{"id":307,"date":"2009-07-15T21:08:42","date_gmt":"2009-07-16T04:08:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theamericancrawl.com\/?p=307"},"modified":"2015-02-16T08:49:13","modified_gmt":"2015-02-16T15:49:13","slug":"i-hate-using-sounding-like-im-using-hyperbole-but","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theamericancrawl.com\/?p=307","title":{"rendered":"I Hate Sounding Like I’m Using Hyperbole But …"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m currently reading through Asterios Polyp<\/a> by David Mazzucchelli and I’m just staggered by how good this is; content, design, layout, color, everything. I’m halfway through and frankly haven’t had this feeling about a book’s contribution to its genre since reading Jimmy Corrigan<\/a> (sadly, I suspect this will be the go-to comparison in upcoming reviews precisely because \u00a0they feel like such strong “statements” despite being worlds apart thematically).<\/p>\n

I realize how snobby the above thoughts sound. However, I literally put the book down every five or ten pages, reach for my computer and then decide I need to go back and make sure about what I’m reading. This being the halfway point, I feel confident in stating this book is a product of genius. A pure, precise effort that also has enough nuanced details to reward multiple readings (check the juxtaposition of assumptions of the first few pages with a major turning point later in the book, for instance).<\/p>\n

The only other work by Mazzucchelli I’m familiar with is the superb adaptation of Auster’s City of Glass<\/a> – something I almost taught as part of the Black Cloud curriculum last summer.<\/p>\n

Tell people this is awesome:<\/h3>