Stitches by David Small

Don’t let the format (graphic novel) dissuade you from picking up this dark, frightening (yet hopeful) autobiographical volume by noted children’s author, David Small. While marketed toward young adults, it is, in my opinion, a book meant primarily for adults. To read of the physical and mental abuse this man endured as a child and teenager is more than just mildly disturbing. To know that his own father, mother and grandmother were all involved is shocking. That he eventually worked his way out of their grasp, angry but determined not to repeat the cycle of abuse is nearly miraculous. All the while, he escaped into his art, which eventually blossomed into a career as a beloved author-illustrator of many children’s books. That is the hopeful part of this work.

This book has already been nominated for a National Book Award; there’s no doubt in my mind that it will be nominated for others. The artwork draws you into Small’s dark, painful world. It makes you want to seek out his children’s books to prove to yourself that yes, he really did make it out of his personal hell.

Your idea of “graphic novels” may be forever changed by this book. Pick it up, and you will be compelled to read it.

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Either You’re In or You’re In the Way by Logan and Noah Miller

Sometimes, things are just meant to be. Twin brothers Logan and Noah Miller began a career in screenwriting after their baseball dreams were ultimately unsuccessful (although Noah did play for the Toronto Blue Jays minor league). Their first screenplay, Touching Home, was a look at their relationship with their father, Daniel. Written in the late nineties, no studios ever purchased it for production. 

Then in 2006 everything changed: their father, an alcoholic and homeless, died in jail. Devestated by his death, the twins made a vow to get Touching Home made into a film. And, miraculously, they did. In all, the cast and crew had 11 Academy Awards and 26 nominations to their credit. Amazingly, the brothers were able to cast Ed Harris in the important roll of their father. Brad Dourif and Robert Forester also starred.

It would seem as though I’ve given away ”spoiler” information, but frankly a lot of it can be read on the book jacket or within the first 50 pages. The most important aspect to this book isn’t knowing the details going in, but discovering how they were able to acheive this unlikely goal; it is a study in determination, passion, and luck (it seems as though their father helps them along the way). Curious, I looked up Touching Home on Internet Movie Database and found that the release date is set for March 17, 2010. Sometimes, things are just meant to be.

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That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

At what point do we stop blaming our parents for all of our troubles? Personally, I vote for the age of thirty. In which case, the main character in this novel at 57 years old, Jack Griffin, really needs to grow up and stop whining. The main focus of this book is Jack’s relationship with his parents, both past and present, and how it affects his relationship with his wife, Joy.
   

Most of the novel takes place on Cape Cod. At the start, Jack is back on the cape to attend a wedding. This location is one that Jack is very familiar with since it is the site of childhood vacations with his parents, and also his honeymoon, some thirty odd years ago.

Being back on the cape brings back a flood of memories, especially since his loathsome mother is constantly calling him, and the ashes of his distant father are in the trunk of his car.

Fast forward a year later, and Jack is now separated from his wife for no apparent reason, and back on the cape to attend another wedding; his daughter’s. Some things never change, so Jack is still constantly talking to his mother, who is now dead, and has joined his father in the trunk of his car. 

Jack’s character was very annoying and I found myself wanting to throttle him, yet suprisingly, I enjoyed the book. Jack’s mother was a real hoot.     

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Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

A hotel, a crowd of people and a parasol patterned with beautiful koi trigger lovely, yet painful memories for Henry Lee.  The Panama Hotel, once the entrance to Japan Town in Seattle, Washington, has been closed for over 40 years, but during a renovation project, the new owner has made an exciting discovery.  The personal belongings of Japanese families, stored in haste when they were being transported to internment camps during World War II, have been discovered in the hotel’s basement.

When Henry happens by the crowd in front of the Panama Hotel during a walk, seeing the parasol triggers memories of his school days at Ranier Elementary,  an exclusive white school which he attended on a scholarship during the 1940’s.  Although the white kids don’t accept him, Henry is happy after meeting Keiko Okabe, a Japanese American student his age. Henry, whose parents make him wear an “I am Chinese” pin, defies family tradition to become friends with Keiko.  After Keiko and her family are relocated to an internment camp, she and Henry look forward to the end of the war and to keeping their promises to one another.  Life intervenes, and forty years later Henry is left with his memories  and  hope for renewed love.

This book is an excellent character study and effectively draws the reader into the lives of Henry and Keiko and the atmosphere of Seattle in the 1940’s: the jazz clubs, the daily life of Asian-American families, and the anti-Asian sentiment that grew after the attack on Pearl Harbor.  It is a coming of age story, a story of first love, and sensitive look at father son relationships.  All in all, a wonderful read.

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Nine Lives:Death and Life in New Orleans By Dan Baum

Dan Baum’s astonishing true story takes us back to the chaos and misery of New Orleans’ Hurricane Katrina disaster. In August 2005, Baum, a reporter for the New Yorker, was sent to cover the aftermath of the hurricane. Instead, he finds himself interviewing nine residents that come to define New Orleans and its’ unique lifestyle. Whether black, white, upperclass, lowerclass, male, or female, each give a remarkable perspective on their beloved town and the effects of Katrina. From the transsexual bartender to the New Orleans County Coroner, we discover the unparalleled heart and strength of New Orleanians.

The traditions and roots of Mardi Gras, the uncommon separation of its’ neighborhoods, and the history of the 1965 Hurricane Betsy, are all interesting and probably unknown things we learn in this book. Baum’s writing shows humor through it’s cast of colorful characters and their personal stories, but also emits sadness with the loss of lives and mishandling of Katrina’s victims. These personal accounts affirm the reality and horror of  New Orleans’ greatest natural disaster; while delving deeper than the media did. I strongly urge you to read this book, not only to know the real people behind this tragedy, but also to learn more about the wonderful culture of New Orleans, Louisiana.

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