Weekly Words about New Books in
Independent Bookstores

November 28, 2021
Rise of Graphic Novels Offers New Opportunities For a Wider Range of Readers
One of the interesting trends in book publishing has been the surge of popularity for graphic novels. They've been a staple of children's books for some time now - authors like Dog Man creator Dav Pilkey and Raina Telgemeier are rock stars to young readers - and Japanese manga/anime books continue to be sought after. On the adult side, illustrators like Art Spiegelman (Maus), Roz Chast, and Alison Bechdel have also made their mark with memoir-themed volumes geared to grown-ups.

More recently, we are seeing an increasing number of graphic novel adaptations of classics. In the Graphic section of the bookstore where I work, you can find The Diary of Anne Frank, The Iliad and The Odyssey, Animal Farm, The Heart of Darkness, Octavia Butler's Kindred, and several others.

The visual format of graphic novels appeals to a wider range of readers, including teenagers and reluctant readers. Given that, it has not surprised me that three new graphic renditions of longtime bestselling nonfiction titles have made a big splash this Fall - one is even on the national independent bookstore Nonfiction Paperback Bestseller list. They provide a less overwhelming and, for many, more inviting format for reading while still presenting the crux of the information from the original book.
Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 1: The Birth of Humankind and Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 2: The Pillars of Civilization by Yuval Noah Harari. Sapiens is one of the top-selling science books in recent years - a dense but fascinating look at the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the monumental breakthroughs of the cognitive, agricultural, and scientific revolutions. From examining the role that evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, noted historian Harari integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives and connect past developments with contemporary concerns. He also looks ahead, asserting that over the last few decades humans have begun to bend laws of natural selection that have governed life for the past four billion years. Where is this leading us, and what do we want to become?
The book is so comprehensive that it took two graphic adaptations to cover the material that the author and publisher chose to include. The first volume tells the story of humankind's creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be "human." In the second, Harari looks at how we took over the world; how an unlikely marriage between a god and a bureaucrat created the first empires; and how war, famine, disease, and inequality became a part of the human condition.
On Tyranny Graphic Edition: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder, illustrated by Nora Krug. On Tyranny highlights some of the darkest moments in 20th century history, from Nazism to Communism, to teach 20 lessons on resisting modern-day authoritarianism. Among the lessons: a warning to be aware of how symbols used today could affect tomorrow ("4: Take responsibility for the face of the world"), an urgent reminder to research everything for yourself and to the fullest extent ("11: Investigate"), and a call to use personalized and individualized speech rather than clichéd phrases for the sake of mass appeal ("9: Be kind to our language").

The inventive art style of Krug (author of the graphic memoir Belonging) breathes new life, color, and power into Snyder's thesis that American society is leaning toward despotism and totalitarianism, turning a quick-read pocket guide of lessons into a visually striking rumination - emphasizing the importance of being active, conscious, and deliberate participants in resistance. And it's celebrating seven weeks on the indie bestseller list with no signs of lessening interest as the holidays approach.