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"Nervosa" by Hayley Gold
Dec. 21st, 2023 04:03 pmNervosa, by Hayley Gold. A comics memoir about her experiences with Anorexia nervosa. Published 2023.
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Media report! October
Oct. 8th, 2023 09:50 pmMigraining this week, but I started to feel better at about 5 pm today. Sometimes I really just have to lean into being a night person.
Watched a few documentaries, they were all somewhat enjoyable, concussion/migraine viewing.
The Alpinist. About a free-solo rock and mountain climber (meaning no ropes, no climbing partner). This guy was in it for the adventure and the extreme experiences. He died in 2018 from an avalanche. Lots of great photography in this, but obviously not recommended if you have a fear of heights.
Race to the Summit. Also about 2 free-solo rock climbers, in Switzerland. The Swiss German is sort of narrated over in English. These 2 climbers focus on speed, so they are essentially "running up a mountain". One of these climbers died from a fall and the other is still living. This is on Netflix. Seems like there is a cottage industry of documentaries around this rarefied pursuit and I've now watched a bunch of them. The people who do this, who seek out these experiences and enjoy them, seem to have unusual personalities, and it seems like that type of person would also be the space adventurer in SF and/or the scout in fantasy lands.
Eat the Rich: the Gamestop Saga. About an investment scheme adventure that happened in 2020 involving redditors. They did a nice job explaining it and finding colorful characters to make this short series interesting. There were a couple random fat-phobic shots of a stereotypical fat person sitting in front of his computer eating cheetos, which was a fly in the ointment of this otherwise decent production. This was certainly more entertaining than the film "the big short." That's a low bar though.
I read one comics memoir!
Dear Scarlet by Teresa Wong. This book is about post-partum depression and some intense shit going on.
( Read more... )
Well despite all that, it was a pretty quick read. Wong uses this simplistic art style. There is something about this technique that makes hard shit easier to read about.
Watched a few documentaries, they were all somewhat enjoyable, concussion/migraine viewing.
The Alpinist. About a free-solo rock and mountain climber (meaning no ropes, no climbing partner). This guy was in it for the adventure and the extreme experiences. He died in 2018 from an avalanche. Lots of great photography in this, but obviously not recommended if you have a fear of heights.
Race to the Summit. Also about 2 free-solo rock climbers, in Switzerland. The Swiss German is sort of narrated over in English. These 2 climbers focus on speed, so they are essentially "running up a mountain". One of these climbers died from a fall and the other is still living. This is on Netflix. Seems like there is a cottage industry of documentaries around this rarefied pursuit and I've now watched a bunch of them. The people who do this, who seek out these experiences and enjoy them, seem to have unusual personalities, and it seems like that type of person would also be the space adventurer in SF and/or the scout in fantasy lands.
Eat the Rich: the Gamestop Saga. About an investment scheme adventure that happened in 2020 involving redditors. They did a nice job explaining it and finding colorful characters to make this short series interesting. There were a couple random fat-phobic shots of a stereotypical fat person sitting in front of his computer eating cheetos, which was a fly in the ointment of this otherwise decent production. This was certainly more entertaining than the film "the big short." That's a low bar though.
I read one comics memoir!
Dear Scarlet by Teresa Wong. This book is about post-partum depression and some intense shit going on.
( Read more... )
Well despite all that, it was a pretty quick read. Wong uses this simplistic art style. There is something about this technique that makes hard shit easier to read about.
Getting ready for wiscon
May. 26th, 2022 11:39 pmRecently watched: Heartstopper, Netflix series based on the comic book of the same name. This is very sweet and very close to the comic. I liked it a lot.
Read: The Third Person, by Emma Grove. Wow.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4747274138?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Got in the mail: Enbrel!! Yay! My expensive medication that I finally finished all the paper work and phone calls for so i can get it free.
Today I did a bunch of prep for the WisCon vid party (notifications, posting the content notes) and watched one episode of Dark Angel w/ some_stars.
Read: The Third Person, by Emma Grove. Wow.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4747274138?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Got in the mail: Enbrel!! Yay! My expensive medication that I finally finished all the paper work and phone calls for so i can get it free.
Today I did a bunch of prep for the WisCon vid party (notifications, posting the content notes) and watched one episode of Dark Angel w/ some_stars.
Media recs
Sep. 14th, 2020 02:56 pmMenopause: A comic treatment, edited by M.K. Czerwiec, Graphic Medicine series
An excellent anthology filled with super-talented comics creators (Lynda Barry, Ellen Forney, KC Councilor, many others). Some are fiction but most are non-fiction comics about people's experiences with aging, periods, menopause, and embodiment in general. Some comics are delightfully funny and whimsical, others speak of painful experiences. Features many queer creators and one trans writer-artist.
