To the Heart of the Storm

Rating:
Summary: A powerful examination of prejudice
Review: I just read this book and I can see why Will Eisner is one of the greatest cartoonists around. Framed by Will's train ride when he is drafted for WWII, it tells the stories of his Jewish family.

Without rubbing your face in it, Will Eisner repeatedly shows you prejudices he encountered while growing up and while listening to his parents talk about their lives. There's a natural emphasis on anti-Semitism but other attitudes (anti-Catholic, "those German Jews are so stuck up", etc.) are also shown.

All that aside, it was also a fascinating story and showed something about what life was like from the late 19th century to 1942 - a year when neither of my parents had yet been born.

I would recommend this book to those who like graphic novels, anyone who liked Maus, and anyone who likes the oral history of Studs Terkel. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in European and American politics of the first half of this century - for a viewpoint ! that doesn't often make it into history textbooks.

Rating:
Summary: Truly Remarkable
Review: Powerful. Excellent comic in all regards. Beautiful art and engaging characters/story. This is yet another triumph by the great Will Eisner. Mandatory reading for any comic book fan.

Rating:
Summary: Resonating; Eisner's best GN
Review: Simply, Will Eisner best graphic novel. "To the heart of the storm" TP, provoked a personal piece of my inner senses like no other GN had in a while. Its like walking through a personal story of myself. The book is a must read for anyone who's family & his self tend to be resonated with the book's central theme-- middle-class allegory.

Like most of Will Eisner GN, he like to tells story focusing on a middle class family.However this book differ in many ways, one of such is telling a more focus & personal yarn. He portray the family cast members with their respective distinctive, good-natured characters. The story is very true-to-life and allegorical about a middle class family pursuing their day-to-day existence and tackling life's reality & difficult obstacles head-on. It deals with topics such as finding work, earning money & money difficulties, religion prejudism (anti-sematism), and most importantly, this book theme is centered on -- family togetherness, familial responsiblities, and familial bondings. The story is unfurled creatively via flashbacks, in a chronological sequences. Willie , the main protagonist, introspecting about his life exhausting from every angle, fromgrowing up on childhood up to who he is today, a young man in his late 20's or early 30's, while riding a troop train going to his destination as a draftee to a training camp to be trained as a soldier or the likes, for an upcoming, imminent war.

Will Eisner had contributed a lot to this medium. In fact, his spearhead GN "A contract with God" is considered critically as the first modern GN. He is "The Man" who pave the ways for today and upcoming creators of GN and certainly he earned all the respect, adulations and accolades from people all walks of life, from his peers, his critics, & others.This is only my small way of repaying in some form, a gratitude to the man who sacrifices and defends us from his detractors.

"To the heart of the storm" TP, features B&W art, though beautiful; good, thick coarse white paper; about 8.5" X 11" size(slightly bigger than a comic book, about 1" inch bigger in width & lenght); softcover; & apparently the binding seems not durable enough for long-term keeping, but passable, nevertheless.

Highly recommended for readers who inclined to agree with my piece. A good buy.

Rating:
Summary: Will Eisner's best graphic novel; a must buy; allegorical
Review: The book " TO THE HEART OF THE STORM" by Will Eisner, is essentially a thinly-veiled autobiography, a brilliant treatise & artfully dissected, & a radiant slice-of-life a graphic novel of human spirit...triumphing thru oneself & his family. More than a worthwhile reading, it brings an indelible smile to one's visage, as pages turned and passed by. A wondrous book to partakes with your friends who will slant to glimpse a book of this interest--- an expansive examination of a singular, middle-class family allegory, who essay to subsist a life with their own daily fore. In 1942, dawns the story of Willie, the main character, in self-reflective posture, coinciding, as he is staring out the window panel, seated inside a military troop train transporting selected draftees for WW2. This particular one-page scenario, plenteous & interluded preceding each chapter, serves nothing than to prologue Willie's retrospection of his reminiscent childhood & adolescence. Though not rendered in chronological order the telling of his life, but rather it leaps back and forth out of sequences, showing a suffice yet protracted flashes of his personal story, his family & their odysseys. A true-to-life genre, it decisively prevailed upon by the thematic cores of the book, which is the immaculate accuracy in presenting a focused middle-class family struggles & equally as well, the tapping of the religious theme of anti-semitism, which is extensively dispersed from cover to cover. This book is in stark B&W, 208 pages, good textural quality, chalk-white paper & good thickness, softbounded & with the usual Will Eisner flair & authenticity flaunted from his previous works.

