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raybeansbooks · 6 months

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Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American - Graphic Novel (Nonfiction, Memoir) Laura Gao Published 2022 by Balzer + Bray

Laura Gao, Chinese-American comics artist, published her first large scale project Messy Roots in March of 2022. In Gao’s memoir, she illustrates expressively and colorfully a coming of age story about figuring out her identity and sense of self- from being Chinese-American, to being an artist, to being interested in girls. Gao is original in her storytelling, humorous, heartfelt, serious, reflective, and thoughtful in her storytelling between her past and present, between her family’s ancestral home in Wuhan, China to their new home in America.

Many reader’s of Gao’s work discuss the importance and complexity of discussing identity in the way that she does. She tackles the life of a young girl bridging the cultural and language gaps by translation papers for her parents and overworking herself to overachieve in her school work and activities. Gao struggles with the identity of someone who is Chinese-American but doesn’t quite fit in with either crowd in a way that feels right. She is expressive in her frustrations as well as when she starts to overcome hurdles she is vibrant in her celebrations. Personally, I adore how Gao seamlessly works back and forth between complex emotions as well as the past and present in her storytelling. I love recognizing popculture references in her work as someone not too off in age. I am entangled in her range of detail and color and motion and emotion in her illustrations- her two page spreads stunning. This is something I wish that I could experience rereading again and again. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming.

I think a piece like this not only holds a special place in an individual’s heart but in that of a community at large. There are plenty of folks in your community who can probably find connection and reflection in a piece like this and that’s so very important. This could definitely be presented in a display setting along with other titles in regards to themes like: Asian Identity, Asian Heritage, Immigration, Asian-American Identity, Non-White Queerness, graphic memoirs, memoirs, etc. This could also be a fantastic addition to comic book clubs for reading and discussion.

There’s just something about this comic… makes me think about Almost American Girl by Robin Ha and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. There’s magic in these women’s words and I cannot wait to read more.

Ray

(11/26/2023)

Gao, L. (2022). Messy roots: A graphic memoir of a Wuhanese-american. Harpercollins Childrens Books.

Goodreads. (n.d.). Messy roots: A graphic memoir of a Wuhanese American. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55867756-messy-roots?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=DznrEIHW9a&rank=4

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kingsbridgelibraryteens · 2 years

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Middle School Monday: Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao

This graphic-format memoir opens with a lot of energy and emotion, as a 3-year-old girl named Yuyang is taking a wild ride on a water buffalo with her cousins and finding even more ways to get in trouble with their family. She is grown now, reflecting back on her childhood in rural Wuhan, China, a place that most of us never heard of until it made headlines around the world in 2020.

When Yuyang and her parents move to America, her life is turned upside down as she tries and fails to fit into a new country while also trying to keep up with her family’s expectations. She wrestles with understanding this new language and understanding how American kids think. She wants to fit in with other kids her age, and she also wants her own American dream. She takes a new American name (Laura, after first lady Laura Bush), and focuses on basketball to help her fit in. By the time she gets to college, she moves further down the road of self-acceptance, understanding and embracing her sexual identity, her role within her family, her life as an artist, and her identity as a Wuhanese American.

Give this book to older kids and teens who enjoy true stories about diverse characters, family problems, and creative types. It would also be a great choice for fans of Gene Luen Yang’s groundbreaking graphic novel American Born Chinese, which we see Laura reading in this book!

#Middle School Monday #Messy Roots #A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American #Laura Gao #graphic nonfiction #LGBT #weneeddiversebooks #immigrants #nonfiction #Kingsbridge Library #NYPL

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richincolor · 1 year

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Jessica’s 2022 Favorites

It's been a fantastic year for YA, but now that the year is wrapping up, all of us at Rich in Color will be picking our favorites of the year. Of course, that's always difficult -- they're all so good! -- and this year is no exception. At the very top of my list of YA reads for 2022 are two YA novels and one YA graphic memoir, all of which I consider must-reads. Check them out:

A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea #1) by Judy I. Lin

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it's her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning's only chance to save her sister's life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao

After spending her early years in Wuhan, China, riding water buffalos and devouring stinky tofu, Laura immigrates to Texas, where her hometown is as foreign as Mars--at least until 2020, when COVID-19 makes Wuhan a household name. In Messy Roots, Laura illustrates her coming-of-age as the girl who simply wants to make the basketball team, escape Chinese school, and figure out why girls make her heart flutter.

