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Graphic Novels and Comics for adult readers November 2018
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Hello there! My name is Patrick Holt, and I'm a librarian at Southwest Regional Library and a lifelong reader of comics and graphic novels. Check out the contents of this month's newsletter in the box to the left, and get access to past editions in the archive at the bottom of the page. I hope you find these recommendations worthwhile, and please email me at pdholt@dconc.gov if you have any thoughts or questions.
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The Hunting Accident: A True Story of Crime and Poetry
by David L. Carlson and Landis Blair
From the publisher: "It was a hunting accident; that much Charlie is sure of. That's how his father, Matt Rizzo--a gentle intellectual who writes epic poems in Braille--had lost his vision. It's not until Charlie's troubled teenage years, when he's facing time for his petty crimes, that he learns the truth. Matt Rizzo was blinded by a shotgun blast to the face, but it was while participating in an armed robbery. Newly blind and without hope, Matt began his bleak new life at Stateville Prison. In this unlikely place, Matt's life and very soul were saved by one of America's most notorious killers, Nathan Leopold Jr., of the infamous Leopold and Loeb."
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Idle Days
by Thomas Desaulniers-Brousseau and Simon LeClerc
From the publisher: "Depressed and unmoored by his father's violent death, and drafted into the Canadian military to serve in World War II, Jerome has fled, taking refuge in a cabin his grandfather owns in a remote part of the countryside. "But Jerome's troubles are only beginning. A strange dread fills the woods, and rumors of murders and ghosts cast his refuge in a sinister light. As Jerome struggles to come to terms with his father's death, he obsessively seeks to uncover the mystery of what, exactly, happened in his grandfather's house. [...] This haunting graphic novel explores with tenderness and insight the wounds opened with the loss of a loved one."
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Carnet de Voyage
by Craig Thompson
From the publisher: "Riding the international success of Blankets, Craig Thompson sets out on a tour across Europe and Morocco, promoting the various European editions of his book and beginning research for his next graphic novel, Habibi. Carnet de Voyage is a gorgeous sketchbook diary of his travels as he finds intellectual and spiritual stimulation during the day-to-day work of being an author. From wandering around Paris and Barcelona between events, to navigating markets in Fez and fleeing tourist traps in Marrakesh, we see glimpses of each place, rendered in Thompson’s exquisite ink line. [...] This expanded edition also includes a new epilogue drawn from his most recent European book tour, including several familiar faces and Thompson’s reflections on keeping a sketchbook. Carnet de Voyage is a casual yet intimate portrait of a celebrated cartoonist at a moment between works―surprisingly open and candid in his observations and revelations."
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The Three Escapes of Hannah Arendt : A Tyranny of Truth
by Ken Krimstein
From the publisher: "One of the greatest philosophers of the twentieth century and a hero of political thought, the largely unsung and often misunderstood Hannah Arendt is best known for her landmark 1951 book on openness in political life, The Origins of Totalitarianism, which, with its powerful and timely lessons for today, has become newly relevant. [...] "Compassionate and enlightening, playful and page-turning, New Yorker cartoonist Ken Krimstein's The Three Escapes of Hannah Arendt is a strikingly illustrated portrait of a complex, controversial, deeply flawed, and irrefutably courageous woman whose intelligence and "virulent truth telling" led her to breathtaking insights into the human condition, and whose experience continues to shine a light on how to live as an individual and a public citizen in troubled times.
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John Stanley: Giving Life to Little Lulu
by William Schelly
From the publisher: "[This biography is] filled with beautifully reproduced artwork from the comic books Little Lulu, and his creations Melvin Monster and Thirteen (Going on Eighteen); rare drawings and cartoons; and never-before-seen photographs. Bill Schelly tells Stanley’s life story through interviews with his family, friends, and colleagues: his childhood in Harlem and the Bronx, life with his strict Irish Catholic mother, his education at Parsons, his first job as an animator at Max Fleischer Studios, and his years working as a commercial artist, before finding his true métier in comic books during World War II (while battling clinical depression and alcoholism)."
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Filmish: A Graphic Journey Through Film
by Edward Ross
Cinema! From the publisher: "Cartoonist Edward Ross uses comics to illuminate the ideas behind our favorite movies. In Filmish, Ross’s cartoon alter ego guides readers through the annals of cinematic history, introducing some of the strange and fascinating concepts at work in the movies. Each chapter focuses on a particular theme—the body, architecture, language—and explores an eclectic mix of cinematic triumphs, from A Trip to the Moon to Top Gun. Like other bestselling nonfiction graphic novels such as Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, Filmish tackles serious issues—sexuality, race, censorship, propaganda—with authority and wit, throwing new light on some of the greatest films ever made."
