. It is fictional though memoir-based, and the main character is Tyler, a young boy who is experiencing difficulties in school and gets diagnosed with ADHD. 

Uh, oh.

The reader gets a lot from his point of view about how he experiences the world and also how he does and does not fit in. What is more, we also learn a lot about his father and his own experiences with "hyperactivity" (what it was called in his day), and there is a bunch about how heredity affects things as well as how much this condition affects other family members as well.

The events of the book run a gamut of emotions, from confusion to humor to concern to anger and beyond. Also, what makes this book so strong is its inclusion of several passages that share information about ADHD from clinical and practical viewpoints, sometimes almost as infographics. 

Button Pusher features a comprehensive and human look at this sort of neurodiversity. As a parent who is dealing with at least one children who is diagnosed with ADHD, I appreciated so much about this book. It taught me about what I can expect, what I should do to deal with frustration, and also how to manage all our lives in better ways. If I gave out stars to rate books, this one would get them all.

This book was created by Tyler Page. His prior comics work includes the graphic novels Raised on Ritalin, which is more autobiographical, The Chicagoland Detective Agency series, and the direct sequel to Button Pusher, Extra Large, which was published very recently.

This book won the 2023 Excellence in Graphic Literature Award, and all of the reviews I have read of it have been positive. Kirkus Reviews summed up, "An engaging memoir of one boy’s experience of growing up with ADHD with a risky message around medication cessation." Jason Kelley wrote, "This book will destigmatize and foster understanding for both those navigating life with ADHD and their families."

Button Pusher was published by First Second, and they provide a preview and more information here.

Sk8 Dad Summer: ramps, rebellion, and raising a kid

Sk8 Dad Summer is one publication in the 2022 Birdcage Bottom Books distribution list, for which there is a Kickstarter currently happening (and I hope that you help fund - go check it out!). As a parent of young children, I found a lot to relate to in this book. It is a refreshingly real look at parenting that I feel captures the spirit of contemporary culture. And although I have not been a dedicated skater, I could empathize with wanting to share my interests and joys with my children, though they often have their own ideas about what is cool and what they would prefer to do.

The main narrative of this book involves the author making a half pipe in his backyard, but he uses this device as a platform for pondering multiple aspects of his life. He thinks about when he was as a young skater and how his life has changed now that he is in his 40s. Once, he literally had to scavenge materials and deal with prohibitive authorities, but now he is part of the authority structure and can readily buy high quality construction materials. Now, he tries to encourage his child to skate, with mixed results. It also makes him think of his own relationship with his father, who was a preacher. The skate ramp also becomes a center of activity for the neighborhood, attracting both nearby children and parents, so it embodies a certain sense of community. 

All of these threads of the story weave into a humorous exploration of  parenthood, community, marriage, and life in general. In many ways, it reminded me of the recent aging punk anthology I read, in that it shows how being a skater informed his life in a way that has colored his experiences and formed his ethics. And although it is relatively short, this book is memorable, packing a heartfelt and emotional punch. It is highly entertaining, insightful, and frequently funny. I loved reading it, and I cannot wait to have a hard copy in my hands.

This book's creator Brett Hamil is an artist, comedian, and writer who regularly publishes comics in Seattle's Child. He also draws a weekly political comic for the South Seattle Emerald. I just been getting into his various works, and I have dug what I have seen so far.

I could only locate one review of this book so far, and it was a positive one. Cheryl Murfin (scroll to page 57) called it a "sweet, funny, poignant little book." It deserves much more attention, and I hope it receives it.

Sk8 Dad Summer was/will be published by Birdcage Bottom Books, and they offer a preview and more here on their Kickstarter page. Please consider funding this and other great books from this indie publisher. The campaign ends in a week on March 17, and they could use your support.

Save It For Later: Promises, Parenthood, and the Urgency of Protest

We are living through "interesting times," and Save It For Later is a great collection of essays that survey much of what has been transpiring over the past decade, with a rise in fascism as well as the need for political action and attention to our environment. These essays do not offer easy answers, but they do offer insight into how one might speak to one's children about the world and how they should act in order to make sure that they have a future that is equitable and safe. It is a raw and emotionally direct book that elicits feelings of pain and anxiety that accompany difficult events. It is also a harrowing look at political movements that seek to silence many and enforce a single autocratic ideology.