Insightful, original, and hilarious, toggling seamlessly between past and present, China and America, Gao's debut is a tour de force of graphic storytelling.

What Souls Are Made Of by Tasha Suri

As the abandoned son of a Lascar—a sailor from India—Heathcliff has spent most of his young life maligned as an “outsider.” Now he’s been flung into an alien life in the Yorkshire moors, where he clings to his birth father’s language even though it makes the children of the house call him an animal, and the maids claim he speaks gibberish.

Catherine is the younger child of the estate’s owner, a daughter with light skin and brown curls and a mother that nobody talks about. Her father is grooming her for a place in proper society, and that’s all that matters. Catherine knows she must mold herself into someone pretty and good and marriageable, even though it might destroy her spirit. As they occasionally flee into the moors to escape judgment and share the half-remembered language of their unknown kin, Catherine and Heathcliff come to find solace in each other. Deep down in their souls, they can feel they are the same.

But when Catherine’s father dies and the household’s treatment of Heathcliff only grows more cruel, their relationship becomes strained and threatens to unravel. For how can they ever be together, when loving each other—and indeed, loving themselves—is as good as throwing themselves into poverty and death?

#a magic steeped in poison #messy roots #what souls are made of #ya lit

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redgoldsparks · 2 years

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May Reading and Reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon. Full reviews below the cut.

The Third Person by Emma Grove

Don't be intimidated by this book's page count- I read the entire thing in one evening. The simple yet expressive art, the well-paced dialogue and emotional journey of the lead character drew me in. Grove writes of her experience seeking therapy to advance her gender transition, only to uncover a Dissociative Identity Disorder and a deep well of unprocessed childhood trauma. The majority of the story takes place in a therapist's office, in which a questionable medical professional out of his depth tries to sort through the truth of Grove's three distinct alters. Misunderstandings and deliberate concealments on the part of both the therapist and the patient lead them to distrust each other, accuse each other of lying, and at various points storm out of therapy sessions on each other. Yet, these sessions continued for over six months and did begin to chip away at some of the blocked memories Grove was hiding from herself. I left this narrative with a much better understanding of how Dissociative Identity Disorder manifests and the struggle it is to live with. I have so much empathy for the author, and I'm extremely glad she was able to heal to the point where writing this book was possible. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy and writing a blurb for this book!

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao

The author writes of an idyllic childhood spent in Wuhan, China, surrounded by cousins, grandparents, and countryside. This time was interrupted by a move to Texas when the author was four years old, and then years of trying to fit in at primarily white elementary schools and high schools. Laura only began to find an Asian community, and a queer community, in college and afterwards when living in San Francisco in her first shared apartment with a group of POC friends. Drawn in a lively, energic style with limited colors and humorous asides, this memoir untangles some of the challenges of identity that come from home meaning many vastly different places and cultures. A fast, enjoyable read!

Real Hero Shit by Kendra Wells

A fun, fast-paced short comic that reads like a single session D&D campaign. Eugene is the handsome, flirty, single son of a queen and heir to a kingdom. He whimsically joins an adventuring crew with a gentle nonbinary cleric, a mysterious knife-wielding thief, and a prickly mage. They pick up odd jobs on the way to their goal: a small town plagued by disappearances. Tensions run high in this misfit band, and it's only a matter of time until they start stabbing each other, or making out, or both! Delightful art and character designs from an artist/author I've been following since we met in a mutual fandom :D

They Call Me Mix/Me Llamo Maestre by Lourdes Rivas and illustrated by Breena Nunez

A short, sweet, bilingual book about nonbinary gender identity. The book emphasizes the importance of listening to your heart, speaking your truth, and respecting the identities and pronouns of others. Una breve y tierna historia bilingüe sobre la identidad de género no binaria. El libro enfatiza la importancia de escuchar tu corazón, decir tu verdad y respetar las identidades y los pronombres de los demás.

