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Graphic Novels and Comics For Adult Readers March 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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Run for It: Stories of Slaves Who Fought for Their Freedom
by Marcelo D'salete
From the publisher: "Run for It—a starkly stunning graphic novel by internationally acclaimed illustrator Marcelo d’Salete—is one of the first literary and artistic efforts to confront Brazil’s hidden history of slavery. Seen through the eyes of its victims, Run for It tells of ordinary slaves who rebel against their masters. Run for It’s vivid illustrations and magical realism engage the reader’s poetic imagination through stories of individual suffering caused by the horrors of slavery."
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Mis(h)adra
by Iasmin Omar Ata
From the publisher: "Isaac wants nothing more than to be a functional college student—but managing his epilepsy is an exhausting battle to survive. He attempts to maintain a balancing act between his seizure triggers and his day-to-day schedule, but he finds that nothing—not even his medication—seems to work. The doctors won’t listen, the schoolwork keeps piling up, his family is in denial about his condition, and his social life falls apart as he feels more and more isolated by his illness. Even with an unexpected new friend by his side, so much is up against him that Isaac is starting to think his epilepsy might be unbeatable."
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Going into Town: A Love Letter to New York
by Roz Chast
From the publisher: "For native Brooklynite Roz Chast, adjusting to life in the suburbs (where people own trees!?) was surreal. But she recognized that for her kids, the reverse was true. On trips into town, they would marvel at the strange world of Manhattan: its gum-wad-dotted sidewalks, honey-combed streets, and 'those West Side Story-things' (fire escapes). Their wonder inspired Going into Town, part playful guide, part New York stories, and part love letter to the city, told through Chast's laugh-out-loud, touching, and true cartoons."
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How to Read Nancy: The Elements of Comics in Three Easy Panels
by Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden
What seems like an absurd suggestion (NANCY???) actually yields a deep but accessible examination of how the comics medium works, with the least intimidating subject you could imagine (NANCY!!!). All this, plus a nice but brief biography of the creator and a convincing argument for his underappreciated genius.
Highest recommendations!
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Right State
by Mat Johnson and Andrea Mutti
From the publisher: "In the week leading up to a major campaign speech, the Secret Service discovers that an extremist militia group is plotting to assassinate America's second African American President. The best chance to advert this crisis is to infiltrate the group using an ex-Special Forces war hero turned conservative media pundit named Ted Akers. While Aker's politics make him a hero to the right-wing fringe and no friend to the current Administration, he takes the assignment and what follows is an adrenaline fueled race against time to stop a President from dying and a country from being ripped apart."
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Fatherland: A Family History
by Nina Bunjevac
Of this memoir of the multigenerational horrors of Yugoslavia, Rachel Cooke at The Guardian says, "Bunjevac handles time brilliantly, and is marvellously succinct when it comes to historical facts, unpicking a complicated situation for the reader without ever bogging him down. But it’s her drawings that really lift Fatherland up. She works in monochrome, and uses cross-hatching and pointillist techniques, both of which give her strips the feeling of newsprint. This is history, then, but it’s also as vividly immediate as any headline. At a time when European nationalism is again terrifyingly on the march, no wonder it makes for such engrossing and salutary reading."
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Black Paths
by David B.
From the publisher: "When the Austro-Hungarian Empire disintegrated after World War I, control of the Adriatic port of Fiume (now Rieka, Croatia) was hotly disputed. Enter 'Pirate King' Gabriele d’Annunzio, an Italian poet who stormed the city with 3,000 Italian nationalists. D’Annunzio declared Fiume a free republic and himself commander. He envisioned a utopian city-state, but Fiume quickly became a surreal center of violence, looting, and decadence, with shades of the Fascist movement to come. Acclaimed comics artist David B. uses this real event as a backdrop and seamlessly weaves history, hysteria, and highly stylized art into the tragic love story of a beautiful torch singer and a young soldier haunted by the horrors of trench warfare."
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The Ukranian and Russian notebooks
by Igort
From the publisher: "After spending two years in Ukraine and Russia, collecting the stories of the survivors and witnesses to Soviet rule, masterful Italian graphic novelist Igort was compelled to illuminate two shadowy moments in recent history: the Ukraine famine and the assassination of a Russian journalist. Now he brings those stories to new life with in-depth reporting and deep compassion. [...]
"With elegant brush strokes and a stark color palette, Igort has transcribed the words and emotions of his subjects, revealing their intelligence, humanity, and honesty—and exposing the secret world of the former USSR."
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Saturday, Mar. 24, 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 Main Library's Graphic Book Club. This month we're reading about oppression and revolution! Check out some recommended titles above. .
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Ultimate Ladies Book ClubThursday, March 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: The Legend of Wonder Woman by Renae De Liz!
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NC Comicon: Oak City Saturday-Sunday, Mar. 17-18 Raleigh Convention Center 500 S. Salisbury St. in Raleigh Cartoonists, actors, local artists, panels, cosplay and more!
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Durham Comics Project: Drink & DrawWednesday, March 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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