It would be easy to say that this book is a response to the rise of Trump, and now that he is gone many of the issues brought with his regime are gone with him. But these essays show that his presidency is but one manifestation of a slow, persistent political tide, where white supremacists and toxic masculinity have amassed political currency for hatred and authoritarianism. He also points out many ways that a progressive response to this should not be to ridicule or treat these movements as clownish, even when they might seem ridiculous, because the consequences of their actions can be harmful and even deadly. 

Still, the book is not all gloom and doom. Hope does lie in the future, with people who strive to find justice despite adversity, but it will take a lot of effort from many. Taking up the mantle of figures like John Lewis, this book is about how parents can talk to their children thoughtfully, discuss the political world, and act in ways that promote equity, equality, and freedom. It is not an easy book to read, but I feel it's an important one, especially right now.

This book was created by Nate Powell, one of the most accomplished graphic novelists of his generation. He is a veteran creator with a long list of praised works, including the Eisner and National Book Award winning March trilogy. He has also drawn a number of other graphic novels, such as The Silence of Our Friends, Swallow Me Whole, Any Empire, Come Again, and Run. He speaks about his work on these essays in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly concluded, "This sincere volume carries off parenting inspiration with gravitas." Henry Chamberlain wrote, "Powell manages to retain a certain level of rawness that adds authenticity. This is a real person who is just trying to figure things out, what’s best for him, his family, and his community." Hillary Chute called it "an absorbing reflection on intergenerational inheritance."

Save It For Later was published by Abrams, and they offer a preview and more here.

I Am Not Starfire

I Am Not Starfire is another graphic novel in DC Comics's YA line, and I'd say that this book is 2/3 YA book, 1/3 superhero adventure. It involves the relationship between Teen Titan Starfire and her daughter Mandy. Mandy looks nothing like her mom. She is stocky, pale, freckles, and prefers to wear goth style makeup and clothing. She resents the attention that she gets from others just because she is the child of a superhero, and she really only tolerates Lincoln, who is "the most annoying person in the world" and also her best friend.

Mandy has lots of things on her mind. There are plenty of rumors about who her father is (Starfire won't tell). She is stressed about taking her SATs and does not want to take them or go to college. And she feels overall inadequacies because she has no powers of her own. Things take an upturn when she gets paired with the super-popular, athletic Claire on a school project and the two begin a friendship that turns into a fledgling romance. Sparks also start to fly when Starfire realizes what Mandy plans (or does not plan for her future), and matters kick into a third gear when Starfire's estranged sister Blackfire comes to Earth to kill off any threats to her reign.

This book is terrific, and there are two things that really recommend it. One, the artwork is eye-popping and incredible. Each page conveys a great deal of emotion and dynamism. It is truly splendid to behold. Two, this book has a lot of heart. In one way it is about a strained mother-daughter relationship, but it is also an immigrant tale about a parent who wants a better way of life for her child. The characters are fully developed and interesting, and this version of Starfire is an adult one that combines aspects of superheroism, celebrity, and the personality made popular in the Teen Titans cartoons. Although the plot went pretty much as I expected, this was a fun book to read. It is an excellently rendered, beautifully drawn piece of genre fiction.

This book was a collaboration between writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Yoshi Yoshitani.  Tamaki has won a ton of awards in comics, including multiple Eisners, being a finalist for the Printz Award (twice!), and a Caldecott Honor. She is known for the graphic novels This One Summer, Skim, Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, and a few prior entries in DC Comics' YA graphic novel line, including Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass. Yoshitani is an illustrator with a long list of prestigious clients and has also drawn the graphic novel Zatanna and the House of Secrets.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Emily Lauer called Mandy "pretty damn relatable" and also noted that she appreciated how "unlike many parents in YA, Starfire feels like a fully realized character." Ray Goldfield called it "a fun story that I imagine a lot of girls will see themselves in." Kirkus Reviews summed up, "Equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking."