Never Have I Ever Stories by Isabel Yap

I absolutely loved this debut short story collection. It contains thirteen stories, some spooky, some sweet, many queer, many infused with Filipino myths or set around Manila. Every story was special in its own way but "How to Swallow the Moon," a fairytale drenched with lesbian yearning, and "A Spell For Foolish Hearts," a gay meet-cute story about a part-time witch who works at a tech startup in San Francisco really stood out to me. But there was also "Milagroso" about a future of fully human engineered food and a saint's day miracle; and "Hurricane Heels" about the bachelorette party of a Sailor-Moon-esque crime fighting magical girl. So much to enjoy! I plan to keep an eye on this author.

Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

Aiza has always dreamed of becoming a Knight for the Bayt-Sajji Empire. Also, as a member of the recently colonized Ornu people, its one of her only paths to full citizenship. Her parents don't want her to go, but eventually they allow to let her enlist, if she hides her race. Aiza befriends a dreamer who grew up on stories of heroes; a strong, practical, no-nonsense older girl; and a retired Knight with one arm who trains Aiza in secret. She is the runt of the trainee litter but she's determined to prove herself. What she didn't realize is that joining the army means joining the machinery of empire, conquest, and violence. As she rises in the ranks, she must confront what she is fighting for, and against. This is a very beautiful and richly drawn story, which reminded me of a childhood favorite, Alanna but from a refreshingly non-European perspective.

The Hazards of Love vol 1 by San Stanley

Amparo is a gender-nonconforming teen deadbeat, frequently suspended from school, who stresses out their single working mom and abuela. When a talking cat approaches them offering them a wish, Amparo foolishly thinks this is a kindness. Instead, the cat steals Amparo's name and identity, banishing them, nameless, into The Bright World. Here, humans are seen as food or toys by the monsters and magical animals who inhabit this place somewhere between life, death, and fairyland. Our hero has to use their wits and reckless confidence to scheme, scam, and bluff their way through this dangerous new world. I love watching the boldness of the way this protagonist takes on a very scary situation, and the rich, decorative page designs. I know that this comic was initially posted online as a webcomic, and it has a certain mid-2000s webcomic feel. Online the story was in black and white; in print, the story is in color for the first time. Some of the pages did unfortunately print a little too dark, but it's still exciting to see the bright colors of The Bright World.

A-Okay by Jarad Green

Jay is having a hard time in eighth grade. His best friend has joined a band and no longer seems to have time for him; getting the art class he wants give him a challenging and lonely schedule; and he's developed a very intense and painful case of acne, far beyond what any of his peers seems to be struggling with. He also doesn't understand the crushes and romantic feels his classmates seem to all be developing for each other. Jay sets out of a long series of dermatology appointments, a medication with uncomfortable side effects including mood swings, hot flashes, cracked and peeling lips, and rashes. He does his best to make his way through the rough last year of junior high with as much creativity and joy as he can find. This is a simple yet important story of feeling self-conscious and alone in the very years it's most painful to feel like an outsider. But Jay stays true to himself and I think many young readers will feel seen by this book.

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi read by Bahni Turpin

Like Pet, I listened to this as an audiobook and that added a ton to my experience of it! Bahni Turpin is truly one of the most delightful audiobook narrators out there. Bitter is a student at a well funded and mysterious art boarding school, the first place she has ever felt really safe after a life in the foster care system. She has good friends, but she has not shared with them her deepest secret: that if she puts a drop of blood on one of her drawings, it will come to life. Bitter's school is in Lucille, a city scarred with inequality and violence. A corrupt mayor and a city council in the pockets of a billionaire put profit above the citizen's needs. There is an active resistance movement, but Bitter wants nothing to do with it. She has panic attacks when thinking about the protests and police shootings, but also feels guilty that as an art student she isn't doing anything for social change. This book wrestles with hard questions, about the role of violence and art in revolution, about what is needed to shake up a broken system and begin again. I also loved that the majority of the characters are queer.

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

I was utterly charmed by this fantasy coffee shop romance. Viv, an orc who has spent her whole career traveling and fighting with adventure crews, decides she wants to settle down to a quieter life. In her journeys she had the chance to try a rare gnomish drink, a latte, and she still thinks of that delicious drink and the peaceful atmosphere of the café often. She decides she wants to open her own café- even though she has no food service experience, no one in her chosen city of Thune has ever heard of coffee, and the local gang demands monthly "tributes" from all businesses on Viv's side of the river. But Viv is determined, and she will build this business brick by brick if she has to. Similar in tone to Terry Pratchett, but a bit gentler and sweeter, I'd recommend this for anyone who wants to read an easy story about a woman thriving and achieving her dreams.

