It was one of the top 100 picture books of all time in a 2012 poll by school library journal. Alison bechdel has been a careful archivist of her own life and kept a journal since she was ten. Are you my mother a comic drama book by alison bechdel. Buy a cheap copy of are you my mother a comic drama book by alison bechdel. That remarkable work was filled with literary allusions her father was a high school english teacher and revelations about the family dynamic. If theres one comic from alison bechdels illustrious dykes to watch out for thats spoken to me, its the the long war of 2006. Surely, longtime fans and observers of bechdels work hope the same will be true. I do love alison bechdel, have been a dtwof fan since not too long after it started, and was all happy when fun home brought her more attention since are you my mother the p. The strip is syndicated in fifty alternative newspapers, translated into multiple languages. Alison bechdels fun home, her remarkable graphic memoir about her father, established itself immediately as a classic of the genre, being chosen as time magazines best book of the year for 2006, while the times called it a profound and important book.
A voracious reader, a lover of music from opera to. Read alison bechdels are you my mother, chapter 1, page 3. I cant help but think it is fitting that the mother is an actress, taking generalized words upon her to act a part whereas bechdel is a writer who is much closer to the production of the story. Originally best known for the longrunning comic strip dykes to watch out for, she came to critical and commercial success in 2006 with her graphic memoir fun home, which was subsequently adapted as a musical and won a tony award for best musical in 2015. A family tragicomic, which won an eisner award and was a finalist for the national book critics circle award, and are you my mother.
Alison bechdels new comic drama, are you my mother. Bechdel returns now with a second memoir, this one about her mother, and it is sometimes you need to come right out and say these things not nearly so good. From the bestselling author of fun home, time magazines no. Alison bechdel reads a selection from her latest graphic memoir, are you my mother. For readers unfamiliar with her work, it might appear that alison bechdel came out of nowhere to receive critical acclaim for her comic memoir fun home. Lesbian cartoonist alison bechdel countered dads secrecy. Alison bechdel has written a graphic novel about this. Though bechdel had previously enjoyed a cult following with her longstanding comic strip, dykes to watch out for, she raised the bar for graphic narrative with her book debut, fun home 2006. Alison bechdels first graphic memoir, 2006s fun home, about her coming out, her fathers sexuality and his presumed suicide, was incredibly difficult to write. Bechdel, best known for her popular comic strip dykes to watch out for, is no stranger to family drama she examined her closeted fathers suicide in another graphic novel, fun home 2006. The book covers various details of the authors life that occurred before her birth, up until the publication of the graphic novel. Are you my mother a comic drama by alison bechdel book trailer. I am fascinated by it, even fearful of it, but i couldnt describe the effect on me as comfortable.
Alison bechdel writing styles in are you my mother. That memoir detailed her childhood in the familys funeral home, her closeted and. The nonfiction graphic novel, are you my mother, by alison bechdel, is a work of experimental nonfiction, which utilizes the vehicle of the graphic novel to tell the story. As an autobiographical sequel to fun home, bechdels approach to analysing her relationship with her mother couldnt be more different to how she examined the one with her father. Now bechdel has written another memoir, equally rich and funny, about her mother. Now, a second thrilling tale of filial sleuthery, this time about her mother. Are you my mother has seven distinct chapters, or sections, each beginning with a dream sequence that the author has had. My mother could see my invisible wounds because they were hers, too, bechdel writes, and she felt, in retrospect, that helen was sanctioning her imagination, thus her future life as an artist. The comic strip dykes to watch out for ran for 25 years 19832006 and was renowned for its humorous depiction. But her devoted fans, who have been following her career for more than two decades, were well aware of her talent as both an artist and a writer. Alison bechdels are you my mother audio discussion and. Graphic novelist alison bechdel, author of fun home and are you my mother. Alison bechdel dykes to watch out for internet archive.
Are you my mother by alison bechdel read graphic novel. Its a lot easier to write about a dead parent than a living one. But somehow, having what my mom called a raw deal for bechdel, the invisible wounds her mother caused and cared for can give you the tools with which to kill that particular frog. A family tragic comic, in which she excavates her relationship with her father. Alison bechdel reads from her graphic novel are you my mother. Alison bechdels new graphic memoir, are you my mother a comic drama, inevitably will be compared to her first one entitled fun home. Alison bechdels fun home was a pop culture and literary phenomenon. Bechdels title alludes to a famous childrens picture book, p. Alison bechdel is the ultimate genius dyke to watch out for. Alison bechdel is the author of two bestselling graphic memoirs, fun home. Alison bechdels sad, funny, sprawling graphic memoir with are you my mother.
Six observations about alison bechdels graphic archive are you. Are you my mother a comic drama by alison bechdel book. Lesbian desire, a fathers suicide and 12 tony noms. For 25 years, she wrote and drew the popular comic strip dykes to watch out for, a visual chronicle of modern life, queer and otherwise bechdel has also been an editor of the best. The work is a complementary piece to bechdels earlier work, a very successful graphic novel, fun home. Ordinary devoted mother page 3, from alison bechdels awardwinning graphic novel. Eastman one is one of my favorites one of the many fine, fine parts of the higher power of lucky was its inclusion of the basic bellyfeeling that aymm. In it, a young bird searches for his mother, asking.
Named the best book of the year in 2006 by time magazine, fun home was a bestseller and garnered numerous honors including a lambda literary award and an eisner award. Eastman published by random house books for young readers on june 12, 1960 as part of its beginner books series. Based on a 2007 online poll, the national education association named the book one of its teachers top 100 books for children. I wonder if it is unusual for me to write about a book that i am reading, and rereading, but i dont exactly enjoy. If you have a problem with dry psychoanalysis, then you may struggle with are you my mother.
In many ways, it is a memoir of the authors relationship with her mother. The mother thinks bechdels art is far too intimate and personal, whereas alison believes that is the only way art can be. A psychologically complex, ambitious, illuminating successor to the authors graphicmemoir masterpiece. The dream is then used to set the tone for the chapter and the discussion that will follow. I didnt understand why we couldnt just read books without forcing contorted.
Since 1983 she has been chronicling the lives of various characters in the fictionalized dykes to watch out for strip, one of the preeminent oeuvres in the comics genre, period ms. Are you my mother a comic drama by alison bechdel pdf. Are you my mother a comic drama kindle edition by bechdel. The alison bechdel of real life is, and looks, pretty much like the adult alison bechdel you see on stage in playwright lisa krons extremely funny, extremely wrenching broadway adaptation. I am doing all of those things, of course, but its so amazing to not be pigeon holed in any sense. Lesbian cartoonist alison bechdel countered dads secrecy by being out and open the musical and graphic novel fun home describe bechdels coming out, and her dads closeted homosexuality. Alison bechdel made an auspicious entrance on the literary scene with her first graphic memoir, fun home. First published in 2012, are you my mother by alison bechdel is a beautifully written and illustrated memoir graphic novel. The book has successfully won the lesbian nonfiction category in 20 judy grahn award and also goodreads choice awards best graphics. Review of alison bechdels are you my mother a comic drama.
346 164 1385 1371 995 1505 1524 1091 403 907 433 1339 644 293 61 1332 475 349 1532 1175 1596 167 1351 792 414 1073 667 1098 560 775 1124 771 77 671 473