I Am Not Starfire was published by DC Comics, and they have more information about it here.

The Fifth Quarter

4th grader Lori Block LOVES basketball, and she is on her school's team, but she is not so good and only gets to play in the "fifth quarter" when things don't count. After getting a small taste of actual gameplay, she wants more and gets the opportunity to take part in some camps where she can learn more skills and practice. She is driven to succeed and relishes her opportunities, even though her desires come at odds with her friendships.

Lori's friends are not into basketball as much a she is, and at recess they rather play unicorns or four-square than shoot baskets, which causes her distress. She is also awkward at times and makes comments that are meant as jokes but get taken as insults, especially to her fellow "double-dribble twin" Sophia. So she has a lot to navigate in terms of her social world.

Adding to this mix is her family, which includes her mom and dad as well as her younger twin siblings, Jason and Becky. They are all depicted in realistic manner, with a plot following her mother's run for local political office (trying to do something to help the kids) against a smug incumbent, and her put-upon father trying to hold down the fort and keep the two little one's faces out of screens as much as possible. One of the aspects of this books I liked the most was how much space and respect was given to her family, who are important players in this story, which I find is not often the case in YA/tween graphic novels.

This book excels at capturing the excitement of the games as well as the variety of social and emotional dynamics. The relationship aspects of this book are complex and compelling, and I love how it captures the messiness/uncertainties of human interactions and growing up. Just check out this sequence from early on in the book:

In terms of artwork, I think that the coloring pops and the facial expressions and gestures are economical and highly expressive. I found the Fifth Quarter to be utterly riveting and read it in one sitting. It's a very human and relatable book that I feel I will revisit multiple times. If there is any justice in the world, it will sell millions of copies.

I am a big fan of this book's author Mike Dawson. He has written and drawn a few graphic novels over the years, including Freddie & Me, Angie Bongiolatti, and Troop 142. He also has done a lot of  graphic nonfiction and essay work, including the collection Rules for Dating My Daughter and plenty of comics for The Nib. He speaks about his work on The Fifth Quarter in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book indicate its high quality. Publishers Weekly wrote that it was full of "sincerity, humor, and strong character development." Kirkus Reviews gave it a thumbs up, concluding, "Nothing but net." Hillary Brown commented about Dawson's art style and storytelling, especially on how refreshing it was to see the adults portrayed as "real humans, dealing with their own shit."

The Fifth Quarter was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information here. It is also the first of a series, and I am eager to see more of these characters and their lives.

Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction

I am not going to lie, Hey, Kiddo made me cry. This book is a memoir about a young man who grows up to learn that his mother is a heroin addict and goes to live with his maternal grandparents, Joe and Shirl. They are brusque and caring, though they have their own issues with alcohol. Still, they take care of Jarrett in their way and instill in him a great many positive characteristics, chief among them a strong work ethic. They also support him in terms of him following his interests, and they are instrumental in making sure he had venues to create art, which was cathartic to him in many ways. Also, it led to opportunities down the road that resulted in a career in making comics (luckily for us all!).

His father is a mystery to him, and for much of his childhood he refuses to even acknowledge the man exists, not that he was present for Jarrett in any way. When he reaches later adolescence, Jarrett finally does make a gesture to meet him, and he learns about his half-siblings, with whom he builds relationships. There is so much about this book that speaks to what families are and how people try to find love and acceptance in this world, but none of it is sugar-coated. This book is powerful both in terms of its story and artwork. Both are subtle and nuanced. Hey, Kiddo is a slow burn with lots of emotional punch, and even though I was raised in very different circumstances, I found much to relate to and empathize with.

The book also benefits from a variety of media, such as letters, coasters, artwork, and various other artifacts used as chapter breaks. These really brought home the reality of these events and situations, making them have just that more of an emotional impact. I loved reading this book. It was sad, sweet, and incredibly moving. I am very glad that it exists in the world to be something that various aged readers, not just the YA set it is marketed toward, can engage with and learn from.

Krosoczka is best known for his series of Lunch Lady graphic novels for younger readers, and he has also contributed multiple volumes to the Star Wars Jedi Academy series. I met him a few years ago at Knoxville's Children's Festival of Reading, and he was a swell guy. Go check out his website for multiple versions of his biography as well as some random facts about him. It's worth the visit!