Content notes: cancer; one use of "blind" as a pejorative; one use of "dyke" in a way that was non-affirming (which was very strange since this book is very queer). One comic talks about weight loss and exercise.
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As an off-shoot of Old Guard fandom, I checked out some of the director's other films from the library. Gina Prince-Bythwood is amazing y'all.
"Beyond the Lights" is a romance and a story about self-discovery. Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is a young pop star, starting her career and rising to the heights of fame. Her mother (Mimi Driver) is her manager and is very controlling. After winning an award, Noni gets drunk and attempts suicide, but is saved by a police officer named Kaz (Nate Parker). They have an immediate connection and gradually start dating.
Through this empowering relationship, Noni realizes that she is not living authentically: she is just doing what her mother wants. Kaz has a similar relevation, because he is being steered into politics by his father.
There are some upsetting moments and serious themes in this film, but it's still a romance, with the feeling that everything is going to work out in the end.
Content notes: sexual assault, suicide attempt. ETA: I forgot that Nate Parker is an abuser. Ugh.
"Love and Basketball" is another romance with Black lead actors (Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps). This is a kind of wholesome story about two young people who love basketball, and love each other. They come together at different points of their lives.
Content note: One moment of homophobia (specifically against lesbians); the main character says she's a lesbian to rile up her mother.
An excellent anthology filled with super-talented comics creators (Lynda Barry, Ellen Forney, KC Councilor, many others). Some are fiction but most are non-fiction comics about people's experiences with aging, periods, menopause, and embodiment in general. Some comics are delightfully funny and whimsical, others speak of painful experiences. Features many queer creators and one trans writer-artist.
Content notes: cancer; one use of "blind" as a pejorative; one use of "dyke" in a way that was non-affirming (which was very strange since this book is very queer). One comic talks about weight loss and exercise.
---
As an off-shoot of Old Guard fandom, I checked out some of the director's other films from the library. Gina Prince-Bythwood is amazing y'all.
"Beyond the Lights" is a romance and a story about self-discovery. Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is a young pop star, starting her career and rising to the heights of fame. Her mother (Mimi Driver) is her manager and is very controlling. After winning an award, Noni gets drunk and attempts suicide, but is saved by a police officer named Kaz (Nate Parker). They have an immediate connection and gradually start dating.
Through this empowering relationship, Noni realizes that she is not living authentically: she is just doing what her mother wants. Kaz has a similar relevation, because he is being steered into politics by his father.
There are some upsetting moments and serious themes in this film, but it's still a romance, with the feeling that everything is going to work out in the end.
Content notes: sexual assault, suicide attempt. ETA: I forgot that Nate Parker is an abuser. Ugh.
"Love and Basketball" is another romance with Black lead actors (Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps). This is a kind of wholesome story about two young people who love basketball, and love each other. They come together at different points of their lives.
Content note: One moment of homophobia (specifically against lesbians); the main character says she's a lesbian to rile up her mother.
"Luisa Now and Then" and "ParaNorman"
Aug. 24th, 2020 12:35 pmLuisa Now and Then, by Carole Maurel, adapted by Mariko Tamaki - graphic novel
(eta: Luisa, not Louisa)
This is so good!?!?! The art is stunningly beautiful: empathetic portraits of people, soft-colored images of Paris.
The story is one about coming out as an adult, and finding self-acceptance. It spoke to me personally.
When you do this difficult emotional work of coming out as an adult, you have to "go back" to your teenage and childhood self and address the feelings and pain that you did not process at the time. This process is made literal in "Luisa Now and Then," as adult-Luisa spends time with her 15 year old self. Luisa finds her teenage self annoying; she's not as kind to herself as she could be, and that's uncomfortable to witness. But, she is unhappy and processing a lot of negative emotions. She witnessed and experienced homophobia from her mother and her peers as a teen, and has since only dated men.
Recommended.
ParaNormal - claymation kids' movie.
I watched this because I read somewhere that is has a gay character; one of the side-kicks is revealed to be gay at the end of the movie. An argument could also be made that the main character, Norman, is sub-textually gay, he is called "sensitive" by his parents, for example.
The story was cute, but I did not like the visuals. This is firmly in the horror movie/zombie genre, and so reveled in body horror, which is not my thing. Even the living characters had grayish skin, and a certain grotesque quality to their bodies; I found it off-putting.
The one Black character was a highly stereotypical "sassy" woman.
People who are fans of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and similar films will probably like this better than I did.
(eta: Luisa, not Louisa)
This is so good!?!?! The art is stunningly beautiful: empathetic portraits of people, soft-colored images of Paris.
The story is one about coming out as an adult, and finding self-acceptance. It spoke to me personally.