It was a time of tempest & turbulence. The year was 1939. The war ravaged Europe since 1939, now had engulfed America. It set in motion the drafting of its citizens for military services. Young men registered with their local drafting boards, classified for service & the chosens were behested to terminal points where they were physically examined & designated to varied branches. Eventually, they were uniformed, grouped & herded onto troop trains commandeered for shipping soldiers to covert destinations. Aboard thr train, it was the burgeoning of the story of Willie, his family & friends unfolded.

Anti-semitism, one of the topical nerve centers of the book was rampantly discussed by drawing myriad of examples. For instances, Julian, a younger sibling of Willie, was jeered unceasingly by his bigot peers, scoffing his name to Jew-Leen; Mr. Feder, father of Willie's friend, alleged the Nazis conflagrated his boatyard. He was a German Jew & an immigrant; Willie was abashedly alienated during a commencing graduation party hosted, as well the sponsor & celebratee, by Heidi. Upon unravelling his Jewish descent. This book also swarms us with paragons of Jewish credences & cultures, such as obligatory circumcision; vigorous predisposition of marrying similar Jews; strong inclination towards naming a child with Jewish sounding name; calling a Jew a Kike; obdurate derision by remarking "Jews will avoid getting drafted". During those age, Jews is tantamount to an infamous, swirling by-word because Adolf Hitler, the leader & one of the proponents of war, was unflinchingly driven to purge the world of Jews. This is one reason why the book is enshrouded by uproarish, muddlesome & mildly offensive ambience , since anti-semitism is one of the headfronts heavily immersed.

Albeit great moments abound in this venture, yet one greatest scene stand out & at the same time, embodies the book summit. Fannie, mother of Willie, unwittingly chokes out "....after all youre the family 's best provider!... unfortunately you have a father who can't!". Started after discerning the Willie is spending a prodigal sum of money building a real boat with his best friend Buck, who once & only recently, was Willie's chronic rival in a fistfight. Her mother blurted out nonsensical tirades as an innuendo for Sam, father of Willie, who was within an earshot, to bluntly hear.

Atoning for this amiss, Willie,dumbfounded yet hastily corrected the situation by subduing his mother to clam up & moreover like a good son, approach his father to cunningly redresses the fumble by graciously seeking his father invaluable advices & acumen on money matters & life experiences, whom his father is presently out of business because of depression cycle stricken the business circle.

Seconding the motion, Fannie ditto, reverses her petty stumble by gladly offering Sam a cup of coffee as her own recourse to an act of contrition. Beholding this enloving and heartwarming moment, made this book important theme of familial bonding & close-knitted togetherness even more significantly memorable & timeless. Unlike a mere passing fad, unbeknowingly, scanning through the pages, & innocently eliciting no more than a pittance of a smile, &/or tears, with no genuine vivid recollection & deep understanding of the crux, which the book, on the contrary, is rich of.

Oddly, Sam & Willie both share scores of similar, positive traits. Sam with his ingrained wits, often instills clever & sensible wisdom to Willie, like how to deal with a bully, not by habitual condescending to their styles, rather by fashioning a more efficient method of using one's head to settle the squabble amicably. And indeed, Sam is an epitome of a perfect husband & a model parent. While Willie equalled his father on the strenght of being a praiseworthy son & possesses a good character. He is an obedient son & endearingly helpful, as in lending his helping hands to earn money to contribute for the family during those times of direness.