This book has garnered Krosoczka a lot of positive attention and praise. He has been profiled by both NPR and The New York Times. Most impressively, Hey, Kiddo was named a finalist for a National Book Award. The NYT's Patricia McCormick called it "brave" and "inspiring." In a starred review, Publishers Weekly summed up, "This nuanced graphic memoir portrays a whole family and tells a story of finding identity among a life’s complications."

Hey, Kiddo was published by Scholastic, and they offer more information about it here. This book features some profanity, but nothing beyond what a typical YA book might contain.

Bastard

Bastard is an interesting take on the typical caper/runaway tale. It features the fall-out of a criminal plot where 52 simultaneous robberies have been  planned and perpetrated, and now the mastermind is culling some of the associates to consolidate the earnings and get rid of some of the less trustworthy crime partners.

 

 

What May (or is her name April?) and Eugene have going for them in this situation is that they look out for each other. May is in her 20s and is Eugene's mom. He is 10 but wise to the world and how to keep safe and ahead of the law and shady characters. After a few attempted double-crosses and an accident, the duo find themselves allied with a trucker named Augustus McRae who has a checkered past of his own. I am not going to share much more about the book, only to say that there are multiple complications and revelations, which make life stressful for the characters but a thrilling plot for the reader.

What really worked for me in this book was the stark and economic storytelling. The page layouts were all very clear, and the line work very clean. This tale was told in a very efficient and exciting way, and it did not seem that there was a superfluous single line or word in the whole book. Also, the characters are strongly defined and surprisingly likable. Despite their criminal inclinations, May and Eugene are easy to root for and care about. Their relationship and love for each other is pure in a way that makes them sympathetic, and I also loved just how pragmatic they could be faced with outrageous circumstances.  

This graphic novel is the creation of Max De Radiguès, a Belgian comics artist who tweets updates about his works here. His other graphic novel work includes the adolescent drama Moose (one of my favorite books of 2015) and the biography Weegee. This book was originally published as a series of mini-comics from Oily Comics, and Bastard treads similar ground to Oily's publisher Charles Forsman's TEOTFW, only with a much different tone. He speaks about his work in general in this interview with The Comics Alternative.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly concluded, "Rich in storytelling despite its deceptive simplicity of style, the surprising plot twists and character development make this a must-read." Oliver Sava wrote, "de Radiguès’ stark, understated storytelling keeps the focus on this central relationship while surrounding it with suspense and action." John Seven highlighted the love between May and Eugene and called the events in this book "the world's sweetest crime spree."

Bastard was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer a preview and more here. Because of violence and some profanity, this book is suggested for mature readers.

All the Answers

I am a big fan of Michael Kupperman's comics. Tales Designed to Thrizzle was one of my favorite series, and I adored the humor of Mark Twain's Autobiography 1910-2010. His combination of deadpan faces with absurd, surreal imagery and situations have consistently cracked me up. I even have a print of his "Are Comics Serious Literature" on my office wall. So when I learned he had a full length graphic novel forthcoming, I was jazzed. When I found out it was a serious, nonfiction work, I was intrigued even further. This book, All the Answers did not disappoint in any way. It's a fantastic, gripping, and thought-provoking work.

This book is mostly a biography of his father, Joel Kupperman, a famous child prodigy who starred on a radio/TV show called Quiz Kids. He began on the show from age 6 and became a break-out star who toured the country and met many famous people for more than a decade. He had a gift for mathematics and could do algebra problems in his head with relative ease. There was a backlash from being so familiar and appearing so perfect, not to mention pressures from being in the public spotlight for so long, and later in life he basically shut the whole episode away. Joel Kupperman went on to become a successful philosophy professor, mostly interested in exploring ethics, but he refused to engage with any part of his prior life. This situation also affected how he raised his own children, and we see the long-term effects in this book.

