Essex County by Jeff Lemire

Yesterday I read volumes 1-3 of Essex County by Jeff Lemire. In the past I had read Volume 1: Tales from the Farm and adored it. At the risk of sounding like a terrible, artsy-fartsy review writer, I would describe it as a little raw, touching, and personal. Those are really pretty disgustingly common descriptors, but I feel like all three volumes deserve them in the most genuine of ways.

Maybe I'm biased towards enjoying stories that are based in rural or farm towns since I grew up in one myself, but I felt that there was a lot to connect to even from the immediate beginning. I think it could be enjoyed no matter what your background is, because it's so well-composed and unfolds in such a great way. It starts off with the story of Lester, an imaginative little boy who is trying to figure out life and where he belongs, and as the series goes on you get to learn how his past and present intertwines with the lives of other folks in Essex county.

The artwork really fit well to the setting and style of the story, as well as the character's personalities. They were each illustrated so perfectly. Some panels are more scratchy looking than others, but it all fits together as a whole; the feel of it matches the look of it.

I don't often want to purchase every graphic novel I read (I would have a stupidly large collection) but this one is definitely going on my to-own list. I would be happy to read it over again, and it's possible to do in a quick manner because there are more graphics than text. Anyway, I loved this one and I think everyone should read it.

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

Yesterday I spent about 12 hours at my friend Kristen's house making a pumpkin cheesecake (yes, it was delicious- thank you for asking), so in our down time I read 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. Kristen gave me a brief synopsis before I read it and I was a bit unsure that I'd find interest in it, but it was actually very incredibly charming and easy to read through.

The book is a series of back and forth letters between Helene and her favorite British book store. It starts off as a business relationship, her sending off for antique books she can't find in the US, but it transforms into something much more personal. It's not an in-love story, but I would definitely consider it a story of love and caring. It's very sweet, and *spoiler alert* a tear-jerker.

Since the book is short and simple, I won't ramble on about it more than this. However, I would recommend it to anyone who has an hour or two on their hands for a quick and lovable read!

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

I'm a huge Sedaris fan, so I was definitely curious about this new book since it's his first entire book of fiction. That said, it's not too far off from his previous works. The same wit is certainly there, the same dark humor. And the animals in these short stories interact much in the same way that the humans in his other books interact. None are perfect, some are certainly redeemable, and others are completely loathsome.

While the animals are given human-like personalities, they behave still in animal ways. They still eat what animals eat, do what animals do, but interact in a way that is humanish. It isn't the kind of fiction where they're dressed up in clothes, and it isn't the kind of fiction you'd be wanting to read to a kid before bed (or at all), but it's very entertaining.

Along with the short stories, there are illustrations by Ian Falconer, which are far from his Olivia illustrations. They match Sedaris' humor-- funny, yet dark, and often either morbid or repulsive.

Personally, I thought this book was a lot of dark fun and I enjoyed it very much. It's easy to read in just a day since it's large type, but I spread it out into a few because I didn't want to rush through and devour it quickly as is my normal habit. For anyone who likes Sedaris, they will not be disappointed.

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

I've watched a lot of documentaries and read all kinds of books and articles on the role of food in the life of modern humans, and as a vegetarian I continue to have an interest in the subject of eating animals. In this book, the author, Jonathan Safran Foer, is about to bring a new baby into the world with his wife. Both he and his wife have been wavering vegetarians, so in this book he explores the value in eating meat in order to make good decisions for his son's future food life.

This book does do a lot of what you expect it to do: it talks about his knowledge and direct experiences with different kinds of animal farms, he discusses his reservations about eating animals, etc. But it also explores the role of meat in cultural and family tradition, how it's played a part in his life. I liked the story of how his grandmother basically only ever made one dish, which involved chicken, and how it was simple and maybe not even that good. But because she made it for him out of love, it was special. It reminded me of my grandmother with her chicken pies. Though I haven't eaten meat in a long time, I remember how much I loved that pie. She knew it was my favorite and she would make it for me about once a week. The idea of that dish is special to me because of her, and this is a concept a he talks about at the end of the book. It doesn't matter what you are cooking for your family or friends-- it can align with your values and still be remembered as a precious, nostalgic thing.

I liked the book because of the combination of the exposure of meat industry goings-on, and the personal element that it tied in. It didn't say "For everyone, eating animals is absolutely wrong." The message was more "I've explored the meat options, and I don't like what I see. For my family, we will find other ways to enjoy our food without animal products." The book was a journey and a learning experience, and it was composed by someone I respect greatly as an author. Overall I would say that this book was very enjoyable, especially if you have an open mind and are interested in knowing about the significance of eating animals.

Colorful Spines: Book Adventures of Many Kinds

This blog is a continuation of my old book blog as I move to a new email address. Since naming it the same thing would be impossible, I found inspiration in my bookshelf which is a book spine rainbow since I own many graphic novels and otherwise colorful book jackets.

I'll write about many kinds of books here- I don't stick to one genre, though I certainly have favorites. My writings won't always be a 100% yes or no feeling about the book, or a report on how great the writing is, or even always that in-depth. I hope that the variety of reports and the variety of genres will keep me (and anyone else) interested in this blog.

Away we go!