#reading #reviews #book reviews #comic book reviews

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emilysworldoffandoms · 1 year

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Books I Read in 2022

1. Beast Boy Loves Raven By Kami Garcia & Gabriel Picolo 2. Dear Girl By Aija Mayrock 3. A Fire Like You By Upile Chisala 4. Nectar By Upile Chisala 5. Soft Magic By Upile Chisala 6. As If On Cue By Marisa Kanter 7. Heartstopper Volume 4 By Alice Oseman 8. Address Unknown By Katherine Kressmann Taylor 9. Ariel By Sylvia Plath 10. Heart Talk By Cleo Wade 11. At Somerton: Cinders & Sapphires By Leila Rasheed 12. At Somerton: Diamonds & Deceit By Leila Rasheed 13. Unlock Your Storybook Heart By Amanda Lovelace 14. Instructions for Dancing By Nicola Yoon 15. Martita, I Remember You By Sandra Cisneros 16. Brown Girls By Daphne Palasi Andreades 17. Here's to Us By Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera 18. Counting by 7s By Holly Goldberg Sloan 19. The Summer I Turned Pretty By Jenny Han 20. It's Not Summer Without You By Jenny Han 21. We'll Always Have Summer By Jenny Han 22. Everything I Need to Know I Learned From Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood By Melissa Wagner & Fred Rogers 23. Gained a Daughter But Nearly Lost My Mind: How I Planned a Backyard Wedding During a Pandemic By Marlene Kern Fischer 24. At Somerton: Emeralds & Ashes By Leila Rasheed 25. Café Con Lychee By Emery Lee 26. The Book Tour By Andi Watson 27. God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian By Kurt Vonnegut 28. Yoga Pant Nation By Laurie Gelman 29. Mr. Malcolm's List By Suzanne Allain 30. Miss Lattimore's Letter By Suzanne Allain 31. The Road Between By Courtney Peppernell 32. Enough Rope By Dorothy Parker 33. My Favorite Half-Night Stand By Christina Lauren 34. Smells Like Tween Spirit By Laurie Gelman 35. How to Be a Wallflower By Eloisa James 36. Be Like the Moon By Levi Welton 37. Morality for Muggles: Ethics in the Bible and the World of Harry Potter By Moshe Rosenberg 38. 84, Charing Cross Road By Helene Hanff 39. Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating By Christina Lauren 40. The Matchmaker By Thornton Wilder 41. The Cheat Sheet By Sarah Adams 42. All-of-a-Kind Family By Sydney Taylor (Re-read) 43. Shadow Angel Book One By Leia Stone & Julie Hall 44. Spooky America: The Ghostly Tales of Sleepy Hollow By Jessa Dean 45. Needle & Thread By David Pinckney, Ennun Ana Iurov, Micah Myers 46. Good Game, Well Played By Rachael Smith, Katherine Lobo, Justin Birch 47. Home Sick Pilots By Dan Walters & Caspar Wijngaard 48. Beyond the Wand: The Magic & Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard By Tom Felton 49. Legends and Lore of Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson Valley By Jonathan Kruk 50. Heartless Prince By Leigh Dragoon 51. A Contract with God By Will Eisner 52. Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American By Laura Gao 53. Blackwater By Jeannette Arroyo and Ren Graham 54. Woman World By Aminder Dhaliwal 55. In Real Life By Cory Doctorow & Jen Wang 56. Lore Olympus Volume 1 By Rachel Smythe 57. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword By Barry Deutsch 58. Persuasion By Jane Austen 59. Devil in Disguise By Lisa Kleypas 60. Shadow Angel Book Two By Leia Stone & Julie Hall 61. Lore Olympus Volume 2 By Rachel Smythe 62. Talk to My Back By Yamada Murasaki 63. How I Saved Hanukkah By Amy Goldman Koss 64. Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet By Barbara Dee 65. Shadow Angel Book Three By Leia Stone & Julie Hall 66. The Matzah Ball By Jean Meltzer 67. Canción By Eduardo Halfon 68. Leopoldstadt By Tom Stoppard 69. Say Yes to the Duke By Eloisa James 70. Winter Roses after Fall By Robert M. Drake & r.h. Sin 71. Roomies By Christina Lauren 72. Falling Toward the Moon By Robert M. Darake & r.h. Sin 73. Empty Bottles Full of Stories By Robert M. Drake & r.h. Sin

