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The book is from the mid 00s, and its pages overflow with a veritable cornucopia of outdated tropes and lackluster characterizations that might have been passable in the 90s, but now read like a relic from a bygone era. While the author's linguistic prowess is certainly on display, the result is more akin to a hodgepodge of words rather than a cohesive narrative. And let's not forget the cringe-inducing use of antiquated tech jargon, which only serves to accentuate how irrelevant to the present day the book is

The occasional sparks of creativity and imagination are certainly worth noting, and perhaps this book could have been a real contender had it been released a decade earlier. But it gets very irritating very quickly. As well as cringy ("he got shlashdotted"). I couldn't bring myself to finish it.

I gotta stop reading comic versions of biographies and historical books. They're almost always real bland, since the author rarely has the space to do anything but just tell the facts. The only exceptions I can think of are the biography of Buddha - which was 9 volumes - and Maus, which is a personal story. Louis Riel is neither extensive nor emotionally charged. It's well narrated and drawn, like you'd expect from the author. It's also somewhat informative - I didn't know much about the history of Canada and its Native-French people. But none of the characters come alive, nor their communities. I'm always conscious I'm reading a history book. In the end, Brown fails by treating the subject matter with too much reverence and not bonding emotionally with it. If the author don't, neither will the reader.

As someone with no psychology expertise I found this an excellent read. It covers various ways our subconscious can influcence our judgement. The highlight for me was the section on IAT and racial bias.

I said "read", but I had to put it down after half an hour. I expected it to include some inspiration and tips on making capitalism more sustainable. Instead the authors are so entusiastic about capitalism I felt I was reading a propaganda piece from the 1950s. Doesn't seem to acknolwedge any shortcomings of the system. Garbage. Burn with fire.

Kunito Tsurita was the pioneering alt manga artist whose publication ushered in a new era of graphic storytelling. Though her work may not have aged as well as some of her contemporaries, it is a testament to a particular moment in time and should be considered as such. It bears the mark of a young artist still honing their craft, and the circumstances of Tsurita's life - marred by terminal illness - are evident in the often dark and wistful nature of her work. The collection, accompanied by a critical introduction, is a valuable addition to any historian's library. However, for the casual reader, Tsurita's work may be of more historical interest than aesthetic enjoyment.

The book is a catalog of the cringiest moments from the author's life, displaying all his anxieties and insecurities. And nothing else - it feels a bit self indulgent and playing to the gallery at times. Although I suspect the candid and self-effacing style is a way to disguie a big "fuck you" to the alt-comic industry (not a single one of them comes across as a decent human being). Either way, an interesting read.

I was disappointed with Chester Brown's biography of Louis Riel. But I didn't want that to be my last memory of him, so I dug up this collection of his early stories and gave them a read. They're a wild ride - wacky, well-paced, and masterfully drawn, at least the later ones are. Even the earlier stories are worth reading to see how he progressed. A book that starts with a story about a Toilet Paper Revolt? You know it's got to be good. It may not be his definitive work, but it's still pretty good.