Beautiful Book of the Month: May

The Rime of the Modern Mariner By Nick Hayes

Published April 2011
ISBN:  9780224090254
Format: Hardback
Jonathan Cape
www.capegraphicnovels.co.uk


I know I'm late again writing my Beautiful Book of the Month article, about 4 months late to be precise, but I promise you I picked an absolute beauty for this long overdue post.

Over the years I have amassed an admirable assortment of enticing literary tomes, but even among the two bookcases designated to house my most beloved books there are a few titles that still manage to shine a little bit brighter than the rest in my eyes. My favourites among my favourites. While my shelves have seen many new additions and have undergone many bouts of shuffling, Nick Haye's The Rime of the Modern Mariner has always held its lofty position; clearly visible and easily accessible, and in my overflowing library that is the highest possible honour I can bestow upon any book.

It’s rare today to come across something so remarkably well crafted. The illustrated matte cover is combined with a luxurious wrap around cloth spine and polished off with elaborately etched silver lettering. The addition of the quirky “handwritten” typeface and whimsical wave patterned end pages add to the character of this charming illustrated novel.


Hayes uses a limited colour palette for his illustrations, sticking only to subtle hue variations of pastel blue and black. It is truly amazing to see how much detail and depth can be achieved using so few colours. I think also by restricting the range of shades, it gives the piece a sense of uniformity and forces the viewer to pay closer attention to how the images interact on the page with one another.

Each page is laid out with impeccable precision, creating a visual language all of its own that flows naturally and fluidly from page to page, mirroring the natural rhythm that emerges from the poem’s rhyme. No two pages are arranged in quite the same way.

But beneath this stunning visual feast, there lurks a compelling and haunting moral fable. This beautiful graphic novel reinvents Samuel Taylor Coleridge's longest and arguably his most famous poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. First published in 1798, the original tale relates the experiences of a weary sailor who has returned from a long sea voyage. He stops a man who is on the way to a wedding ceremony and begins to weave a harrowing story of sin and reparation spurred by the senseless killing of an albatross.

It’s a tremendous challenge to rework a classic, especially since the work will inevitably be compared to its reference material no matter how drastically altered or original it may be. Nick Hayes takes on the enormous task of constructing his own original verse for his narrative tale and has created something that is not only lyrically melodic, but visually striking.

The Rime of the Modern Mariner is a cautionary tale of environmental disaster created by humankind’s excessive consumption and our indifference to the consequences on the world around us. By updating the synopsis of the story, Hayes devises something that is more accessible than the original; more relevant to our time and in a way, conveys a stronger message that grows more necessary to impart with each passing year.  

There are several clever twists made to the initial tale. Hayes modernises Coleridge's wedding guest, a bright young man inexplicably transfixed by the sailor’s every word, into a jaded divorced office-worker who listens half-heartedly to the tale to pass time on his lunch break. Instead of imparting a sense of a hard lesson won, learned and imparted to a new generation, Hayes protagonist is left astonished and sitting alone as the city dweller declares the tale as an amusing “nursery rhyme” and goes back to his life with an untainted conscience. While it is a down hearted ending, it does ask the viewer the uncomfortable question of how much the novel has affected them. Will they too go back to their previous wasteful ways? Or perceive the world in a new light and make some amends for their past negligence?  

The Rime of the Modern Mariner is a provocative piece of work that proves that literary graphic novels can impress, inflame and inspire people just as well as their unillustrated counterparts.

I admire Random House and Jonathan Cape’s commendable attention to detail in the design of this visual novel. They’re one of my favourite publishers, not only because of their continued support for indie comic artists, but also for the exceptional quality and respectful care they put into creating suitable formats tailored for each unique art style and story.
Last year, I reviewed another graphic novel, Building Stories by Chris Ware (also published by Jonathan Cape) and I found myself continuously impressed with the production quality. I was surprised that such a gorgeous product was printed by a large publisher since it seemed like such an indulgent risk to produce. I honestly believe that there aren't many publishers willing to undertake such a tremendous task to create a book that not only does justice to the artwork found inside its pages, but can be considered a piece of art itself.

Beautiful Book of the Month: November

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland 

By Lewis Carroll & Illustrated by Robert Ingpen

Published August 2009

ISBN:  9781840119688
Templar Publishing
www.templarco.co.uk


After quickly scanning through my numerous bookshelves and piles before writing this post, I've roughly counted at least 10 different editions of the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland that I own so far and that’s not counting the numerous adaptations and reinterpretations that I have quietly amassed over the years.