#blogger #fandoms #fangirl #books #novels #poetry #romance #graphic novels

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laceyrowland · 1 year

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2022 Reading Wrapped Part III

At about this point in the Ultimate Book Nerd Challenge, I was starting to experience some burnout and finding myself just wanting to get through the challenge so that I could read what I wanted to read. It's motivating to have a goal, but sometimes the goal begins to feel arbitrary and meaningless.

Instead of giving up, I pushed through at breakneck speed, finishing the challenge in August. And in September I slowed down considerably in my reading.

Some tips about setting reading goals or committing to reading challenges:

Find a challenge that allows for some flexibility in interpretation. The one thing I can say about the Ultimate Book Nerd challenge was that no one was really checking whether the books I read met the categories perfectly - the point was to get folks reading and to try new things! So don't beat yourself up if you fudge the rules. You're reading, that's what matters.

Set realistic goals. If you're a slow reader like me, focus on a challenge or a goal that focuses on quality (or variety) rather than quantity. I am challenging myself to read books 35 books I've never read before, prioritizing women, queer and BIPOC writers (I'm a chronic re-reader).

Have fun with it! An idea I'm sitting on for a future challenge is to read books that were adapted into movies and then watching the movie when I've finished the book as a treat. I've also got The Sealey Challenge on my radar for 2023 - a book of poetry a day for the entire month (I already have some of the collections picked out). Whatever you do, don't make it a chore for yourself.

Here's what I read July through September of 2022:

Fever Dream - Samanta Schweblin

This Time Tomorrow - Emma Straub*

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry - Neil deGrasse Tyson

Self-Portrait with Ghost - Meng Jin*

O Pioneers! - Willa Cather

Afterparties - Anthony Veasna So*

The Electricity of Every Living Thing - Katherine May

Heartstopper Vols 1-4 - Alice Oseman*

Black Birds in the Sky - Brandy Colbert*

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American - Laura Gao*

After Dark - Haruki Murakami

This One Summer - Mariko Tamaki*

Katie the Catsitter Book 2 - Colleen AF Venable

The Deep - Rivers Solomon

Seance Tea Party - Reimena Yee

Sea of Tranquility - Emily St. John Mandel*

The Prince and the Dressmaker - Jen Wang

Greenlights - Matthew McConaughey

Indian Horse - Richard Wagamese*

Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain*

The Sympathizer - Viet Thanh Nguyen*

The Magic Fish - Trung Le Nguyen

Ms. Marvel Vols 1-2 - G. Willow Wilson

The Joy of Doing Just Enough - Jennifer McCartney

Goldenrod - Maggie Smith

*Books that blew my hair back

Don't miss the first parts of the list - check out Part I and Part II.

Stay tuned for the Part IV - the wrap-up of 2022 Reading Wrapped!

#reading challenge #reading #tbr pile #booknerd #books #graphic novel #comics #audiobook #books i love

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burningdarkfire · 2 years

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books i read in june 2022

[these are all short + casual reviews - feel free to msg me and ask about individual ones if u want a full review or ask for my goodreads!!]

a month of rereads, graphic novels, novellas, and overall just a good time 🤠 gideon’s a reread (though it so deserves another shoutout), jujutsu kaisen is what it is so, here’s the #3 of the month:

the seventh perfection - daniel polansky ★★★★☆ (fantasy)

neat little fantasy novella that’s told entirely through dialogue directed at the POV character. i took notes while reading and it was very fun to construct the world and story from what we’re given!