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Frida: The Story of Her Life
by Vanna Vinci
Painting! From the publisher: "In this illustrated 'biography', Vanna Vinci captures the spirit of Kahlo’s world in boldly colored, minutely detailed illustrations. Blending facts and history with dreamlike and surreal sequences, Vinci creates an intimate portrayal of an artist who incorporated her life experiences into her art. Burning love and crushing loss, incredible joy and deep despair—these were all part of Kahlo’s life and part of the paintings that are some of the most celebrated art of all time. Filled with images that populated Kahlo’s work—monkeys and parrots, traditional clothing and lush gardens—Vinci imbues her text and drawings with an artist’s perception and sensitivity. The result is an evocative, fittingly passionate tribute to a legendary figure."
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In the Kitchen with Alain Passard
by Christophe Blain
The Culinary Arts! From the publisher: "In the Kitchen with Alain Passard is the first graphic novel to enter the kitchen of a master chef. Over the course of three years, illustrator Christophe Blain trailed acclaimed chef Alain Passard through his kitchens and gardens. With simple yet sublime drawings and thousands of colorful panels, this book gives the reader an inside, uncensored look at the world of Passard, who shocked the food universe in 2001 by removing meat from the menu at his celebrated Paris restaurant, L'Arpege, and dedicating himself to serving vegetables from his own organic farms. [A] portrait of an amazing chef, an inside look at his creative process, and a humorous riff on fine dining culture—plus fifteen recipes for the home kitchen—in one haute cuisine comic book for foodies!"
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Agatha: The Real Life of Agatha Christie
by Martinetti, Lebeau, and Franc
Literature! From the publisher: "The life of Agatha Christie was as mysterious and eventful as her fiction. This beautifully illustrated graphic novel traces the life of the Queen of Whodunnit from her childhood in Torquay, England, through a career filled with success, mischief, and adventure, to her later years as Dame Agatha. Revealing a side to Christie that will surprise and delight many readers, Agatha introduces us to a free-spirited and thoroughly modern woman who, among other things, enjoyed flying, travel, and surfing. Centering around an episode in 1926 when Christie staged her own disappearance, Agatha is an intriguing, entertaining, and funny exploration of the 20th century’s best-loved crime novelist."
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Saturday, November 17, 2 p.m. Southwest Regional Library - 3605 Shannon Rd. Questions? Call John Davis at 919-560-0125 Join our MeetUp group at meetup.com/graphic-book-club Enjoy comic books or graphic novels? Join us for the monthly meeting of Southwest Library's Graphic Book Club. This month we're reading NONFICTION! .
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Ultimate Ladies Book ClubThursday, November 1, 7:30 p.m. Ultimate Comics Raleigh,1301 Buck Jones Rd, RaleighThe first Thursday of each month the Ultimate Ladies Alliance meets to discuss a different comic or graphic novel. Join the Ultimate Ladies’ Alliance on Facebook for more info and to vote on your top picks for the next month’s meeting, plus suggest books for future discussion and share your favorites. This month's title is Paper Girls Vol. 1
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Comics Creator Hangout with the Triangle Comics Creator Network Wednesday, November 7, 6 p.m. Chapel Hill Public Library: 100 Library Dr. in Chapel Hill Are you a professional, amateur, or aspiring comics artist or writer living in the Triangle? Comics Creator Networking Night has expanded to Chapel Hill! Swing by the library and meet fellow writers and artists! Be sure to bring your materials and whatever else you like to kick off the gathering. All ages, skill levels and genres are welcome, and friends and family too! Call 919-968-2777 or email jbarker@townofchapelhill.org for more information. Join the Network at our Meetup page!
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NC Comicon: Bull City Fri.-Sun Nov. 9-11 Durham Convention Center and environs Durham's biggest con is back for another year, with guests like Afua Richardson, Matt Kindt, Ben Sears, and many many more. Plus cosplay, vendors, comics-related movies and too many other things to list! See the full rundown at nccomicon.com/bull-city.
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Durham Comics Project: Drink & DrawWednesday, November 21, 7-9 p.m.This monthly meetup is for those new to comics and seasoned vets alike. The hardest part of making comics is often making the time to draw, so let’s make that time together! We'll have an exercise or two (often collaborative), but you're welcome to just come to work on your own thing.
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For personalized reading recommendations from Durham County librarians, try My Next 5! Simply complete an online form to tell us a little about what genres, books, and authors you like (or dislike). A DCL librarian will review your submission and reply with a list of the next five books you should read -- all ages of readers welcome!
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Want to keep up-to-date on new books at the library? on everything from Horror to Home & Garden!
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NoveList Plus is a comprehensive database of fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages, including recommendations, articles, and lists for your fiction and nonfiction needs. DCL cardholders can access NoveList Plus from any computer.
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Check out the library's top ten checkouts! Lists include top tens for adult fiction and nonfiction, movies, young adults fiction, picture books and kids' fiction.
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Links to newsletters from the past year:
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If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Durham County Library at
919-560-0100, Administration Building, 101 E. Morgan St., Durham, NC 27701
librarywebmaster@durhamcountync.gov
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