Now that I’m back in the office and my travels are slowing a bit, I’m going to take some time to share with you

all some of the great content that is piling up on my desk and that I’m Reading Now or I Will Be Reading Shortly.

I’m Reading Now

You may recall that a few posts ago I was reading CLEARING THE PLAINS from James Daschuk

and the University of Regina Press. Thankfully I found some time to finish it, and I have to say that it definitely deserves all of that award attention – it’s great

historical writing with crucial relevance to today. And thankfully for all of you, it’s coming in paperback on August 1st!

I’m also planning on getting into SHOWA: A HISTORY OF JAPAN 1939-1944 by Shigeru Mizuki and

Drawn & Quarterly. I read the previous volume covering the years 1926-1939 a few months ago. It’s a semi-fictionalized, autobiographical story of the author’s

life growing up during the Depression and World War II. The book has two halves – the larger political story of Japan, and the author’s own life as a young man.

The political and military narrative is drawn in a realistic or photographic style, while the author’s narrative is drawn in a more traditional cartoon style that

exaggerates the  physical attributes and facial expressions of all the characters. Although jarring at first, I eventually felt that this juxtaposition helps the

reader empathize with Shigeru Mizuki and to feel some of his own alienation from larger events. I’m looking forward to more, and

lucky me, there is a third volume coming this Fall!

On a much lighter note, I’m also reading a copy of THE KING’S DRAGON by Scott Chantler and Kids Can Press that found it’s way to my desk. It’s part four of a graphical novel fantasy series about Three Thieves (which is also the series name). It’s sort of like The Legend of Zelda meets The Fugitive meets George R. R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight (part of the ubiquitous Game of Throne series). So if that doesn’t interest you, I seriously don’t know what else could.

Although now that I think about it, when we heard about the book at sales conference I think they said “if the previous books were The Fugitive, this is US Marshals…” which is pretty rad. It’s also got a cool almost-Frank Frazetta Conan the Barbarian thing happening on the cover.

Will Be Reading Shortly

Finally, we have advances in the office of a book called OUR ICE IS VANISHING / SIKUVUT NUNGULIQTUQ: A HISTORY OF INUIT, NEWCOMERS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE from Shelley Wright and McGill-Queens University Press. I’m looking forward to learning some new things.

That’s it for me this week – I’ll be brightening your day again next Wednesday!

-Mark