While there is a small part of me that realizes that having so many multiple copies of the same book is incredibly impractical, both economically and spatially, I can’t help myself. There is a lure to this book that is incredibly hard for me to resist.

The stories that resonate with us are usually the ones from our childhood; the ones that sparked our first initial love of reading. Alice in Wonderland was the first book that fully captured my imagination. The first to conjure up imagery so exciting, so vivid and so ridiculous that I knew I wanted to be a part of it. It was the first fantasy universe that I wanted to escape into and first world that I truly wished with all my heart existed somewhere in real life.  From the very first moment Alice tumbled down that rabbit hole, I fell with her and I never wanted to wake up from the dream.

"Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!"

I have to remind myself that I'm not actually reviewing the quality of the story, but the quality of the actual physical book for this review. It’s hard not to get carried away by enthusiasm and just say “READ IT ALREADY!” to those that haven’t yet. It’s an absolute classic. I normally avoid brandishing the label “classic” to a book I'm trying to encourage others to read, mostly because to some it conjures up images of dusty old tombs that they either avoid like the plague or feel obligated to own on their shelves, but never intend to read. But this is a classic in the truest sense of the meaning. A 19th century reviewer, Sir Walter Besant said it best when he wrote that Alice's Adventures in Wonderland "was a book of that extremely rare kind which will belong to all the generations to come until the language becomes obsolete".  It a book that is meant to be read, to be enjoyed and it’s endearing and enduring story still evokes a sense of wonder and excitement with every additional reading. There’s always something new to discover in Wonderland.

While this may be blasphemous to many Alice collectors out there, I must admit that this is my favourite edition. Lewis Carroll’s wonderfully surreal tale is beautifully illustrated in this hardback edition. As much as I love the original illustrations by Sir John Tenniel, Robert Ingpen’s drawings just bring the world alive for me.

What I love the most about the artwork is the attention to the fine details. An astonishing amount of care has gone into each image; nothing suffers from even a hint of neglect.  Every element, from the individual strands of hair on Alice’s head to the slightly chipped and worn shell of the Mock Turtle, has been lovingly rendered in exquisite detail.  Flawlessly accurate but never rigid, the realism of Ingpen’s work adds depth and believability without detracting from the entertaining nonsense that is the heart and soul of the story.

The Mad Hatter	Curiouser and Curiouser	Alice embossed on cover

The Tea Party: Where I first pondered "Why is a raven is like a writing desk?"

Not only are the pictures in this edition elegantly and painstakingly drawn, but it’s also by far the most richly illustrated version I've come across. There are over 70 enchanting images to marvel and linger over. As an aspiring artist myself, I can’t help but be in awe of Ingpen’s sketches; so wonderfully textured with every pencil mark visible.    

Why is it always harder to write about the things you love? Is it because criticism comes much more naturally to us, or is it because no combination of words seems to do the subject matter justice? When I first toyed with the idea of creating a “Beautiful Book of the Month” feature, Alice instantly popped in my mind as an obvious first choice, but I just couldn't figure out what to say.  Months later and I'm still not convinced I've said the right things or nearly enough.

This is the book that I enthusiastically run from one far corner of the store to the next just to place in a customer’s hand. It’s one of the books that give me a warm happy glow inside whenever I manage to sell a copy to a fellow book lover. Not because it’s an extra sale for our shop, but because I’d like to imagine that this book will be a much loved and cherished addition to someone’s library. Just as it is in mine.

Other wonderful hardback classics in this series illustrated by Robert Ingpen

Adventures of Tom Sawyer Jungle Book The Night Before Christmas Peter Pan and Wendy The Secret Garden Treasure Island Wind in the Willows Wonderful Wizard of Oz

9781402767623 9781402782848 9781402781827 9781402728686 9781402778728 9781402775451 9781402782831 9781402775468

This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers

Publisher: HarperCollins

General Edition ISBN: 9780007263875

Special Edition ISBN:  9780007492480
Format: Hardback

Pages: 32

Genre: Children's, Picture Book

Publication Date: August 30, 2012

SYNOPSIS

Wilfred owned a moose.  He hadn't always owned a moose. The moose came to him a while ago and he knew, just KNEW, that it was meant to be his.  He thought he would call him Marcel.

Most of the time Marcel is very obedient, abiding by the many rules of How to Be a Good Pet.  But imagine Wilfred's surprise when one dark day, while deep in the woods, someone else claims the moose as their own...

