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‘Syncopated’ showcases artistic nonfiction
Reviewed by LEE CLARK ZUMPE
| Article published on Monday, June 8, 2009 |
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In “Syncopated,” published by the Villard imprint of Random House, editor Brendan Burford has chosen to fuse the traditional nonfiction essay with the comics form.
The result is another step in the evolution of graphic novels. From Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis” and “Chicken with Plums” to “Deogratias, A Tale of Rwanda” by J.P. Stassen, the medium has developed into a formidible literary art form. Billed as a collection of “picto-essays,” “Syncopated” is part memoir, part history, part journalism and part biography. Featuring a broad range of artistic styles, the book includes work from 16 graphic artists.
The contents range from the mundane to the vividly unsettling. “Boris
Rose: Prisoner of Jazz,” by Brendan B and Jim Campbell, documents a music afficionado whose bootleg archive may contain one-of-a-kind recordings of mid-20th century jazz artists. In “Penny Sentiments,”
Rina Piccolo reveals a fascination with used postcards that shed light on history through fragments of personal correspondences.
There are darker, more profound pieces as well. “Like Hell I Will”
examines a shameful moment in American history. Greg Cook’s “What We So Quietly Saw” takes text quoted directly from FBI reports about Guantanamo prisoner interrogations and illustrates them using a stark, silhouette style.
The accessibility of the form and the creativity that underlies each of these pieces makes “Syncopated” a treasure. It is unlikely that this new form will replace the traditional essay, but it does provide readers with a innovative source of entertainment and edification.
“Syncopated” is available now from Villard.
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Article published on Monday, June 8, 2009
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