In his humble way of steeping into this venture a tribute, Will Eisner looking through his past by professing his selfish callings, passion & pride of being a master craftsman by personifying his arts unto the persons of both father & son, Sam & Willie, living his dreams & idealism. And these personal remnants were adequately unclothed & expounded by this book. Swerving from this little piece to ask a rhetorical question. Since this book is a thinly-veiled autobiography, it is curious to know who among the book characters, with Sam & Willie at the helm, is Will Eisner really symbolizing himself amongst them ?

None whomever but perhaps a handful can surmount the author synoptic majesty in terms of his legacy & skillfulness. Will Eisner, the arch comics storyteller & artist, his career spans the entire history of comic book days from 1930s to 40s, from his internationally acclaimed "The Spirit" to his more mature works in the 1970s, which he led the field in the creation of contemporary graphic novel format.

A gem of a book to own. A must buy. For readers with partial affinity reading this type.

MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !

Rating:
Summary: Resonating & meaningful; Will Eisner best book.
Review: The book "TO THE HEART OF THE STORM" TP by Will Eisner, is essentially a thinly-veiled autobiography, a brilliant treatise & an "ode" of a graphic novel to this sway, a stupendous & resounding yet tranquil rendering of human triumph....thru oneself & his family, & appropriately readable in one feverish seating. More than a worthwhile reading, it engenders an indelible smile to one's countenance as pages turned & gone by, & as well a wondrous book to partakes to your friends who slant to read a book of this interest--- an expansive examination of a singular middle-class family allegory, who essay to subsist a life with their own daily fore. In 1942, dawns the story of Willie, the main character, in self-reflective posture, coinciding, as he is glancing out the window panel, seated inside a military troop train transporting war draftees gearing for the impending World War 2. This particular one-page scenario, plentuous & interluded throughout the pages, serves nothing than a preface of Willie's musing of his past childhood & adolescence. Though not rendered in chronological order the telling of his life, rather it flings back & forth, out of sequences, showing a suffice yet prolonged flashes of his story, his family & their odysseys. A true-to-life genre, it decisively prevailed upon by the thematic cores of the book, which is the infallible accuracy in portraying the life of a focused middle-class family struggles & equally as well, the tapping of the religious theme of anti-semitism which is dispersed pervasively from cover to cover. This book is in stark B&W, 208 pages, good quality, chalk-white paper & good thickness, softbounded & bookended with the usual Will Eisner flair & authenticity vaunted from his earlier effort.

Anti-semitism, one of the topical nerve centers of the book was meticulously discussed by drawing out myriad of examples. For instances, Julian, a younger sibling of Willie, was jeered unceasingly by his bigot peers, scoffing his name as Jew-Leen; Mr. Feder, father of Willie's friend, alleged the Nazis conflagrated his boatyard. He was a German Jew & an immigrant; Willie was alienated during a commencing graduation party by his newfound friend Heidi, the sponsor & celebratee as well, upon unravelling his Jewish origin. This book also stretch out swarms of paragons on Jewish credences & cultures, such as obligatory circumcision; vigorous predisposition of marrying similar Jews; strong inclination towards naming a child with a Jewish sounding name; calling a Jew a kike; obdurate derision by remarking "Jews will avoid getting drafted". During those age, Jews was a whirly-swirling, infamous by-words because of Adolf Hitler, the leader & one of the proponents of war, driven severely to purge the world of most of them.

Albeit great moments abound this venture, yet one greatest scene stands out & at the same time, embodies the book summit. Fannie, mother of Willie, chokes out "...after all youre the family's best provider!....unfortunately you have a father who can't". Started after discerning that Willie is spending a prodigal sum of money building a real boat with his best friend Buck, who once & only recently, was Willie's chronic rival in a fistfight. Her mother unwittingly blurted out nonsensical railings as an innuendo for Sam, the father of Willie, who was within an earshot, to hear.

Atoning for this amiss, Willie, dumbfounded yet hastily subdues his mother to clam up & moreover, like a good son, approach his father unflinchingly & cunningly redresses the blunder by good-naturedly seeking his father sageful advice & acumen on money matters & life experiences, whom his father concurrently out of business due to a depression cycle stricken the business circle.

