Welcome to Litsy!

What a wonderful autobiographical graphic novel! The memoir of Brigitte Findakly co-written and drawn by her husband, Lewis Trondheim. I have read it in one go and I will surely reread it, so straight to my to-buy book list.

Another jury duty read. I had to go return my books and check more out while on my lunch break. This was one I picked up! Quick read and I enjoyed the facts about Iraqi culture sprinkled into this #graphicmemoir.

#nonfiction #iraq #memoir

#LetsTravelJuly Day 27: This graphic memoir is a good introduction to the landscape of Iraq, its varied people, and the divisiveness that eventually drove the entire country apart. It is also about displacement, exile, and a #journey of going back to one‘s roots and living in the in-between. My review: https://wp.me/pDlzr-iXx Very lucky to hear the author-artist speak during the Singapore Writers Festival last year.

Some of the stuff in this book was absolutely fascinating to read.

Memoir about growing up in a changing Iraq. I enjoyed the asides about Iraqi traditions and the interspersed photos.

Front: snow day reading, morning edition

Back: three (!) tote bags full of library books that need to be returned, foot of snow or not.

A charming memoir in comics format about growing up Christian in Iraq and then emigrating to Paris with her family as a young teen. Funny and poignant. It reminds me of Marjane Satrapi‘s Persepolis; Findakly is 10 years older than Satrapi.

The Findalky family encountered so much bureaucracy when they moved from Iraq to Paris in 1972. Brigitte‘s mother, who was born in France to French parents, was told (falsely) that she had lost her citizenship by marrying an Iraqi. Brigitte‘s father, who got his dentistry credentials in Paris 30 years earlier, was told that his was considered a “foreign certification” and not valid for practice in France.

Findakly‘s husband Lewis Trondheim created the art for her memoir. I like what he did in this bottom panel, showing Findakly as a child, visible through the hole Iraqi customs officials had cut in her mother‘s French magazine, removed because it was a photo of a Jewish musician. ☹️

The cartoonish style in this memoir adds an element of dark humour and simplifies the complicated politics of 20th c Iraq. The next two panels explain how the author‘s mother was indirectly affected: everything red (umbrellas, clothing, cars) was strictly banned and so she had to put away her pretty red purse.

In 1966, my mother ordered a dictionary. When we got it, we immediately looked up the entry for Iraq. But the page was torn out. It hadn‘t been censored to hide information about Iraq… but to remove the entry about Israel included on the same page.

Interesting story about growing up in Iraq from 1959 to late 70s. You feel the author‘s heartbreak when she returns to Iraq in the 80s with much drastically change. Feel her frustration with stereotypes too. Specific pages are dedicated to traditions in Iraq. At the end, she shares fond memories of her childhood there as well. While she covers horrific events, the overall message focuses on one person mourning the country of her childhood.

Came home from walking Lizzie and found Bernie reminding me that I should finish this graphic novel featuring middle class family life in Iraq in the 1970s and 80s. #dogsoflitsy

Beautifully told story of the writer's childhood in Iraq. Told in different snapshots of information about the history and culture of Iraq and personal details of Findakly's childhood experiences, I feel like I got a good story and a lot of information. The art is cute and suits it, and the vibrant colouring brings it to life.

Definitely recommended.

Reading even more graphic novels today! I loved how this book told history of Iraq as we don‘t usually see it. It was a personal story of her family while also looking at every day life.

Sweet story of emigration.

Such a unique perspective. The illustration style is not my favorite, but it's very expressive and effective. #graphicnovels #Iraq

What an opening! #graphicnovels

My #DeweysReadathon plan: start with the graphic novels, then dip into my recent library hold (Celeste Ng) and try to get closer to finishing Chambers‘ book. When my eyes get tired I‘ll turn to my current audiobook (A Murder in Time) and of course snack a lot!!! Look forward to reading time!

Really short, heartbreaking read. It covers both the personal narrative of the author and her family as well as the immense turmoil of her country and sheds light on Iraqi customs and norms.

This is both unimaginable to me and absolutely lovely. Which sums up my experience of this graphic novel so far.

Another graphic memoir purchased at Metro Comics.