When you do this difficult emotional work of coming out as an adult, you have to "go back" to your teenage and childhood self and address the feelings and pain that you did not process at the time. This process is made literal in "Luisa Now and Then," as adult-Luisa spends time with her 15 year old self. Luisa finds her teenage self annoying; she's not as kind to herself as she could be, and that's uncomfortable to witness. But, she is unhappy and processing a lot of negative emotions. She witnessed and experienced homophobia from her mother and her peers as a teen, and has since only dated men.
Recommended.
ParaNormal - claymation kids' movie.
I watched this because I read somewhere that is has a gay character; one of the side-kicks is revealed to be gay at the end of the movie. An argument could also be made that the main character, Norman, is sub-textually gay, he is called "sensitive" by his parents, for example.
The story was cute, but I did not like the visuals. This is firmly in the horror movie/zombie genre, and so reveled in body horror, which is not my thing. Even the living characters had grayish skin, and a certain grotesque quality to their bodies; I found it off-putting.
The one Black character was a highly stereotypical "sassy" woman.
People who are fans of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and similar films will probably like this better than I did.
"Last Pick" by Jason Walz. Volume two is subtitled "Born to Run." Graphic novels.
I really loved these and read them quickly. It's an original story that I don't think I've encountered before in all my SF journeys: aliens have scooped up all the non-disabled people ages 16-65 and taken them away to use as slave laborers. The kids, old folks, and disabled people are left on Earth. Sam and Wyatt are determined to resist and to find their parents. Wyatt doesn't ever use a label, but he has some impairments-- problems with social skills, and some germophobia. In the first volume, the siblings are together and we see some flashbacks from the past. The second volume has parallel narratives: Sam is on a distant planet, and Wyatt is on Earth. The story is empowering and fun. Aimed at kids or teens, but suitable for adults. Content notes: a brief scene of animal death.
"Too Late to Die Young: Nearly true tales from a life" by Harriet McBryde Johnson. Essays.
Witty, quick essays about politics, law, traveling, protesting the MDA telethon, and debating Peter Singer. I didn't love all of them, but overall I had a great time reading this. It's great to read something from the perspective of a hard-core disability advocate.
I really loved these and read them quickly. It's an original story that I don't think I've encountered before in all my SF journeys: aliens have scooped up all the non-disabled people ages 16-65 and taken them away to use as slave laborers. The kids, old folks, and disabled people are left on Earth. Sam and Wyatt are determined to resist and to find their parents. Wyatt doesn't ever use a label, but he has some impairments-- problems with social skills, and some germophobia. In the first volume, the siblings are together and we see some flashbacks from the past. The second volume has parallel narratives: Sam is on a distant planet, and Wyatt is on Earth. The story is empowering and fun. Aimed at kids or teens, but suitable for adults. Content notes: a brief scene of animal death.
"Too Late to Die Young: Nearly true tales from a life" by Harriet McBryde Johnson. Essays.
Witty, quick essays about politics, law, traveling, protesting the MDA telethon, and debating Peter Singer. I didn't love all of them, but overall I had a great time reading this. It's great to read something from the perspective of a hard-core disability advocate.
"something new"
Aug. 20th, 2019 11:11 pmAugust asthma season! It's a bit rough at the moment.
I finished "Something New: Tales from a makeshift bride by Lucy Knisley. Here's my "review" (more like a few thoughts), cross-posted to Goodreads.
I liked this but it was way too long. After a while I felt like I'd gotten the point, and she was being self-indulgent. She also repeated information, which seemed odd. Well, I'm a wedding skeptic, so maybe I am not the best audience for this book. But I have liked her other work so much that I gave it a shot. The book is beautifully drawn and I like that Knisley is a reflective person. I didn't need the level of detail about everything that she provided here (such as which items she hand made, etc).
Content note: some pages about resisting diet culture.
I finished "Something New: Tales from a makeshift bride by Lucy Knisley. Here's my "review" (more like a few thoughts), cross-posted to Goodreads.
I liked this but it was way too long. After a while I felt like I'd gotten the point, and she was being self-indulgent. She also repeated information, which seemed odd. Well, I'm a wedding skeptic, so maybe I am not the best audience for this book. But I have liked her other work so much that I gave it a shot. The book is beautifully drawn and I like that Knisley is a reflective person. I didn't need the level of detail about everything that she provided here (such as which items she hand made, etc).
Content note: some pages about resisting diet culture.
comics recs
Jul. 8th, 2019 12:59 amI recommend all of these graphic novels / memoirs! These notes are copied over from my Goodreads page
Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos
by Lucy Knisley
This books is mostly the author's own pregnancy story, but she intermixes the chapters with information about history and feminism in relation to conception and pregnancy. She provides clear and concise explanations and contextualizes her experience (which is my JAM!!). Her feelings about people who choose to be parents and people who choose not to be parents are the same as mine: we should all be supporting each other. I feel like I'd be friends with Ms. Knisley if I ever met her.