gideon the ninth - tamsyn muir ★★★★★ (scifi)

it’s still gotta be my favourite book from the recent few years. it’s an insanely skillful genre mash and completely unmatched in terms of my personal enjoyment. i reread this and harrow at the end of june and it put me in a reading slump for july because nothing else can compare 😭

jujustu kaisen (volumes 11-15) - gege akutami ★★★★☆ (YA fantasy manga)

lots of combat this arc, which i don’t care for much personally. it’s still fun to read though and i’m looking forward to seeing it all animated!

the argonauts - maggie nelson ★★★★☆ (memoir)

absolutely fascinating queer memoir. i rarely get so much out of books that i (politely) don’t actually enjoy, but maggie nelson works some magic blending her lived experiences with critical theory. so much to think about!

a memory called empire - arkady martine ★★★★☆ (scifi)

another reread! my opinion of this book hasn’t changed at all either - so many fascinating ideas that drive me absolutely insane (the imago machines, please) but the writing feels a bit bloated and slow

messy roots: a graphic memoir of a wuhanese-american - laura gao ★★★★☆ (memoir)

very “standard” memoir of a chinese-american. i hate to say it but if you’ve read any other asam lit then you’ve basically already read this. the art was very nice though

ace: what asexuality reveals about desire, society, and the meaning of sex - angela chen ★★★★☆ (nonfiction)

good and useful overview but if, like me, you grew up on tumblr then there��s nothing new here. i wish it had been more of a memoir

conversations with friends - sally rooney ★★★☆☆ (contemporary)

the utmost respect for sally rooney because she makes me feel like no other contemporary author. i liked the premise of this book, but the main character was unbearable for me. i did still get gutted in the last 10% or so though

flatland: a romance of many dimension - edwin a. abbott ★★★☆☆ (mathematical satire)

entertaining bit of historical writing. it’s really funny to me personally to read about a square experiencing horrors beyond his comprehension, but even i thought this book dragged on a little long

panenka - ronan hession ★★★☆☆ (contemporary)

parts of this book were very beautifully written, but overall it felt slow and frustrating. maybe i’m the wrong audience though, so check back with me in a decade or two when i’m closer to the age of the protag

fence (volumes 1-4) - c.s. pacat ★★★☆☆ (sports romance)

very standard sports romance graphic novel. i’ve learned more about fencing than i ever expected to. the main romance has been pretty slow to get started but a lot of the side characters are fun

dark matter - blake crouch ★★☆☆☆ (scifi thriller)

this reads like a book written to be a movie. i wish the protag bought into the premise of the book way faster than he did. i think blake crouch wrote a situation that was far cleverer than he was, because the outcome was very unsatisfactory. very fast read though

storm cursed - patricia briggs ★★☆☆☆ (urban fantasy)

so sad to rate anything in this series lowly 😭 it was just boring? not a lot happens and mercy spends most of the book driving around recounting the plot thus far to other characters. really hoping the next one is better!

a spindle splintered - alix e. harrow ★★☆☆☆ (fantasy retelling)

very #quirkygirlpower and absolutely jammed full of pop culture references. it’s actually fine, just really not for me

beast boy (volumes 2-3) - kami garcia ★★☆☆☆ (superhero)

i love gabriel picolo’s art, which is why i keep reading these comics, but the plot leaves a lot to be desired. super generic plotlines, insta-love-y, and even after three volumes there’s no genuine concept of what’s at stake

#my posts #reading wrap up #books #liveblogging books #the locked tomb #jujutsu kaisen #teixcalaan

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bookclub4m · 2 months

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Episode 192 - Non-Fiction Graphic Novels & Comics

This episode we’re discussing the format of Non-Fiction Graphic Novels & Comics! We talk about what we even mean when we say “non-fiction,” comics vs. graphic novels, art vs. writing, memoirs vs. other stuff, and more. Plus: It’s been over 365 days since our last gorilla attack!

You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast delivery system.

In this episode

Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Jam Edwards

Join our Discord Server!