Seconding the motion, ditto, Fannie reverses her petty stumble by offering Sam a cup of coffee as her own couse to an act of contrition. Beholding this cherished & heartening misa` en scene`, made this book important theme of familial bonding & close-knitted family togetherness even more significantly evocative & invaluable. Unlike a mere passing fad, unbeknowingly, skimming through the pages, & innocently eliciting no more than a pittance of a smile, &/or tears, with no genuine clear recollection & deep understanding of the crux which the book, on the contrary, is rich of.

Queerly, Sam & Willie both share hordes of similar positive traits. Sam, with his ingrained wits, frequently instills clever & sensible wisdom to Willie like how to deal with a bully, not by habitual condescending to their styles, rather by fashioning a more efficient method of using one's head to settle a squabble amicably. And indeed, Sam is an epitome of an idealistic husband & a model parent. While Willie equalled his father on the strenght of being a praiseworthy son & possesses a good character. For examples, an obedient son & likewise, dilligent, as by lending his helping hands to earn money to contribute for the family during those days of direness.

In his humble way of steeping into this book a tribute, Will Eisner deeply professes his selfish callings, passion, & pride of being a premier master craftsman by personifying his arts in the person to both father & son, Sam & Willie, living his dreams & idealism. These personal remnants were sufficiently unclothed & dwelled by the book. Drifting form this conversation a bit, to ask a rhetorical question, since this is a thinly-veiled autobiography, it is curious to know who among the book characters, with Sam & Willie at the helm, is Will Eisner really symbolizing himself amongst them ?

None whomever but perhaps a handful ones, could surmount the author synoptic majesty in regards to his legacy & arch skills. Will Eisner career spans the entire history of comic book formative days in the 1930s to 40s, when he revolutionized narrative sequential arts, & up to his more mature works in the 70s, which he led the field in the creation of contemporary graphic novel format.

A gem of a book. A must buy. Terrific to add to your bookshelf.

Most highly recommended !

Rating:
Summary: Resonating & meaningful; Will Eisner best book.
Review: The book "TO THE HEART OF THE STORM" TP by Will Eisner, is essentially a thinly-veiled autobiography, a brilliant treatise & one of the precedent graphic novels exploring this genre. More than a worthwhile reading, it draws out an indelible smile to one's visage as pages turned & gone by, & as well a wondrous book to recommend to your friends who slant to read a book of this interest--- an expansive examination of a singular middle-class family allegory, who essay to subsist a life with their own daily fore. In 1942, dawns the story of Willie, the main character, in self-reflective posture, coinciding, as he is peeking out the window panel, seated inside a military troop train transporting war draftees gearing for World War 2. This particular one-page scenario, abundant & interluded throughout the pages, a prologue of Willie's retrospections of his past childhood & adolescence. Though not rendered in chronological order the telling of his life, rather it springs back & forth, out of sequences, showing a suffice yet prolonged flashes of his story, his family & their odysseys. A true-to-life genre, it decisively prevailed upon by the thematic cores of the book, which is the infallible accuracy in portraying the life of a middle-class family & equal as well, in tackling of the religious theme of anti-semitism which is littered extensively from the book cover to cover. This book is in stark B&W, 208 pages, good quality, chalk-white paper & good thickness, softbounded & bookended with the usual Will Eisner flair & authenticity manifested from his previous efforts.

Anti-semitism, one of the topical treatises of the book was elaborately discussed by partitioning myriad of examples. For instances, Julian, a younger sibling of Willie, was jeered unceasingly by his bigot peers, scoffing his name as Jew-Leen; Mr. Feder, father of Willie's friend, alleged the Nazis conflagrated his boatyard. He was a German jew & an immigrant; Willie was alienated during a commencing graduation party by his new-found friend Heidi, the sponsor & celebratee as well, upon unravelling his jewish origin. This book also stretch out teems of paragons on jewish credences & cultures, such as obligatory circumcision; vigorous predisposition of marrying similar jews; strong affinity towards naming a child with a jewish sounding name; calling a jew a kike; obdurate derision by remarking "Jews will avoid getting drafted". During those age, jews became a swirling infamous by-words because of Adolf Hitler, the leader & one of the proponents of war, driven severely to purge the world of most jews. This is one reason why the book is shrouded by uproarish, muddlesome, & mildly offensive ambience, since anti-semitism is one of the forefronts the book immersed by.

Albeit great moments abound this venture, yet one greatest scene stand out & at the same time, embodies the book summit. Fannie, mother of Willie, chokes out "...after all youre the family's best provider!....unfortunately you have a father who can't". Transpired after discerning that Willie is spending a prodigal sum of money building a real boat with his best friend Buck, who once & only recently, was Willie's chronic rival in a fistfight. Her mother unwittingly blurted out nonsensical tirades as an innuendo for Sam, the father of Willie, who was within an earshot, to be hear.

Atoning for this amiss, Willie was dumbfounded yet hastily subdues his mother to clam up & moreover, like a good son, approach his father invariably & cunningly redresses the blunder by graciously seeking his father timeless advice & acumen on money matters & life experiences, whom his father presently out of business due to depression cycle struck the business circle.

Seconding the motion, ditto, Fannie reverses her petty stumble by offering Sam a cup of coffee as her own recouse to an act of contrition. Glimpsing this cherished & heartwarming moment, made this book important theme of familial bonding & close-knitted family togetherness even more significantly memorable & valuable. Unlike a mere passing fad, unbeknowingly, skimming through the pages, & innocently eliciting no more than a pittance of a smile, &/or tears, with no genuine clear recollection & deep understanding of the crux which the book is full of.

Oddly, Sam & Willie both share scores of similar positive traits. Sam, with his ingrained wits, frequently instills clever & sensible wisdom to Willie like how to deal with a bully, not by habitual condescending to their styles, rather by fashioning a more efficient method of using one's head to settle a squabble amicably. And indeed, Sam is an epitome of an idealistic husband & a model parent. While Willie equalled his father on the strenght of being a praiseworthy son & possesses a good character. For examples, an obedient son & as well, very helpful, by lending his hands to earn money to contribute for the family during those unforseen circumstances of direness.

In his humble way of steeping into this book a tribute, Will Eisner deeply professes his selfish callings, passion, integrity & pride of being a premier master craftsman by personifying his arts in the person to both father & son, Sam & Willie, living his dreams & ideals. And these remnants were sufficiently plumbed by the book. Drifting form this conversation a bit, to ask a rhetorical question, since this is a thinly-veiled autobiography, it is curious to know who among the book characters, with Sam & Willie at the helm, is Will Eisner really symbolizing himself amongst them ?

A gem of a book. A must buy. Terrific to add to your collections.

Most highly recommended !

Rating:
Summary: An amazing, stirring piece of work...
Review: Will Eisner tells a thinly veiled autobiographical tale of the anti-Semitic attitudes that lurked in the U.S. even as America headed off to war against the Nazis in Europe. (Though it's never stated in this book, the only *official* aid the U.S. gave German Jews was to let about a thousand immigrate here during the war. Everything else came afterward.)

Through the eyes of a son headed to war, we see his upbringing in various New York neighborhoods, and his parents' struggles to make ends meet in an economy where, even more than today, ethnicity could mean the difference between success and failure. His parents' tales show that things have been even worse in the past, though; from an uncle on his mother's side who changed his religion and cut himself off from the family to get into medical school, to his father's encounters in pre-WWI Vienna with a pro-Nazi artist.

Maybe the most compelling and heartbreaking thread, however, is the relationship between Willie and his best friend, Duke. From a backyard fight, through a building project, and then a meeting as adults, we see the harsh reality of how things so often work out, but also the hope for what can be... and why an artist, just starting in his career, might make the decision to not fight his draft notice and risk losing it all.

Brilliant stuff that warms the heart even as it sometimes hits like a knife in the back. Eisner is at his best here in art, in writing, and in storytelling.