What We’re Reading

JOE

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story by Sean Howe
I’ve only just started the book so I’m still only in the early days of Marvel or Timely as it was called in the 40s, but it’s already completely engrossing. The relationship of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee is already being defined. Marvel Comics was for me what the Harry Potter series was for a younger generations. I never read young adult books, I read the Fantastic 4 and Doctor Strange, and I can’t wait to get off work and read the whole book tonight. There are no pictures in the book because Marvel told Sean Howe they would need final approval of the text and Howe refused, so instead there is a facebook page that has tons of great photos and interviews. Jack Kirby is KING. I highly recommend this book.”

JESSICA

The Round House by Louise Erdrich
“This book is set on a reservation in North Dakota. 13 Year old Joe’s mom Geraldine works for the tribal council. One spring day Geraldine is attacked and raped. Joe’s father, who is a tribal judge, try to figure out what happened but Geraldine is traumatized and wont talk. I am only halfway through the book but it is really well written and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.”

CAROLYN

The Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song by Frank M. Young and David Lasky
“This graphic novel is beautifully illustrated and finely detailed. It’s not a quick read, but thus far it’s a great one. It comes with a CD, and each chapter is named after a song. I know a good amount about the carter family, I’ve read about them and seen a documentary, but this really gets to the intimate details. It covers Sara and A.P.’s tumultuous relationship, their eventual split as well as her falling in love with another man – A.P.’s cousin.  Anyone who likes graphic novels will love this book, it’s visually stunning. It’s an extra special treat us old-timey music buffs.”

MERRILEE

This is Your Brain On Music by Daniel J. Levitin
“This book was slow starting, as it worked it’s way through music theory, I’m just now getting to the good stuff and it’s really interesting. I’ve just read about Ravel’s Boléro. Ravel focused on changing only timbre in his Boléro and the result was genius. His hearing was deteriorating and timbre was one of the only shifts in music he could still decipher.  I’m learning all kinds of interesting facts, like the part of your brain that remembers melody is the part of your brain that can recall sign language while the part of your brain that remembers lyrics is the part that stores vocabulary.”

Join Merrilee and Hilliary-Anne tonight Oct 17 at 7PM to discuss This is Your Brain on Music for their Stranger Than Fiction Book Club!

GRACE

Epileptic by David B.
“It’s rare that I cry, even rarer that a graphic novel makes me cry. David B. shares his childhood growing up in France with an older Epileptic brother in the 60’s. People are intolerant of  Jean-Christophe’s disease, they fear him because of their ignorance. David’s family turns to alternative medicine and at one point even moves to a macrobiotic commune. All the while the developmental gap between David and Jean-Christophe is growing larger. The illustrations remind me somewhat of Persepolis. It’s not what I’m normally drawn to (no pun intended), but it’s beautiful. We get to explore life in wartime France through the eyes of a very creative but troubled boy dealing his brother’s battle against a debilitating disease. It’s heart breaking and very well written.”