Reviews and Comments

An impressive "graphic memoir." One of the few comic-book-style memoirs I've ever read, and one that I couldn't put down. I'm a slow reader and it only took me an hour or two to get through it. The illustrations are top-notch and the writing is engaging, as well. An important work that everyone should read and learn from.

Personal note on the research mentioned: Touching a Nerve, by Patricia S. Churchland.

Armitage/Wallace audiobook review. I did not realize that this had both the Armitage and original-language versions of the audiobook. I saw the 2021 film last week and was inspired to read the book. As Gawain was in the green chapel, I kept wondering what else could happen in the story, being less than halfway through. And then it concluded and Bill Wallace started the 2nd half of the book in an incomprehensible tongue - I did not finish that half, since it would require some language training.

As for the story, it was more straightforward than the film. There was a lot of hunting in the middle of the story that did not interest me, but the overall quest and poetry was enjoyable to hear.

A valuable document of early cinema. Completed in 1978, the book is full of photos and statements from the original filmmakers. Brownlow tracked down many of the films and journeyed far and wide to give us a book than no one else could write.

The 2007 audiobook was skillfully narrated by Simon Vance, in which he changes his voice for every character. I was a bit confused when some of the other voice actors chimed for certain characters at points in the story, but then those characters went back to Vance's voice. This was a minor distraction to an altogether fascinating story, which mixed sci-fi, mysticism, politics, and action into the first book of an epic series.

E. B. White died in 1985, but it was quite a treat to hear him narrate this 50th anniversary audiobook. I'm guessing it's a port of White's 1980 cassette recording. The only thing missing are the illustrations by Garth Williams.