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December 5, 2014
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Books of the Week - December 5, 2014
In the weekly Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Books of the Week, the Montreal bookstore recommends several new works of fiction, art books, periodicals, and comics.
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly is one of Montreal's premiere independent bookstores.
The Strange Library
by Haruki Murakami
English-speaking Murakami fans have really been spoiled this year, between the release of Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage this past summer, and now The Strange Library. The author really lets his imagination run wild in this tale of a young boy trapped in a labirynthine library basement with a creepy old man intent on eating his brains! Boasting gorgeous cover design and images by Chip Kidd, the book is a lovely object in itself. Darkly mysterious, it showcases Murakami's incredible range as an author and will delight both longtime fans and newcomers.
Arsene Schrauwen
by Olivier Schrauwen
This beautiful hard-bound graphic novel is a real stunner! From the rich colour scheme Schrauwen uses in the panels, to its great cover, the design is all top-notch. Never fear, there's no danger of style overshadowing substance here, as the content is equally impressive. Schrauwen tells the story of his grandfather, who in 1947 travels along with his cousin all the way from Belgium to a remote, tropical Spanish colony. Together, they aim to build an island utopia, but things don't go as smoothly as hoped when Arsene falls in love with his cousin's wife. Follow Arsene on his feverish, surreal journey - you won't regret it!
The fourth installement of Pitchfork's quarterly has arrived! Featured artists include Michael Galinsky, Courtney Barnett, Dory Previn, Plus Lana Del Rey, Sharon Van Etten, Arthur Russell, Robert Wyatt, the Grateful Dead, Phil Elverum, ZZ Top, El-P, Prince, Neil Young, Styx, and many others! The Canadian metal label Profound Lore gets some attention, and light is shed on the recording of David Bowie's iconic album, Low. As if all that wasn't enough, there's also a split 7 inch of of previously unreleased material from Zola Jesus and the Tea Heads!
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More
by Janet Mock
Janet Mock's memoir chronicles her journey to self-actualization, from her fraught childhood growing up as a trans girl in Hawaii through adulthood, including details of her time doing sex work, her relationships and friendships, and her decision to transition. In sharing her story, Mock does not attempt to speak in a generalizing manner on behalf of all trans women of colour; rather, her personal experiences reflect the myriad issues that affect women (both cis and trans) in contemporary times. Though Mock pulls no punches in describing the harsh realities faced by trans women in a cis-centric, heterosexist world, her coming of age story is ultimately uplifiting and hopeful.
Soppy
by Philippa Rice
Now Philippa Rice's popular webcomic Soppy is available in print! Within its pages, you'll find stories of Rice and her real-life boyfriend as they navigate domestic life and cohabitation. Not a tale of grandiose romance, the narrative lens is instead focused on the quiet, tender moments that crop up in the most quotidien of shared moments. The drawings perfectly match the sweetness of the content as the couple encounter such struggles as whose turn it is to sleep on the good side of the bed, whether to cook dinner or order pizza, and what to do when one's cup of tea has gone cold. If this all sounds a little too sweet, don't say Rice didn't warn you with a title like Soppy! But give if a try, and you'll surely be won over by the charm of these uber-cute comics.
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly links:
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly's blog
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Facebook page
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Tumblr
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly on Twitter
also at Largehearted Boy:
other Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Books of the Week
List of Online "Best of 2014" Book Lists
52 Books, 52 Weeks
Antiheroines (interviews with up and coming female comics artists)
Atomic Books Comics Preview (weekly new comics and graphic novel highlights)
Largehearted Word (weekly new book highlights)
Book Notes (authors create music playlists for their book)
guest book reviews
musician/author interviews
Note Books (musicians discuss literature)
Short Cuts (writers pair a song with their short story or essay)
WORD Bookstores Books of the Week (weekly new book highlights)
