Good Reads & Views

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Nonfiction 

What it’s about: George Takei and his family were taken to an internment camp during World War II. Although young George looked at the trip to the camp as an adventure, he also saw in hindsight how stressful the situation was for his parents. He discusses how they coped during the war and afterwards, how they struggled as a result of losing their home, their dry-cleaning business, and nearly their citizenship.

Why you should read it: This is an eye-opening look at the experience of an American family and the racism they endured because of other people’s fears after Pearl Harbor. It’s also a poignant study of the love the Takei parents had for their children, making the best they could out of a dreadful situation.

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Eddie Olczyk: Beating the Odds in Hockey and in Life by Eddie Olczyk
Nonfiction  

About the author: Eddie Olczyk is an award-winning television commentator on NBC’s coverage of the NHL and thoroughbred horse racing, and for the Chicago Blackhawks. He played 16 seasons in the NHL and was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

Reviewers say: "Olczyk, with Toronto Sun journalist Lefko, presents a gripping account of his remarkable life, from his selection for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Hockey team through his remarkable battle with colon cancer. Olczyk, now a sportscaster for NHL and NBC, takes readers through his life and career with insights from coaches, teammates, and family members…While Olczyk discusses the joys of his post-playing career nimbly, it’s his unflinching account of his battle with cancer that truly stands out" (Publishers Weekly). 

You might also like: The Boys of Winter by Wayne R. Coffey and Orr: My Story by Bobby Or

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Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green
YA Nonfiction

What is it: This is a story of recovery. Katie Green grew up in a typical family with typical friends. However, the people in her life always seemed to make a big deal about how much she did or did not eat. Her friends would stress and worry about their bodies, pinching at their extra skin, and complaining about boys. Saying things like, “I wish I could be anorexic… to be able to just not eat, if I wanted to” or “I’d do anything to be skinny like Katie” (68). Katie was naturally thin but being surrounded by toxic self-talk and being scrutinized about her body at every turn led her down the road to an eating disorder. At first, she skipped meals, became obsessed with counting her calories, and counting her ribs. Eventually she stopped eating altogether and landed herself in a hospital bed. The remainder of the graphic novel depicts her various routes of treatment and her struggles with recovery and relapse.

Why it’s significant: According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, hospitalizations for eating disorders in children under the age of 12 has increased by 119% between 1999 and 2006. It’s so important for young people to be made aware of these diseases and their lifelong implications. The way Katie Green illustrates the fog of her eating disorder, always looming over her every decision and every mouthful, is a powerful image. Its accuracy is spot-on. The feelings she depicts are spot-on. And I think anyone who has ever felt unsure about their body should pick up this title.

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Goblin Girl by Moa Romanova 
Nonfiction

What it’s about: While a lot of us would probably find it embarrassing to recount a bad date, even to a close friend, Moa Romanova has turned her experience of a painfully awful Tinder-match-gone-wrong into an autobiographical graphic novel. To say that Moa’s having a rough time would be an understatement. Her depression and constant panic attacks make work and socializing nearly impossible. Her friends and her therapist don’t seem to understand; meanwhile, she’s getting rejected from art schools. Then, she meets a famous older man online (in the book, he’s drawn with a paper bag over his head and called “Known TV-Guy, 53). When the man offers to be Moa’s patron and support her art career, she feels like she has no option but to accept. Goblin Girl, through a highly-stylized and cartoony art style, goes on to recount how this relationship spirals out of control in surprising, disturbing, and manipulative ways.

Why you should read it: Romanova’s work is an intensely raw and highly relatable exploration of the pressure young women artists feel to give in to older male mentors’ advances, especially when financial and promotional support is on the line. Goblin Girl is also an incredibly accurate depiction of what it’s like to live with panic disorder.

Author Alert: Swedish graphic novelist Moa Romanova is certainly a writer to watch in the comic book scene. Born in 1992, Romanova studied at both the Gothenburg School of Fine Arts and the Malmö Comic Art School. Goblin Girl, her first graphic novel, has already been translated into seven languages.

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash
YA Nonfiction

What is it: A graphic novel memoir about Maggie Thrash and her coming of age while at an all-girl summer camp. During this one poignant summer, she comes to terms with her sexuality, confesses feelings for another female, shoots her distinguished expert at the rifle range, and performs in drag as Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys.

Who it’s for: The references to boy band rivalries are amusing if you grew up in the late ‘90s, early 2000s. The summer camp activities and topics of conversation are spot on and will bring back memories for former campers. Thrash also just tells a beautiful story. It’s sad, and you’re left with a great sense of longing… but doesn’t every first love story end that way? 

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The Twilight Man: Rod Serling and the Birth of Television by Koren Shadmi
Nonfiction

What it’s about: In this graphic novel, Rod Serling discusses his life as a writer: first struggling to be heard, then pushing the boundaries of what television could be while fighting censorship from the networks and sponsors. He finally achieved his goal as the creator of The Twilight Zone, which addressed issues of the day behind the veneer of science fiction and fantasy.

Why you should read it: Serling cleverly changed how television could talk about issues and created a classic series that is still referenced and relevant. Although the book has a somewhat talky style at times, I found it compelling and finished it in one sitting.

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Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Listen in on Mira Jacob’s conversations with her young son, husband, parents, friends, and colleagues. In this creative, thought-provoking memoir in graphic novel form, Jacob—the daughter of immigrants from India—addresses race, ethnicity, and identity through conversations that are sometimes somber and painful, sometimes hilarious, and often filled with moments of perfect connection… and disconnection.

Why you might like it: While Jacob addresses serious issues, she introduces moments of humor and infuses her writing with love for her family. (Some charming elements: her son likes to moonwalk like his idol Michael Jackson, and her parents comment on each other’s foibles in a humorous, affectionate way.)

Book buzz: Named one of the ten best books of the year by the Chicago Tribune, Publishers Weekly, and the New York Public Library.

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Inheritance: A Memoir of Paternity, Genealogy, and Love by Dani Shapiro
Nonfiction

About the Author: Dani Shapiro is the best-selling author of four memoirs and five novels. Her short fiction, essays, and journalistic pieces have appeared in The New Yorker, Elle, The New York Times Book Review and many other publications. Dani has taught in the writing programs at Columbia, NYU, The New School and Wesleyan University. She lives in Connecticut with her family.

What it’s about: In 2016 the author received the results of a genealogy DNA test and learned that her father was not her biological father. This is the story of family secrets and a woman's urgent quest to unlock the story of her own identity.

What the reviewers say: "Profound... The true drama of Inheritance is not Shapiro’s discovery of her father’s identity but the meaning she makes of it...Shapiro’s account is beautifully written and deeply moving — it brought me to tears more than once."—Ruth Franklin, The New York Times Book Review

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My Lobotomy by Howard Dully
Nonfiction

What it’s about: At only 12 years old, Howard Dully became the youngest person to receive a transorbital lobotomy. This memoir is a retelling of his childhood leading up to the procedure, the operation itself, and then his struggle to put the pieces together as to WHY his father let it happen to him.

Why it’s significant: This book really shows the reader how much times have changed regarding medical procedures, mental health and child abuse. Howard Dully lived with his father, stepmother, and two step brothers, and was regarded as a normal adolescent boy by many healthcare professionals. And yet, his stepmother berated him, punished him unjustly, and constantly took him to doctors until she found a way to “cure” him. Walter Freeman, a neurologist who specialized in lobotomies, decided he could cure him of any behavior issues, which resulted in his procedure. Dully spent the rest of his life trying to figure out why his father would let someone do that to him. He has suffered greatly in his adult life, both mentally and physically, because of it. Yes, he was able to overcome everything, and live a successful life.

Why you might like it: It’s a story of betrayal and overcoming the odds. Dully’s journey is truly remarkable and unbelievable.

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Finding Family: my search for roots and the secrets in my DNA by Richard Hill Nonfiction What it’s about: At 18 years old, Richard Hill accidentally discovered that he had been adopted. Assuming he would never know any details, he was startled to learn many years later that he had a half-brother.  What then began as a search for his mother and brother turned into a decades long search for the identity of his biological father. What the reviewers say: "An engaging, page-turning memoir that thoughtfully puts together the pieces of a family puzzle" (Kirkus Reviews). You might also like: Inheritance by Dani Shapiro or White Like Her by Gail Lukasik Visit Roseanne’s My Librarian Page