Things We Read (or tried to…)

Moi aussi je voulais l'emporter by Julie Delporte

This Woman's Work by Julie Delporte, translated by Helge Dascher and Aleshia Jensen

Sông by Hài-Anh and Pauline Guitton

Kimiko Does Cancer by Kimiko Tobimatsu and Keet Geniza

Why I Adopted by Husband by Yuta Yagi

The Art and Life of Hilma af Klint by Ylva Hillström, translated by Karin Eklund

Go to Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood by Lucy Knisley

Nuking Alaska: Notes of an Atomic Fugitive by Peter Dunlap-Shohl

My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders by Monzusu, translated by Ben Trethewey

The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food: Step-by-Step Vegetable Gardening for Everyone by Joseph Tychonievich and Liz Kozik

Other Media We Mentioned

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

Fun Home (musical) (Wikipedia)

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, translated by Mattias Ripa

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

The Essential Dykes To Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel

Displacement by Lucy Knisley

Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned and Judd Winick

Melody: Story of a Nude Dancer by Sylvie Rancourt, translated by Helge Dascher

Kid Gloves by Lucy Knisley

The Mental Load by Emma

The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel

What Is Obscenity?: The Story of a Good for Nothing Artist and Her Pussy by Rokudenashiko

Homestar Runner

Button Pusher by Tyler Page

Last of the Sandwalkers by Jay Hosler

Clan Apis by Jay Hosler

Ping-pong by Zviane

Dumb: Living Without a Voice by Georgia Webber

When David Lost His Voice by Judith Vanistendael

Blankets by Craig Thompson

Smile by Raina Telegmeier

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

Sensible Footwear: A Girl's Guide by Kate Charlesworth

Links, Articles, and Things

Harvey Pekar (Wikipedia)

Joe Sacco (Wikipedia)

Japanese adult adoption (Wikipedia)

In the name of the queer: Sailor Moon's LGBTQ legacy

The Spectre of Orientalism in Craig Thompson’s Habibi

Cultural Appropriation in Craig Thompson’s Graphic Novel Habibi

35 Non-fiction Graphic Novels by BIPOC Authors

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.

This Place: 150 Years Retold

Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir by Ai Weiwei with Elettra Stamboulis & Gianluca Costantini

Nat Turner by Kyle Baker

The Talk by Darrin Bell

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

I’m a Wild Seed by Sharon Lee De la Cruz

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao

Stamped from the Beginning: A Graphic History of Racist Ideas in America by Joel Christian Gill and Ibram X. Kendi

Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martinez

The 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book by Gord Hill

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob

The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66 Discovering Dinosaur Statues, Muffler Man, and the Perfect Breakfast Burrito: a Graphic Memoir by Shing Yin Khor

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada, and Ko Hyung-Ju

In Limbo by Deb J.J. Lee

This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America by Navied Mahdavian

Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story by Sarah Myer

Steady Rollin': Preacher Kid, Black Punk and Pedaling Papa by Fred Noland

Citizen 13660 by Mine Okubo

Your Black Friend and Other Strangers by Ben Passmore

Kwändǖr by Cole Pauls

Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey by Edel Rodriguez

Power Born of Dreams: My Story is Palestine by Mohammad Sabaaneh

A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

Grandmothers, Our Grandmothers: Remembering the "Comfort Women" of World War II by Han Seong-Won

Death Threat by Vivek Shraya and Ness Lee

Palimpsest: Documents From A Korean Adoption by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom

Big Black: Stand at Attica by Frank "Big Black" Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane

Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith, Dawud Anyabwile, and Derrick Barnes

The High Desert by James Spooner

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker

Feelings by Manjit Thapp

The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson

Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard by Ronald Wimberly and Braham Revel

Bonus list: 21 Non-Fiction Manga

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#podcasts #libraries #non-fiction #graphic novels #comics

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profiterole-reads · 8 months

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¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico by Christine Suggs

¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico by Christine Suggs was excellent. It's a graphic memoir about their first solo trip to see their family in Mexico when they didn't speak Spanish fluenty.

The book is partly in English, partly in Spanish. As Christine has some difficulties in Spanish, they translate some sentences in their mind / for the readers, but you need to at least have some notions of Spanish to read this story.

Here's a quote I related to from the end of the trip: "It's actually surprising to see signs in English. It's like my brain is still catching up." It's the same for me when I come back from England to France.

Christine is fat and queer. The book presents them as bisexual, but not as non-binary, as I suppose they didn't identify like that yet during that trip.

If this seems interesting to you, also check out the graphic memoir Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao (queer as well).