Is Marcel really Wilfred's pet after all?

REVIEW

Oliver Jeffers has been one of my favourite children's illustrators ever since I first came across his second picture book Lost and Found nearly 5 years ago.  If you've never read the book, I highly recommend reading it and also watching the 24 minute Bafta award winning animated adaptation created by Studio AKA.

What really impressed me about Jeffers' work was how much character expression he could convey with an uncomplicated wire frame body and two tiny dots for eyes.  The dots may be easy to create, but their positioning is crucial.  That's what I love about his work. It's simple, clean and minimal, but it's deceptively so.  It requires a lot of precision to accomplish something that appears that effortless.  That's why I would never say that creating a picture book is easy.

I had extremely high expectations for his latest picture book partly because being a Canadian comes with a strange instilled patriotic fondness for moose and my first glimpse of the cover design showed an impressively detailed mountain scene that was unlike anything I've seen in Jeffers' previous works.

This Moose Belongs to Me explores the mature themes of friendship, ownership, independence and acceptance, but presents it in a funny, inventive and addictive narrative that is both accessible and readable for younger and older viewers.  The clever choice of featuring an uncommon wild animal as a "pet" makes it easy for children to understand why Wilfred could never really truly own "Marcel" and make him abide by his long list of rules.  There's a lovely message about the compromises we sometimes have to make when we want to have certain people or animals in our lives.

My favourite 2 page spread

It's always refreshing to see an established illustrator evolving their signature style and trying something a little different.  It's easy to stick to the same formula that has a track record of proven commercial success, but I've always loved artists that attempt to branch out and experiment with their methods. What I love most about the artwork in This Moose Belongs to Me is the variety of textures and mediums used for the landscapes and backgrounds of every page.  There's a sense of richness and abundance that flows from the pages that mirror the vast open wilderness setting of the story.  With so much detail to admire and marvel over, words aren't even necessary.  The strength of the artwork not only drives the narrative along its intended path, but makes this book must own collector's item for admirers of illustration.  I have to admit that I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the standard hardback edition a week later from the publisher to review, but as soon as I snuck a peek at the special edition and read through the story, I fell completely in love with it.  I left work happy a few hours later albeit a few pounds lighter than I should have been.      

Special Edition slipcase and hardcover Book

Limited Edition numbered print included in Special Edition

Picture books are an underrated form of storytelling that deserve wider acclaim and appreciation. While many people see them as a quick distraction or as a means of simple entertainment, many provide pivotal life lessons ranging from learning to identify different colours or first words to difficult topics for parents to discuss like moving house or losing a love one.  The ability to pass on a strong message or moral in only a few images and words is an remarkable accomplishment for anyone, but the added ability to make it charming and engaging at the same time is one of the reasons why Oliver Jeffers continues to be an author whose work I not only respect and love, but believe should be an essential addition to every child's library.

Short and Sweet: The Twitter Review

An irresistibly charming story about a boy and his moose. Fair warning to all: one small peek between its pages and you'll be hard pressed to leave it behind in the shop.

Beautiful Book of the Month: September

This month's beautiful book is one that I happened to stumble across accidentally.  About a year ago, I met someone while I was down in London for a week helping to open up a new shop.  When I mentioned how much I loved art books and quirky graphic novels, he recommended a comic book shop called Gosh!  I've been meaning to check out the store for ages and when I finally managed to make a trip to it in July, I promptly mentally kicked myself for all of the lost time I could have spent roaming its abundantly stocked shelves.  It's located near the slightly seedy part of Soho, but if you've never been I highly recommend a trip down to London just for it.

Now back to the book.

Everything is its own reward By Paul Madonna

Published June 2011
ISBN:  9780872865150
City Lights Books
http://www.citylights.com/

Everything is its own reward is the second hardback collecting images from Paul Madonna's popular long-running weekly serial "All Over Coffee", which he likes to refer to as a 'strip'; a comic strip without the comic.  While there is the occasional addition of text in the forms of a single sentence or a short piece of flash fiction, the fluid pen and ink wash landscapes are the true stars of every panel.

#489 p. 89 Page Street, San Francisco

Each image is completely devoid of people, but not of life and that's exactly why I love it so much.  It feels like it could be anywhere and everywhere.  I've always loved uncovering the hidden places and spaces that can be overlooked in sprawling urban landscapes and Madonna's work is a reflection of all the unappreciated beauty that surrounds us that we rarely take the time to pause and appreciate.  

