C. Tyler (1)

I enjoyed this as much as the first, maybe even more. I really like Tyler's illustrations, they telegraph her emotions in a way that matters more to me than the technical aspects of the craft. I like the way she weaves the current story into her dad's backstory, and the way she is able to make the exigencies of life both universal and personal. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

8/2011-Stet.

4/2010- Graphic novel/memoir in which Tyler attempts to get some information from her dad regarding what happened to him during World War II. It also spends some time on Tyler herself in the present as she deals with her husband's infidelity. I found her insights to be poignant and incisive, her eye fond but unsentimental, and her drawings workmanlike and interesting. I wish there wasn't such a cliffhanger of an ending- my cursory research doesn't lead me to believe that there's show more a sequel coming anytime soon, either. It's well worth a look, I think it does a wonderful job making a window into the enigma of the silent WWII vets. show less

The second in a planned three-volume series, this is a title that I've found myself recommending until I'm blue in the face but haven't had many people take me up on it. It's probably my pitch for the book, because I could never blame Tyler's fabulous retelling of how she dug reminiscences of World War II from a very reluctant and prickly father. Presented in scrapbook form, the story isn't limited to her father alone and includes tales of her family as she grew up, her mother's devastation show more after losing her first child, and her own struggles with her teenage daughter and estranged husband. Maybe it's won over the critics, but I would like to see this be embraced more by the reading public who shouldn't pass it by. show less

This is the second book of a planned trilogy. It's an illustrated memoir (can't say "graphic novel" for a non-fiction book) about her father's experiences in WWII and their effects down through years on the family. The two books are well done, and they've won all sorts of awards, but don't really grab me.