- What book is currently on your nightstand?
- Who is the author?
- What genre?
- How do you like it?
- Would you recommend it to others?
Probably lots of bleed-over from the last week since it was posted so late, but…
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
It’s a comic that breaks down and analyzes comics as a medium, from how it manages closure, to the abstractions it presents, to how time is depicted spatially.
Very good so far, gives me a window into the deeper artistic world of a medium I care for. Would heartily recommend if you care to assess comics and manga mechanically.
I used to assign segments of this book to students when I taught a Graphic Novel class. McCloud does a great job of explaining the medium using it as a vehicle throughout.
If you like books in a similar vein, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor” by Thomas Foster is a solid book to check out as well.
