On the Implications of Stitches
Several months ago I met with a representative from the Norton group who strongly encouraged me to pick up a copy of Stitches: A Memoir by David Small. I had kind of forgotten about the book until it arrived and I put it on the shelf. It is a remarkable book. Written and illustrated by David Small, a childrens author and illustrator, it is an autobiographical graphic novel: a comic book. The implications of such a title didn’t hit me. Recently we have made a movement in our store to give better real estate and advertising to our Graphic Novel section, under the belief that the old stigma of the “comic book geek” has died, that more and more known literary figures are delving into the genre, that hollywood has begun to take an intensive and serious interest, and that it has truly hit the mainstream–but not just the mainstream, it has hit the intellectual. Over the years, people who might have scoffed at someone reading a comic book have found their favorite authors immersed in the genre: Michael Chabon, Neil Gaiman, Joyce Carol Oates, Paul Auster. More and more people are discovering the depth that and brilliance that comic books can give to narrative tale. There is no longer a reason to banish them to the basement, hide them under the bed, or fear the comic book guy. People display them proudly on their home book shelves next to copies of Ulysses or A Remembrance of Things Past, as we display them proudly next to our literature section. But this is still the bookshelf of the younger generation. With the introduction of Stitches, as well as Logicomix (a graphic novel about Bertrand Russell, mathematics, and the intellectual demons), this genre is quickly bursting open to new groups of people: older intellectuals, librarians, teachers. These books are making waves throughout the literary scene, shocking the New York Times, and exposing a skeptical group of people to the depth and intensity that a graphic novel can embody. Talking with a fella from Diamond Distribution last week, he told me “I don’t think Norton understands the importance of putting out a book like this”. What he further explained, is that Stitches is starting to reach educators, radically changing their ideas about the potential of graphic novels to help children understand complex themes, as well as beginning readings. The fact that it is published by Norton gives it instant literary credibility; and once readers see that a graphic novel is not the same as “the funny pages”, an entire new world opens up before them. This book is beautifully illustrated, eloquently narrated, intense, dark, and playful. It is groundbreaking.
So, without further ado… For this week’s books in motion we bring you 5 scenes from David Small’s new book: Stitches: A Memoir
Available Now at Logos
Stiches: A Memoir
By David Small
$24.95
A selection of covers from our vintage section.
The Master and Margarita is one of my favorite books of all time. A satire of soviet life, The Master and Margarita features the devil and his retinue, Pontius Pilate, Yeshua Ha-Nozri (Иешуа га-Ноцри, Jesus the Nazarene), and nearly 10-20 other characters all caught up in fantastic and very chaotic adventure. Bulgakov’s portrayal of the Russian literary union, the housing crisis, the collective fear of foreigners, and his fresh portrayal of famous biblical characters is absolutely and hysterically funny.
