More acquisitions
As it turns out, Thi Bui’s illustrated memoir, The Best We Could Do, was Book 52 of the year for me, so I actually met the goal of Robin’s 52 Books in 52 Weeks on May 27. Woot! Since then, I’ve read:
■ The Perfect Mother (Aimee Molloy; 2018. Fiction.)
■ Red Clocks (Leni Zumas; 2018. Fiction.)
■ Daytripper (Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá; 2011. Graphic fiction.)
■ Mrs. Caliban (Rachel Ingalls; 1983. Fiction.)
As I mentioned previously, Molloy’s novel was just meh, but, boy, was Red Clocks terrific, as were Daytripper and Mrs. Caliban, both of which were rereads. In fact, I first read Ingalls’ slim novel more than thirty years ago and thought it was a revelation then. Now, with the benefit of years and experience, I recognize it as quite possibly perfect.
p. 107
“Have you heard of a doctor who didn’t try to shoot you full of drugs? I’m not sick. I’m bereaved. That means I’ve got to keep all my strength to get through. And if I’m full of drugs, my resistance is going to be destroyed, isn’t it?”
In anticipation of seeing the play, I’m about to reread Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly, Last Summer. I will also read Book III of The Aeneid this week. It’s hard to say which of the many books in my TBR stack and scrawled in my book journal will win the coveted spot in my knapsack, though.
Nerdishly 
I know you have commented about your need/desire to read more non-fiction. I have the opposite problem. I read FAR too much non-fiction and can only finish one or two novels a year. The novels I do read are often ones you recommend. In fact, I am still grateful for THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG, which I LOVED and which you recommended.
I am also a fellow graphic fiction reader. Right now, I am reading a collection of Superman comics from the Golden Age. They are fascinating. One could do a whole paper on Superman’s handling of the social issues of his day. In many ways, he was (or rather his creators were) ahead of their time. In other ways, not so much. The attitude Superman has toward women in some issues leaves much to be desired for example.
One of the issues is very clearly anti-Hitler. It was published nearly a year before he invaded Poland, though, when quite a few Americans were Nazi sympathizers. I thought that was pretty daring.
One thing I find of particular interest is the vocabulary. These were written to children in the late 1930’s and yet they used words like “pestiferous”, which is a wonderful word, and it is obvious they fully expected school children to understand its meaning.
My apologies for the ramble. There are precious few people I have to discuss these things with in the “real” world, so I sometimes get carried away in the virtual one.
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As always, I appreciate hearing from you, Joe! “Pestiferous.” I love it! How many young readers today would be able to glean meaning from the context, I wonder?
Have you read Maus? I plan to revisit it, having just read a memoir by the author’s daughter.
As for fiction, my favorites so far this year are the two Ng novels, Leni Zumas’ Red Clocks, and my reread of Mrs. Caliban.
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I have not read MAUS, but have added a hold for it at my local library. I will also check out the others you recommend. Thank you.
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