Content notes: miscarriage, nausea/vomiting, surgery and hospitalization, doctors gaslighting the author.
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
by Mariko Tamaki, Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
A masterwork. Emotional, realistic, at times heartbreaking. Stunningly beautiful. A book worth returning to, to contemplate the art and the emotions. I loved the spare use of color, the gorgeous page layouts. I love that the people populating this story look like real people. A serious, thoughtful, emotional journey about a teenage lesbian who is in love with someone who is bad for her.
content notes: underage sex is discussed but not depicted. An unwanted pregnancy occurs.
Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey
by Özge Samanci
Oh I absolutely loved this story about the creator's childhood and young-adulthood. She talks about life in Turkey including some politics and brutality. Her illustrations are whimsical. Sometimes a little bird comments upon the action, and sometimes she talks to Jacques Cousteau via a poster. Samanci studies math in an attempt to please her father, and eventually learns that it's OK to take a different path.
Content notes: physical child abuse (in school). She's attacked once while at college and it is quite scary but she is OK. A minor bus accident. A fraught relationship with her father who is a yelling kind of a person.
Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos
by Lucy Knisley
This books is mostly the author's own pregnancy story, but she intermixes the chapters with information about history and feminism in relation to conception and pregnancy. She provides clear and concise explanations and contextualizes her experience (which is my JAM!!). Her feelings about people who choose to be parents and people who choose not to be parents are the same as mine: we should all be supporting each other. I feel like I'd be friends with Ms. Knisley if I ever met her.
Content notes: miscarriage, nausea/vomiting, surgery and hospitalization, doctors gaslighting the author.
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
by Mariko Tamaki, Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
A masterwork. Emotional, realistic, at times heartbreaking. Stunningly beautiful. A book worth returning to, to contemplate the art and the emotions. I loved the spare use of color, the gorgeous page layouts. I love that the people populating this story look like real people. A serious, thoughtful, emotional journey about a teenage lesbian who is in love with someone who is bad for her.
content notes: underage sex is discussed but not depicted. An unwanted pregnancy occurs.
Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey
by Özge Samanci
Oh I absolutely loved this story about the creator's childhood and young-adulthood. She talks about life in Turkey including some politics and brutality. Her illustrations are whimsical. Sometimes a little bird comments upon the action, and sometimes she talks to Jacques Cousteau via a poster. Samanci studies math in an attempt to please her father, and eventually learns that it's OK to take a different path.
Content notes: physical child abuse (in school). She's attacked once while at college and it is quite scary but she is OK. A minor bus accident. A fraught relationship with her father who is a yelling kind of a person.
My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame
Funny and poignant with detailed, goregous art. Focused on relationships, day-to-day life; with reflections on homophobia in Japanese culture. Loved this and read it in one evening.
Star Scouts by Mike Lawrence
Adorable, funny, and imaginative story with a satisfying ending. Fairly light-hearted tale of how Avani makes alien friends in Star Scouts, goes to camp, has a rivalry with another scout, and succeeds at her goals. I really enjoyed the art. Avani is South Asian.
Both of these are appropriate for all ages.
Funny and poignant with detailed, goregous art. Focused on relationships, day-to-day life; with reflections on homophobia in Japanese culture. Loved this and read it in one evening.
Star Scouts by Mike Lawrence
Adorable, funny, and imaginative story with a satisfying ending. Fairly light-hearted tale of how Avani makes alien friends in Star Scouts, goes to camp, has a rivalry with another scout, and succeeds at her goals. I really enjoyed the art. Avani is South Asian.
Both of these are appropriate for all ages.
Best books I read in 2015
Dec. 13th, 2015 02:34 pmFiction:
Mission Child by Maureen McHugh
Non-Fiction:
Bayard Rustin: The Invisible Activist by Jacqueline Jaeger Houtman, Walter Naegle, and Michael G. Long
Comics and Graphic Novels:
The Infinite Wait and other stories by Julia Wertz
Seconds, by Bryan Lee O'Malley
Ms. Marvel volumes 1 and 2 by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona
The Midas Flesh vol. 1 by Ryan North, Braden Lamb, Shelli Paroline, Steve Wands
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Saga, vol. 4 and 5 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples
Mission Child by Maureen McHugh
Non-Fiction:
Bayard Rustin: The Invisible Activist by Jacqueline Jaeger Houtman, Walter Naegle, and Michael G. Long
Comics and Graphic Novels:
The Infinite Wait and other stories by Julia Wertz
Seconds, by Bryan Lee O'Malley
Ms. Marvel volumes 1 and 2 by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona
The Midas Flesh vol. 1 by Ryan North, Braden Lamb, Shelli Paroline, Steve Wands
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Saga, vol. 4 and 5 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples
