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coronam's reviews
680 reviews
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown
5.0
this is one of the most truly heartbreaking accounts of how the west was one. with chapter after chapter, written in a sort of timeline, of different native american tribes that are forced away from their land and onto agency reservations, this book is a shocking look at how far americans took to heart "manifest destiny." although i spent most of my time reading it frustrated and angry, it was beautifully written and should be required reading in any american history class.
No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
4.0
sometimes strange, sometimes beautiful, "no one belongs here more than you" is filled with short stories that just feel right. the characters are real people that made me laugh, cry or cringe. some of the stories were better than others. i ended up falling in love with "something that needs nothing" simply because of how human it was. definitely recommended.
Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi
4.0
a regrettable tale about life fulfilled and unfulfilled. very different from "persepolis" but in a good way.
Black Hole by Charles Burns
5.0
comic book pop-art at its finest. i finished the book in a few hours, captivated by how well each chapter (together in one collection) sets up the next. the series is set in suburban seattle (yay, seattle!) in the mid-seventies where a sexually-transmitted disease has infiltrated the local high-school, turning students into freaks and mutants. disfigurement and violence ensue. a MUST read for any lover of horror and/or graphic novels.
As She Climbed Across the Table by Jonathan Lethem
3.0
Samuel Beckett meets Lewis Carrol in this tale of a lab coat love triangle between a man, a woman and a void, named Lack. Thematic undertones of identity and characterization are sprinkled throughout but the heart of the story explores how far some will go for love. It's early Lethem writing at its finest- funny, witty and a quick read to boot. Highly recommended.
Lost Girls by Alan Moore
4.0
an extremely graphic (!) novel following fairytale heroines wendy (from peter pan), alice (from wonderland and through the looking glass) and dorothy (from oz) in three volumes of hardcore watercolor PORN. if i said anything else, i'd spoil the ending. "lost girls" in no ways represents traditional alan moore and the art done by his wife, melinda gebbie, is not my cup of tea, however it's worth checking out if not for just how ambitious it is.
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
4.0
In "Fun Home," Allison Bechdel relives her story of growing up in an unhappy household in the form of simple prose and charming graphics. Focused primarily on understanding her father's abrupt death, she revisits her childhood in order to make sense of who he was and the reason for him dying. Given that her father was an English teacher in love with the words of James Joyce and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Bechdel often relies on literary analogies and parallels. Because of this, "Fun Home" is actually one of the more verbose graphic novels I've read but fear not readers, with this book, it just works. Bechdel's story-telling was great and the graphics were an exceptional addition to the reading. Recommended to those looking for a good tragicomic.
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
4.0
I kept reading reviews saying this was his worst collection of shorts to date, but I disagree completely. I thought that rather than a string of easy (albeit funny) jabs at his family and friends, Sedaris' writing has matured considerably and instead focused on subjects that are more tragically comedic. Sure, some of these characters are still related to him but overall the stories feel wiser. Does that make any sense? Probably not. Regardless, there were too many laugh out loud moments in this book to pass it by. Highlights included the stories "That's Amore" and "Of Mice and Men."