The detached art style responsible for the humor in Michael Kupperman's earlier works here plays in a much more dramatic way, communicating the detached way that the older Kupperman treated his own family. The title of the book has a double meaning, one linked to Joel's ability to always come up with the correct solution, but the second is more ironic. In the end Michael Kupperman has lots of questions about his father's life and motivations that lie unanswered. What is more, he constantly questions whether bringing all these issues into the light via this book is a good idea. In the end, this book is a meditation about families, how they relate to each other, and the roles of parents with their children. It also has a lot to say about the functions of popular culture and the early days of television. It is wonderfully provocative and affecting, an excellent biography, history, memoir, and autobiography all in one.

If you would like to learn more about Kupperman's inspirations and work on this book, check out this interview with the Comics Alternative.

All of the reviews I have read of this book sing its praises. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and wrote that the combination of art and text "help turn an already incredible story into an electrifyingly fast-paced, yet intimate memoir about family secrets and the price children can pay for their parents’ ambitions." Rob Clough concluded his review, "He told his father’s story as authentically as he could, but the fact that he had the guts to admit that this didn’t lead to a magical catharsis doesn’t puncture a hole in the narrative; it simply grounds it in reality." Greg Hunter called it "a brave piece of storytelling."

All the Answers was published by Gallery 13, and they offer more info about it here.

The Best We Could Do

Parenthood changes a person, and it is the framing sequence of The Best We Could Do, a complex, heartfelt, and evocative book that touches on family, history, and humanity. The initial scenes from a hospital precipitate everything that follows, and this book touches on a great number of serious topics. It looks at relationships with parents, but it also puts her specific relationship into context by delving into their pasts. Along the way, we are privy to their formative years in Vietnam, get to know about their families and their hopes and aspirations, and then see how life played out. Like the narrative throughout the book, these depictions are presented in non-linear, rich, and human fashion. The parents' lives are not simple hero narratives, but shown to be full of tragedies, triumphs, luck, routines, patterns, and stamina.

Also, the setting of this book shows the effects of colonialism on a country, the effects of war, the travails of being a refugee, and the discomforts that come from being an immigrant. This last set of concerns is especially topical right now, as we see similar situations over the world, with there being a dehumanizing and hateful backlash to people trying to find a place in the world. This book puts a much needed human face on such circumstances without resorting to simple good/bad narratives.

The simple, sparse artwork tells a strong story with a devastating economy. Several simple juxtapositions communicate volumes, such as drawing a country to be a person's spine or seeing a mother's pained face in the delivery room where her daughter is about to give birth. These simple features belie complicated pasts and relationships in a few strokes, and the muted colors and stark figures add much affect in surprisingly powerful fashion. I did not know what to expect when I started this book, but I loved it. As a parent and a son of immigrants (though not ones from such plights as the ones here), I found much to relate to, sympathize with, and ponder in this beautifully and intricately rendered book.

Thi Bui created this book over the course of many years, beginning it from her thesis project on her family's oral history. She teaches high school, and this book is her debut graphic novel. She speaks about her work on it and much more in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. Robert Kirby called it "an important, wise, and loving book." Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and wrote, "In excavating her family’s trauma through these brief, luminous glimpses, Bui transmutes the base metal of war and struggle into gold." John McMurtie noted that "Bui’s memoir elicits complex emotions from understated pen-and-ink drawings."

The Best We Could Do was published by Abrams ComicArts, and they have a preview and much more information about the book here. There is also another lengthy preview from PEN America.

Rules For Dating My Daughter: The Modern Father's Guide to Good Parenting

Rules For Dating My Daughter is not so much a graphic novel as it is a collection of graphic essays on the topics of parenting, the gender politics of toys, gun rights, and other contemporary issues. And despite its title and cover image, it contains pointed meditations on the current political landscape. Mainly it portrays how the author struggles with negotiating these issues while doing the right thing raising his two children. Many of these comics have been published online at The Nib, and initial funding for this book was raised in a Kickstarter campaign.

As a father myself, I found much to relate to in this book, but I also very much appreciate the format of these comics. They are well thought out essays that unfurl lines of thought in impactful and impressive ways. I love how they weave together multiple thoughts and contexts, seemingly meandering about on a single thesis while all the time conveying calculated and intentional lines of thought. There is a lot of dark humor and wisdom in this book, and I highly recommend you read it, whether you are a parent or not.

