Booknote: March: Book Three

John Lewis, et.al., March: Book Three. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-60309-402-3.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: history, biography, United States
Format: trade paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This is the last volume of John Lewis' autobiographical trilogy of the Civil Rights Era. This trilogy indeed shows that you can use graphic novels to tell great and important stories. Naturally, you should read these books at any time; for me, this was a perfect way to wrap up Black History Month.

The volume's story takes us from the 1963 church bombing in Alabama to the passing of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Many people worked hard in those years, and many were beaten and killed by White American racists, but in the end those seeking progress prevailed, at least for the moment. Because if the 2016 elections in the United States remind us of anything it is how easily Americans forget their history and how easily their inherent racism and bigotry can rise back to the surface. That makes John Lewis' trilogy very needed reading for our times.

This is a powerful and very moving graphic novel. It does not back away from presenting violence from racists upon activists, so it can make for a painful read at times. Not as painful as the pains Lewis and others suffered to make sure this nation lived up to its promises.

It is a volume that may also anger you at times because of the many political games. Lyndon B. Johnson was not exactly a civil rights crusader. He often resisted, made life difficult for the movement, and often only acted when shamed, pressured, or put against a corner so to speak:

"Johnson was backed into a corner, but he wasn't afraid of using hardball politics to fight his way out" (119).

And then there is also this:

"We later learned that President Johnson's men were using FBI wiretaps on the MFPD office, as well as Dr. King's and Bayard Rustin's hotel rooms-- to do anything in their power to influence the outcome" (119).

People got beaten and killed while he and his party worried over precious southern votes, which would lose anyhow when racists saw how the tides were turning. You not only get a riveting and very moving story; you also get a solid history lesson as well.

The story grabs you, and you just have to keep on reading. The art is great and very evocative of the times. I cannot heap enough praise on  this volume and the series. I definitely recommend this, and it is one that will definitely go in my personal collection.

5 out of 5 stars.

This book qualifies for the following 2017 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Troy Little (adapter) and Hunter S. Thompson, Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions, 2015. ISBN: 97801603093750.

Genre: graphic novels
Subgenre: adaptations, biographical
Format: e-book galley
Source: NetGalley

I finished reading this, and I am honestly not sure what to make of this drug-fueled road trip. I will disclose that I have not read the book this is based on; I can tell you now that I have very little interest in reading that other book.

Thompson, using the false name of Dr. Duke, goes on a road trip to Las Vegas. Ostensibly he is there to write an article for a magazine on a dirt bike race. In reality, he is seeking evidence of the American Dream, whatever may remain of it. These are the years of Nixon and the Vietnam War. Is that part of the reason he remains constantly high on drugs? Perhaps, but in the end he is never sober, and yet somehow some writing happens, albeit incoherently more often than not. He is accompanied in his journey by his lawyer, who we know as Dr. Gonzo. He is just as big of a drug and alcohol user as Duke.

There are some amusing moment. They get assigned to cover a drug enforcement conference. They sit there mocking the speakers while high on mescaline and other substances with the cops and lawyers none the wiser. Somewhere in their cloudy haze of drugs Duke and Gonzo lay out the bullshit and stupidity in the so-called American Dream and in the Drug War.

The art is probably the best element in this comic. The artist brings Duke's drug addicted visions of monsters, etc. to life in full detail and color. You get the full and unrestrained drug fueled visions from his mind. This element illustrates the contrast between what Duke sees and the reality.

In the end, I wanted to like this more, but at times it reads like of those prank shows with douchebag buddies trying to trick innocent people. And yet, perhaps being on drugs may well be the only way to get through a very messed up world.

If you have read the book, you may find the comic of interest. For libraries, keep in mind this is an adult title that features various mature situations, including heavy drug use. In the end, I liked it, but I did not see the big deal many readers make out of Thompson or his book.

3 out of 5 stars.

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Additional reading notes:

Thompson often sees himself as a twisted reincarnation of Horatio Alger and his myth. Thompson does, in his own way, explore that myth of the self-made man and the fucked up American Dream. This, in a way, seems poignant and still relevant today.

A fascinating thing is that even drugged to the hilt, there's a certain poetic element in Thompson's writing.

