Our Cancer Year

Rating:
Summary: Fine Work
Review: A fine work of autobiography. Understand, however, that Harvey is critical of everything, himself included, and his unflinching eye depicts his personal agony alongside the state-of-the-world at the time. As in many of his extended works, Harvey uses his story to get up on a soap-box, but if you think of his comics as an extension of his life, you might be begining to appreciate what he really is. Harvey IS his stories.

I was struck by the relationship between Harvey and his wife Joyce: if there is a better depiction of the difficulty in love in the midst of illness, I don't know it. Their relationship is loving and it touched me deeply.

Rating:
Summary: Fine Work
Review: A fine work of autobiography. Understand, however, that Harvey is critical of everything, himself included, and his unflinching eye depicts his personal agony alongside the state-of-the-world at the time. As in many of his extended works, Harvey uses his story to get up on a soap-box, but if you think of his comics as an extension of his life, you might be begining to appreciate what he really is. Harvey IS his stories.

I was struck by the relationship between Harvey and his wife Joyce: if there is a better depiction of the difficulty in love in the midst of illness, I don't know it. Their relationship is loving and it touched me deeply.

Rating:
Summary: I was disappointed...
Review: I bought this book on faith, having greatly enjoyed "American Splendor Presents: Bob & Harv's Comics" (which was illustrated by R. Crumb). I expected a personal story, a slice of life, an attempt to make sense of tragedy. But what I found instead was unimpressive graphics (this book is NOT illustrated by Crumb!) and bombastic lectures on the mid-East and domestic politics, including much anti-Israel commentary. The political proclamations rubbed me the wrong way, but even if I'd been sympathetic, I think I would have been disappointed by the bad art and lack of focus on the professed topic.

Rating:
Summary: For Pekar fans and people struggling with illness
Review: I found this book interesting since I'm a fan of Pekar's American Splendor series and his appearances on David Letterman's shows (apparently at an end, unfortunately for Pekar, even more unfortunately for Letterman). This book's an in depth look at Pekar's struggle with lymphoma. Given the subject matter, it's probably no surprise that this isn't as amusing as the American Splendor anthologies. But for fans, or for people struggling with illness, it's probably a worthwhile read.

Rating:
Summary: Kind of quirky
Review: It was very quick reading. The author portrays himself and his loved ones in a realistic, and, sometimes,not so flattering way. I didn't care for the drawing style at all. It seemed too sloppy and distracted from the story. The little details about having to deal with sometimes insensitive medical providers when you are at your most vulnerable will probably strike a chord with almost everyone who has dealt with any illness. It was worthwhile reading.

Rating:
Summary: Learn to read the art as well
Review: It's very important to emphasize here that Frank Stack's artwork is not "sloppy" or "crude" in any sense. He and Bill Griffith probably have the strongest straight-art chops of anybody doing comics now. But Stack isn't just technically accomplished. Once you learn to follow his deceptively simple lines, he's profoundly expressive in his impressionist manner. Especially dealing with the tough stuff in this story, he finds the exact unsentimental tone. If he was a more prolific storyteller (or had just a bit more vivid sense of humor) his work would be mentioned right with Griffith, Crumb, Sheldon, Williams, Woodring -- the likes of those. Barbner and Pekar's single finest stroke may have been choose Stack to do the art for "Our Cancer Year."

Rating:
Summary: Learn to read the art as well
Review: It's very important to emphasize here that Frank Stack's artwork is not "sloppy" or "crude" in any sense. He and Bill Griffith probably have the strongest straight-art chops of anybody doing comics now. But Stack isn't just technically accomplished. Once you learn to follow his deceptively simple lines, he's profoundly expressive in his impressionist manner. Especially dealing with the tough stuff in this story, he finds the exact unsentimental tone. If he was a more prolific storyteller (or had just a bit more vivid sense of humor) his work would be mentioned right with Griffith, Crumb, Sheldon, Williams, Woodring -- the likes of those. Barbner and Pekar's single finest stroke may have been choose Stack to do the art for "Our Cancer Year."

Rating:
Summary: A great book
Review: This is an incredible book. This comic-book remarkably and vividly portrays real lives--some lives torn apart by cancer, and some by war.

I loved this book, and I've read it twice, several years apart.

The second time I read it, something "hit me over the head" that hadn't struck me before. That's probably because since my first reading, I've done extensive research on the relationship between cancer and IGF-1 in dairy foods. (I've collected the full-text of hundreds of peer-reviewed journal articles while co-authoring a book on rBGH.) Upon this reading of Our Cancer Year, I noticed that dairy figured prominantly among mentioned foods in the book. Most readers of this review will view this paragraph as more quack than quirk, but I invite serious-minded researchers to check out PubMed for "IGF-1" (found in cow's milk) and "neoplasms," for instance. This book was written before rBGH was introduced into cows, which has resulted in even higher levels of the IGF-1 hormone in our diet.

Another thing that struck me while re-reading this is that people are still killing each other in the Middle East, even this many years later. Not surprising, I guess, but tragic, nevertheless. I admire Joyce B. for her challenging peace work. And I admire Harvey P. for this honest, insightful portrayal of their struggle with cancer.

I think the artist did a fine job, too. An all-around great book, whether you've had cancer or not. (I have not.)

Rating:
Summary: A great book
Review: This is an incredible book. This comic-book remarkably and vividly portrays real lives--some lives torn apart by cancer, and some by war.

I loved this book, and I've read it twice, several years apart.

The second time I read it, something "hit me over the head" that hadn't struck me before. That's probably because since my first reading, I've done extensive research on the relationship between cancer and IGF-1 in dairy foods. (I've collected the full-text of hundreds of peer-reviewed journal articles while co-authoring a book on rBGH.) Upon this reading of Our Cancer Year, I noticed that dairy figured prominantly among mentioned foods in the book. Most readers of this review will view this paragraph as more quack than quirk, but I invite serious-minded researchers to check out PubMed for "IGF-1" (found in cow's milk) and "neoplasms," for instance. This book was written before rBGH was introduced into cows, which has resulted in even higher levels of the IGF-1 hormone in our diet.

Another thing that struck me while re-reading this is that people are still killing each other in the Middle East, even this many years later. Not surprising, I guess, but tragic, nevertheless. I admire Joyce B. for her challenging peace work. And I admire Harvey P. for this honest, insightful portrayal of their struggle with cancer.

I think the artist did a fine job, too. An all-around great book, whether you've had cancer or not. (I have not.)

Rating:
Summary: Read it!
Review: What? I can't believe no one has reviewed this book. It's great; read it. Here they are in all their splendour. Things I really like about this book: willingness to expose yourself (so American!), willingness to be drawn normal (not glamourized), Joyce's kid-thing trying to make the world a better place, Harvey's recognition he's an oddball (staying in that job, that apartment, this comic-book autobiography). They are basically just out there living life large - not being mainstreamed. We're all odd and weird in some way(s) and these guys don't hide it.

Cancer's pretty scary and these guys do a good job using it as a springboard for a more intense life.