One of my favourite things to do back in Toronto was to set out early in the morning with a camera in hand and wander around the city taking unfamiliar routes to favourite places or setting out to new areas never explored.  It's the best way to discover something new somewhere that's become completely familiar.      

#398, p. 211 15th Street, San Francisco

Maybe I'm slightly biased, because I used to live in a large city.  I miss the feel of wandering through the long seemingly endless streets of my concrete jungle.  Miss feeling the comfort of being hidden in the canopy of shadows cast down from the towering buildings and skyscrapers.

"Madonna's book reminds us that the reason so many of us love cities is because they give us permission to be voyeurs, to observe others, to see other lives on display in front of us in the coffee shop, the supermarket, the traffic jam, the commuter train, the neon-lit street. They are full of stories."

-Herald Scotland

Paul Madonna's Everything is its own reward is a beautiful collection of strikingly detailed hand drawn illustrations.  A great way to explore the city for the day in the comfort of your own home.

Meeting Idols

Last Monday, as some of you will know from my over enthusiastic tweeting, I went to an once in a lifetime event with two of my favourite illustrators, Shaun Tan and Quentin Blake.  I was surprised and oddly, slightly outraged that the event wasn't heavily advertised.  I mean, it's Shaun Tan and Quentin Blake.  Two titans of the illustration world whose work I've admired and ravenously clamoured after for years.  If my wonderful boyfriend hadn't found out about the event by sheer luck, I would have been devastated at the missed opportunity to meet them both.  If both names are unfamiliar to you (I really, really hope not) here's a bit of basic information.

Shaun Tan in his studio

Shaun Tan is an Australian author and illustrator. While best known for his meticulously detailed and beautifully rendered wordless graphic novel, The Arrival, Shaun has also gained recognition from winning an Oscar last year for the fantastic animated short "The Lost Thing" which was adapted from his picture book of the same name.  I fell in love with Shaun's work after being introduced to his books by a lovely fellow bookseller 6 years ago and have been an obsessive fan ever since.  "The Arrival" is my favourite work and has been a reliable source of comfort every time I feel a little twinge of homesickness.    

Quentin Blake is renowned for his illustrations of Roald Dahl’s much-loved stories, but has collaborated with many other notable authors over the years such as Michael Rosen (The Sad Book) and most recently David Walliams (Billionaire Boy, Gangsta Granny, etc). So far, Quentin has illustrated over 300 books, including 32 of his own works.  While I love his solo works, his illustrations and name will always be inextricably linked to my childhood memories of reading Dahl's stories.  His drawings brought to life some of my most feared villains and beloved heroes and heroines.

The event itself was a rather intimate, informal chat between the two illustrators as they observed slides of each others' works and differing approaches to illustration.  The absolute highlight of the evening was watching both Shaun and Quentin engaged in some impromptu sketching using themes suggested by the audience.

Can someone let me know what the proper grown up etiquette is when meeting someone you spent years admiring?  I'm assuming squealing, jumping up and down and pointing frantically while asking the inane question "Do you know who you are?" isn't the right thing to do. While I did manage to refrain from turning into the scary fan girl that every semi famous male is terrified of encountering, I wouldn't say that I left with my dignity completely intact.  I think at one point while talking to Shaun Tan, I lost the ability to communicate properly, blanked on the word "bookplate" and for what seemed like the longest 5 seconds of my life, frantically racked my brain for the right word while making charade like hand gestures to try to jerk my brain into some sort of glimmer of recognizable association with the image in my head.  I managed to not make a complete babbling idiot out of myself long enough to get my books signed.

Signed Copies of "The Arrival", "Tales from Outer Suburbia" and "Eric"

It was a tough choice choosing which three books to bring with me for the signing.  I'm extremely glad I brought my Canadian edition of "Tales From Outer Suburbia" since Shaun actually noticed the edition and had a bit of a longer chat with me!  It was quite amazing watching him draw little illustrations in each of the books.  

Signed copy of "Matilda"

I was a bit disappointed that I could only get 1 item signed by Quentin.  I felt a little bit bad about not getting "Clown" signed, but "Matilda" just means so much to me that it couldn't have been any other book.

Originally, I mainly thought of this trip as an fantastic chance to meet two of my favourite artists, but as I read and re-read through the collection of books John and I brought to be signed, I realized I forgotten that I'm not only meeting world renowned illustrators, but world renowned storytellers.  Sometimes it's nice to just settle down and take the time to slowly re-read an old favourite rather than flip nonchalantly through familiar pages and images.