Duke writes on history, and he had a sense that he was living a peak that might not come again. He writes,

"History is hard to know, because of all the hired bullshit, but even without being sure of 'history' it seems entirely reasonable to think that every now and then the energy of a whole generation comes to a head in a long find flash, for reasons that nobody really understands at the time--and which never explain, in retrospect, what actually happened" (77). 

On crime and society, he writes,

"Reading the front page made me feel a lot better. Against that heinous background, my crimes were pale and meaningless. I was a relatively respectable citizen-- a multiple felon, perhaps, but certainly not dangerous" (82). 

And this gem:

"In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity" (82).

I cannot help but wonder what Thompson would make of the massive criminal social clusterfuck today.

I find it amazing that, given all his drug use, that he managed to write let along find any fame. He spent more time high and/or paranoid than actually working.

Thompson nails it on his observation about "second-rate academic hustlers who get paid $500 to $1000 a hit for lecturing to cop crowds" (129). Those hucksters are alive and well today, getting much bigger paychecks and getting on prominent television shows. We even have some of those hucksters in librarianship, though that circuit does not pay as well financially (but it can pay well in notoriety).

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This book qualifies for the following 2016 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: Nemo: River of Ghosts

Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill, Nemo: River of Ghosts. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions, 2015. ISBN: 978-0-86166-233-3

Genre: comics and graphic novels
Subgenre: adventure, steampunk
Format: paperback
Source: My local public library

I liked The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (link to my review of the second volume in that series. I read the first one, but likely before I started putting my reviews online.) very much, but this mostly feels like a shadow of that. I did read it with a small disadvantage. It is the third volume of a trilogy and while you can read it on its own, it does help if you have read the previous two volumes. However, the fact it is part of a series is not made clear in the volume. I found out after a little research I did after reading it.

Anyhow, the plot is that by now Nemo's daughter commands the Nautilus and rules over his legacy. Now an elderly lady, she decides to embark on one last mission to confront an old enemy once and for all. She is being advised by ghosts of the past that only she sees, and though her crew questions her actions, they remain loyal and carry out the mission.

The story is a decent enough adventure piece, but it feels more like Moore is just reaching way out now. For readers who look for the literary references, there are some here though you may have to look up things as they are much more obscure in some cases. If you do not get them, it is OK, but for the completists, it may take some work. In the end, this is really a book for the completists. I can't help but feel that by now Moore is just stretching the story line. It's a good tale, but it highlights that his best work on this series is already in the past. The art, however, is certainly a good reason to pick this volume up. When it comes the art, the quality is excellent.

I would consider this an optional read. I may look up the previous two volumes, mostly out of curiosity, but I do not consider reading them a priority. If my public library gets them, I may pick them up. For libraries, if they have League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, this is optional. I think this Nemo series is more for the hardcore fan. Casual readers likely won't notice if it is not there.

3 out of 5 stars.

This book qualifies for the following 2015 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: March: Book Two

John Lewis, et.al., March: Book Two. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions, 2015. ISBN: 9780606365475. 

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: biography, history
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: My local public library

John Lewis' story during the Civil Rights Movement continues. We go from the lunch counter protests, which we saw taking place in Book One, to the the Freedom Rides and the March on Washington. As in Book One, Lewis' story is framed by President Obama's inauguration.

For readers of all ages, this is an excellent book. We get to learn and see the key events of the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of John Lewis; this is his story as he lived it. It is a book rich in detail with a powerful and moving story, a history that we can never forget. And in these times when it seems racism in the United States is rising again, this history becomes more relevant. In these violent times, this book reminds us of the power of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience.

The black and white art suits the volume well. It really captures the feel of the times, capturing well the expressions and emotions of the characters. The art does show the violence of the racist oppressors as well. Bombings and beatings were part of that history, fueled by hate, and they are depicted here as well, and we dare not turn our eyes away. This is part of U.S. History, and it needs to be seen, to be read, to be learned, and then acted upon to start healing and moving forward.

This is a very engaging book. Once you start, you'll keep reading to the end. This is a must for libraries, whether they have graphic novel collections or not. I'll certainly make sure our library has a copy. Personally, I would add this and the previous volume to my personal collection. I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars.

This book qualifies for the following 2015 Reading Challenges: