Klik op een omslag om naar Google Boeken te gaan.
Bezig met laden... The Alcoholicdoor Jonathan Ames, Dean Haspiel (Illustrator)
Geen Bezig met laden...
Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. Jonathan Ames is the creator of the TV series "Bored to Death," and this graphic novel is about a young writer's struggle with alcoholism and substance abuse. It's not funny. It's more like a graphic description of a border personality disorder with all the obsessive thinking and emptiness that result in substance abuse. I didn't really enjoy it. The Alcoholic è un fumetto crudo, viscerale, direi perfino iperrealistico, in cui la dipendenza è descritta con una lucidità che raramente ho visto altrove: non è mai demonizzata, ma non si cade nemmeno nella trappola del giustificazionismo e del facile vittimismo. Il protagonista è un uomo complesso e pieno di sfaccettature, è difficile trovare un senso a quello che fa perchè esattamente come tutti noi si limita a vivere un giorno dopo l'altro, affrontando a modo suo ciò che la vita gli mette di fronte. E' un debole, attaccato al passato e incapace di assumersi la responsabilità della sua vita, ma soprattutto è profondamente umano. Lo stile è un bel mix di cinismo e leggerezza, adattissimo al tipo di storia che si vuole raccontare. Non c'è nulla in questa graphic novel che mi sia particolarmente congeniale: né le tematiche, nè l'ambientazione e tantomeno i disegni, espressivi ma un po' troppo scarni ed essenziali per i miei gusti; eppure non si può negare che sia un'opera di pregio e con una precisa impronta autoriale, che poi può piacere o meno. Once I began it became impossible to put this book down. The illustrations complemented the story beautifully. The light and dark tones of Jonathan A's story were reflected in the simple black and white drawings. I also appreciated how not distracting the illustrations were. The story was the focal point...as it should be.
This story delves into sexual confusion, obsession, addiction of all kinds and the inevitable effects of guilt. Ames frames his narrative in hilarious anecdotes.
Jonathan A. is a boozed-up, coked-out, sexually confused, hopelessly romantic and, of course, entirely fictional novelist who bears only a coincidental resemblance to real-life writer Jonathan Ames, critically acclaimed author of Wake Up, Sir!, The Extra Man and What's Not to Love? For the fictional Jonathan, writing and drinking come easy. The hard parts of life are love and hope. From a touching relationship between Jonathan and his aging great aunt, to an inebriated evening with an amorous, octogenarian dwarf, to the devastating aftermath of 9/11, Ames's first original graphic novel, with gritty, poignant art by Dean Haspiel (THE QUITTER), tells a story at once hilarious, excruciating, bizarre and universal, about how our lives fall to pieces and the enduring human struggle to put things back together again. Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
Deelnemer aan LibraryThing Vroege RecensentenJonathan Ames's boek The Alcoholic was beschikbaar via LibraryThing Early Reviewers. Actuele discussiesGeenPopulaire omslagen
Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)741.5973The arts Graphic arts and decorative arts Drawing & drawings Cartoons, Caricatures, Comics Collections North American United States (General)LC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
Ben jij dit?Word een LibraryThing Auteur. |
Not all works of this nature fall into this trap, however, and The Alcoholic manages to maintain a level of entertainment and engagement from beginning to end. Author Jonathan Ames exposes his life long struggles with love, friendship, relationships, and drugs, but always with an eye towards examining human nature as well as his own motivations.
Dean Haspiels art, angular and classic without abandoning realism for style, is the perfect compliment to Ames story, and never distracts from the books focus by battling the author for the readers attention.
Much like American Splendor (on which Dean Haspiel also collaborated), The Alcoholics narrative comes across as a self-explorative train of thought as, the author explores the path his life has taken. Ames bares his soul to himself as well as the reader, and examines his past mistakes and blunders without ever sounding preachy or whiny.
Ames also manages to keep a level eye on his life as a whole, and doesnt hang too much significance on any one event. As a resident of New York during 9/11, Ames shares his experiences and emotions about that tragic event in US history. However, he doesnt make it the focal point of the book, nor does he use it to bookend the narrative. He displays it for what it was; a traumatic world event that affected him directly forced him to reevaluate his personal behaviors yet again, but than eventually moves on with his life. An event like 9/11 is an easy device for a writer to manipulate an audiences emotions with, but Ames treats it with the respect and perspective that it deserves.
An autobiographical graphic novel about heartbreak, depression, self-loathing and addiction, The Alcoholic winds up being a tad more uplifting and inspirational than one might expect, and possibly more than the author intended. ( )