Mike Dawson has written and drawn a few graphic novels, including Freddie & Me, Angie Bongiolatti, and Troop 142. I am a big fan of his work, and I especially like how he captures his characters' emotional responses through story and art. I am not alone in my admiration for his comics, as he was nominated as a Promising New Talent for the 2002 Ignatz Awards. He speaks more about his career and work on Rules in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been mostly positive. Dan Kois called it "not just a thoughtful book but one that’s a pleasure to read." Rich Barrett stated that these comics offer "smart visuals and a self-deprecating humor that will make you commiserate and cringe equally." Annie Mok was more critical and wrote that "Mike Dawson delivers an uneven collection of personal essay-style memoir comics, occasionally thoughtful, but often thoughtless in its concern for others."

Rules For Dating My Daughter was published by Uncivilized Books, and they have more info about it here.

Rosalie Lightning

In my life exactly three graphic novels have made me cry, this being the third. Rosalie Lightning is about a couple dealing with the death of their almost-2-year-old-daughter, and as a father of a just-past-1-year-old there is certainly a lot of empathy I could have to this tale. But just saying that this book tells an emotionally charged story sells it far short. The subject matter is raw and very human, but how it is presented is what makes this book exceptional.

Its author, Tom Hart, is a long-time comics artist and also a teacher. He has drawn comics about Hutch Owen for decades now, and he also runs the Sequential Arts Workshop in Gainesville, Florida. He puts all of his experience and expertise in display in fine fashion throughout the book. He varies his style from a cartoony, big-fingered style to portray the past and a much more scratchy, dark style to convey his present. He borrows styles, excerpts, and quotations from classic works by EC Comics, Tezuka, and Miyazaki (among others) to create a common visual language and a set of symbols that appear throughout the book, striking very specific notes at opportune times. Not only is this a masterful comic, it is also a master class on how to use comics to their full effect.

All of the reviews of this book I have read have been glowing. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and called it "a masterpiece—and a luminous tribute to a brief, beautiful life." Kirkus Reviews summed up, "A bracing, deeply saddening journey into death and loss whose wryly affirmative resolution, “joy breaking through the storm clouds,” is nothing but hard won." Rob Clough wrote, "The book can be described as any number of things: a prayer, a diary, an extended ritual, the act of creation used as as a way to face tragedy, a howl of anger and despair, and an emphatic display of gratitude both to those who helped him and Leela and the art that helped comfort him."

Rosalie Lightning was published by St. Martin's Press, and they have a preview and more info about it here.

Burma Chronicles

This is the third travelogue from Guy Delisle, an illustrator and animator who travels the globe for work and also to accompany his wife who is involved in Doctors without Borders. Thus, he gets around to some very interesting places. He is a Canadian and his primary language, as you can tell from his blog, is French.

This is his most best, most insightful book to me, as it delves into the political milieu in Myanmar as it relates to Doctors without Borders much more than the others. There is much discussion about whether the organization can operate in this country independently in ways that treat those in need or if it is being turned into an instrument of the state that openly discriminates against those the dictatorial regime deems enemies. Added to this political dilemma is the fact that Delisle is for the first time in a country along with his infant son, placing him in everyday contexts and allowing him to see the social conditions as both a citizen and a parent.

Reviews I have read about the book have been very positive. The Guardian's Rory MacLean praised the book, calling it "the most enlightening and insightful book on Burma in years," and adding, "The key to its success are Delisle's whimsical, black-and-white drawings, as well as his endearingly naïve and humorous self-portrait. Together his honesty and minimal line disarm the reader, drawing him or her into Delisle's life, learning as he learns the truth about the struggle for survival under the generals." J. Caleb Mozzocco called Delisle's work "highly evocative minimalism," going on glowingly, "He’s spent a decade in animation, and it certainly shows in his command of the page, and the time and space the panels suggest upon it." Kirkus Reviews called the book an "insightful, illuminating memoir."

This book was published by Drawn and Quarterly. Some preview images and reference material for the book have been provided here by the author.