#lgbt books #non-binary #contemporary

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mqhwriter · 1 year

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My Best Articles of 2022

I put out some really good articles I am very proud of in 2022. I reviewed video games, loads of books, TV shows, and live theatre performances. Here are some of my favourite articles from 2022.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands - Book Review

2. On a Sunbeam - Book Review

3. Spinning - Book Review

4. I'm a Terminal Cancer Patient, But I'm Fine - Book Review

5. Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American - Book Review

6. WALK - Blue Room Theatre

7. Unpacking - Video Game Review

8. The Best Muffin Episodes from Bluey

9. This One Summer - Book Review

10. The Best Bob and Linda Belcher Episodes from Bob's Burgers

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thebooksupplier · 1 year

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#currentlyreading Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao. #graphicmemoir #bookstagram #blackbookblogger https://www.instagram.com/p/CmAhb-er4rA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#currentlyreading #graphicmemoir #bookstagram #blackbookblogger

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lastchancevillagegreen · 1 year

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Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of A Wuhanese American (2022) Laura Gao (272 pages)

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kingsbridgelibraryteens · 8 months

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Reluctant Reader Wednesday: Family Style: Memories of an American From Vietnam by Thien Pham

Many of Thien’s most important memories are connected to food, both the food that sustained his family when they were refugees and the food that they savored in America. This book is a poignant look at the refugee experience, with memories of food being milestones along the way.

Family Style is a great choice for fans of other graphic-format memoirs about cultural / family differences, like Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao. Give this book to teens who enjoy true stories about immigrants, families, food, and the search for the American Dream.

#Reluctant Reader Wednesday #Family Style #Thien Pham #graphic format nonfiction #nonfiction #memoir #autobiography #food #refugees #immigrants #Kingsbridge Library #NYPL

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outside-of-a-dog · 2 years

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“Roots” and “roots”

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao. Balzer + Bray, HarperCollins, 2022. 9780063067776

Really, the flood of excellent YA graphic memoirs has become a torrent, but please find room for one more on your “to read” list. This timely entry manages to tie together many different stories: growing up Chinese-American, the generational divide between immigrant parents and native-born children, the author’s growing recognition of her queer identity, and the onset of COVID-19 and its devastating impact. And, it’s actually funny too.

Following a vaguely chronological timeline (with plenty of flashbacks and foreshadowing) we see Laura leave her nerdy, model-minority self behind in middle school and become a high school basketball player. She’s eager to erase her Chinese identity, although a trip to Wuhan introduces her to cousins and her parents’ backstories, which will end up (eventually) having a profound impact. She wrestles with her interest in art (not valued by her parents) and by her lack of Asian-American awareness, especially once she gets to college. White Rabbit candy and her messy black hair are used to great symbolic effect throughout the book, both recalling her time in China and her bond to her parents’ birthplace. The fabulous illustrations are tender, amusing, and visually arresting, without ever sacrificing clarity. I loved the references to Gene Luen Yang’s (now classic) American Born Chinese and its impact on Gao’s own cartooning, although I can’t believe it’s old enough to have spawned its own descendents already!

Anyone who loves the graphic memoir form will enjoy this. Recent read alikes would include Almost American Girl by Robin Ha, I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib, and Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy.

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libraryleopard · 2 years

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Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao

Graphic memoir about the author’s experiences as a Chinese American who emigrated from Wuhan as a young child

Explores her childhood in a small, conservative Texas town, understanding their queer and Chinese identities better at college, and facing anti-Asian racism and xenophobia during the COVID-19 pandemic when Wuhan is suddenly thrust into the global spotlight

Bold art with some video game references

#this was good!#covers a lot in one graphic memoir #also the illustrations of chinese food made me v hungry #messy roots #laura gao #lulu speaks #lulu reads #pride reading 2022 #lulu reads messy roots

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nicosbooknook · 2 years

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Yesterday's book haul!

Books included: Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao and The Fire Never Goes Out by Noelle Stevenson.

I picked out both of these books as options for a prompt in TheStoryGraph genre challenge, but I couldn't figure out which one to actually read, so I got both!

#bookblr #original posts #messy roots #messy roots: a graphic memoir of a wuhanese american #laura gao #the fire never goes out #noelle stevenson #book haul #bookish #reading #bookworm #comic books

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