So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Xelindrya Posted: Mar 19, 2005 12:22 AM

So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

WOW, such a quick opinion of me (negative)

I had to EXPLAIN the books.

Jim said most NYers read these books, I never had so they ended up on my booklist. Picked them up this week and I'm done with the first and onto the second..

Please tell me ya'll have read these books and the folks staring at me in the train aren't misunderstanding it!

takeoutcook Posted: Mar 19, 2005 12:30 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Yes, I have read them, as well as his most recent one, Palestine. Just tell people that Spiegelman is a committed social activist who uses the genre of the comic strip or cartoon to interrogate among other things, the evil of the nazis, the strength and suffering of people and the need for human empathy and compassion in the world.

I agree - the book covers are tough - if it makes you uncomfortable, I'd put a book jacket on them - but he's not a nazi - he's anything BUT.

My old roommate worked in art galleries and we had an original spiegelman drawing from Maus hanging in our apartment. . . i miss looking at it. . . I should add that the drawing was just of the mice . . . It didnt have any nazi imagery in it.

lilmrs Posted: Mar 19, 2005 12:30 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

I have never read them...but can understand the looks due to the swastica's

Goldi1021 Posted: Mar 19, 2005 12:34 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

People are very quick to jump on a bandwagon of political correctness before knowing facts. Just as Al Sharpton.

Xelindrya Posted: Mar 19, 2005 12:46 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Posted by takeoutcook

I agree - the book covers are tough - if it makes you uncomfortable, I'd put a book jacket on them - but he's not a nazi - he's anything BUT.

Funny thing is.. im so opposite of that. If it makes others uncomfortable I wish they'd open their mouths and say something. At least then I could correct them.

It's good work. Moving. I'm an avid reader of all types of books. Besides I'll be done in a couple of days. I just am shocked that NYers were so unversed in it. Jim had given me the impression that my own education was lacking because I had not read these books in middle or high school.

Good know it's just them being ignorant. Believe it or not, that makes me feel better!

RedHead Posted: Mar 19, 2005 06:18 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

I would be looking at you strange too
Just the site of a swastika is horrifying to me and i am sure a lot of people the same.
i think it is understandable...

And if it was my grandmother who saw it...she might have cursed you out...

cluelessbride Posted: Mar 19, 2005 07:02 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

I have read most of his books and while I think a lot of people have too and know they are TOTALLY sane books, I can see how if people didn't know about them or Speigelman you would be looked at like a kook.

But he's great, isn't he?

ETA: For anyone who might not know about the books, here is amazon's list of reader reviews: Amazon linky link

I didn't know he won the Pulitzer!

Xelindrya Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:08 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Posted by RedHead

I would be looking at you strange too
Just the site of a swastika is horrifying to me and i am sure a lot of people the same.
i think it is understandable...

And if it was my grandmother who saw it...she might have cursed you out...

Well then maybe by posting this thread I can at least open the door to other potential readers.

They are very moving books. The story of the son of a survivor getting the history first hand from his dad. It has many subplots regarding the author's relationship with this father, his past, this mother and his stepmother.

If your grandmother is up to it, you might want to suggest it. The love story in it is moving as well.

1017Bride Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:11 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

It may be a bit jarring for one to see the covers of the books. I would just explain. I think people should not jump to conclusions but if they want to ask questions out of curiousity thats fine.

RedHead Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:16 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Posted by Xelindrya

Well then maybe by posting this thread I can at least open the door to other potential readers.

They are very moving books. The story of the son of a survivor getting the history first hand from his dad. It has many subplots regarding the author's relationship with this father, his past, this mother and his stepmother.

If your grandmother is up to it, you might want to suggest it. The love story in it is moving as well.

true...it isn't the book imo that would make me look at you funny it was the cover that did it for me. I am sure they are good books, just not my kind.

But you can't really blame other people for the funky stares you might get...

I think i would, after listening to your description, recommend the book to my grandmother but i don't know if she could take the cover

1017Bride Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:20 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Red, is your grandma Jewish? I know mine too would have a difficult time. She is a Holocaust survivor.

luvsbob4603 Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:24 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

]Posted by RedHead

I would be looking at you strange too
Just the site of a swastika is horrifying to me and i am sure a lot of people the same.
i think it is understandable...

And if it was my grandmother who saw it...she might have cursed you out....

I agree jenn seeing the sticker on the book horrified me. i have never read these books. but it would be interesting to read.

suven Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:31 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

I read these books in college. (honestly, I thought most people have read them- like Catcher in the Rye and 1984)

Their whole point is to show how terrible the Holocaust was.

And, right now, they are featured in the front windows of many NYC bookstores.

***but, speaking as a starchy HR professional, they probably aren't the most 'friendly-looking' books to have in the workplace.

OSCARtheGROOM Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:33 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Posted by Xelindrya

WOW, such a quick opinion of me (negative)

I had to EXPLAIN the books.

Jim said most NYers read these books, I never had so they ended up on my booklist. Picked them up this week and I'm done with the first and onto the second..

Please tell me ya'll have read these books and the folks staring at me in the train aren't misunderstanding it!

I read these books in college for american history class.

RedHead Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:43 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Posted by 1017Bride

Red, is your grandma Jewish? I know mine too would have a difficult time. She is a Holocaust survivor.

yes she is...and she is very sensitive to it..

So although she might like the story inside i think if she saw the book she would be very upset.

SAD actually, i think he shouldn't have done that, he could have reached more people with his stories

1017Bride Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:49 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

I totally understand what you are saying. My grandmother would feel the same way too. I feel bad about that esp. if its a real good book with a great message.

RedHead Posted: Mar 19, 2005 09:51 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

Posted by 1017Bride

I totally understand what you are saying. My grandmother would feel the same way too. I feel bad about that esp. if its a real good book with a great message.

yes i agree! I think she ouwld like the book..but i know if i bought it and gave it to her she wouldn't touch it

JPC1125 Posted: Mar 19, 2005 10:00 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

I think i have also seen both volumes together in a hardcover without a picture on the cover....its hard not to judge a book by its cover- especially one so graphic as that

but it really is a great graphic novel and everyone should read it

Goldi1021 Posted: Mar 19, 2005 11:25 AM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

I am Jewish and have read many books about the Holocaust. However, I have seen these particular books and know exactly what they are. Which is why I don't get upset. The whole point about people reading books like this is to not allow what happened in Europe years ago to ever happen again. There are still people who beieve it never happened - THAT is more upsetting and disturbing to me than the visual of a swastika.

mrswask Posted: Mar 19, 2005 12:11 PM

Re: So Im reading these books.. a coworker saw it..and..well..

I understand that these are very interesting books but I don't think it's necessary to keep posting the pics everywhere. I just noticed that you posted the pics on Storyboard and I find it unnecessary and offensive. No one else posts the covers of the books they're reading on storyboard and I think it's just being done for shock value. I wonder how people would react if the cover of your book showed an African-American person being lynched or a soldier in Iraq beheaded.
I just think it's in poor taste to keep posting it - you already did it once - you made your point.
Maybe the Holocaust didn't affect your life or your relatives and this is just interesting history to you, but it definitely affected a lot of relatives of posters on this board and a little tact would be nice.