March: Book One

I love that John Lewis was inspired by a comic book based on Martin Luther King's quest for civil rights, and have no doubt that March will go on to galvanize future leaders making gains in social justice as well. This book truly is on par with Maus and Persepolis for historical accuracy, unflinching realism, and cultural ethos. Both my 12-yr olds agree with me.

A unique, timeless, way to tell the story of the Civil Rights Era from a personal perspective. The graphic art makes Mr Lewis’ story accessible to all, of every age group, but it still has the sane emotional clout as if he’d written it out in longhand. It’s a brilliant way to share his story. My one complaint is that some of the writing is illegible - possibly deliberately, but it is still annoying.

The first book in a trilogy about the part of Congressman John Lewis in the Civil Rights movement. It begins as the congressman is about to attend Obama’s inauguration, but has time to speak to the children of some of his constituents, to whom he relates how he became involved in politics. The story is very personal, putting a human face on the appalling treatment meted out to black Americans, and showing why the Civil Rights movement was so necessary. The movement’s policy of non-violent action comes across so well in this graphic novel, as the calm, polite faces of the protesters contrast greatly with the anguished faces of the ladies behind the segregated lunch counters and the aggression of the white thugs, police and politicians. I admire so much, the non-violent sit-ins and boycotts by the young students. I doubt I would ever have had the strength of character to not react when abused and beaten. With Obama’s election, it must have seemed that the fight for Black equality was won. Unfortunately, a further movement: “Black Lives Matter” was still needed. And then came Trump, setting all anti-racism and anti-misogyny gains of the past 50 year back decades. This is an excellent addition to the literature about the Black Rights movements in the USA, and would be a perfect introduction for teenagers – as well as for adults.

About midway through Melinda Leigh's 30th book, "Drown Her Sorrows," protagonist Sheriff Bree Taggert goes on camera with the local reporter at a crime scene while bleeding noticeably from an injury sustained just minutes earlier. (Spoiler alert: It was only a flesh wound.) The scene is indicative of the character Leigh's built over the course of three novels. She's tough, driven and sensible enough to know that she should take it easy after visiting the hospital. The plot begins with a dead body found by a bridge. It appears to be suicide. But Leigh's not into simple mysteries, and this one has several twists. The ending actually accelerates the story to freeway speed. Bree's also getting more used to her civilian investigator, Matt. She isn't all work and no play. Somewhat, anyway. Her domestic side, if that's possible for a woman so invested in tracking murderers, gets explored, and Leigh toys with elevating her relationship with Matt. I got more into this dimension of the book than I suppose I should, wondering how he would fit in with her extended family. The problem with my reading any of Leigh's books, and I've read more than a few, is that after consuming a couple in a matter of days, there's a bit of a letdown. "What should I read now?"

"March: Book One", the first book of a trilogy in the graphic novel format, is a tantalizing account of, “The United States Civil Rights Movement”, as seen through the eyes of United States Congressmen John Lewis. Written by Lewis and his co-writer Andrew Aydin, with illustrations by Nate Powell, this autobiographical memoir delivers to the reader an acute awareness of the unjust trials and tribulations forced upon Black Americans by White Americans during this not so distant era in American history. Currently, it is difficult to fathom what it was like to be a Black American living under the dark hateful and ominous cloud of segregation. Most young Americans of todays generation have little to no knowledge of this oppressive ideology and hierarchy of racial bias that was widely accepted as the norm. Even those Americans familiar with this period sometimes view these acts of injustice as memories that should be forgotten or no longer discussed. This is a faulty misconception in that a more thorough understanding of race relations in this country will never be fully attained unless we as a society actively confront this shameful time period in our history with compassion and respect. "March: Book One", can be used as a vehicle to bring about this understanding. This autobiographical memoir is an emotional visual rendering of historical significance that follows Lewis' life from his very humble farming beginnings, to his college years whereby he fought for basic human rights not given Blacks due to social segregation based on racial discrimination. It also follows his present day life as a U.S. Congressman while preparing for the inauguration of President Barack Obama. It provides the viewer a look into the pivotal role he played in abrogating the atrocities of segregation through measures of non-violent resistance, although he and many others were violently attacked by those intent on keeping things the same. These events are masterly interwoven to form a very enjoyable reading/viewing experience. Lewis and Aydin's astutely written text transports the reader back to these moments; arduously unjust moments that can only be accurately written by a person who actually lived through them. Powell's mesmerizing illustrations show Lewis and a number of heroic figures as they organized marches, protests, and student sit-ins at, “White Only”, restaurants that more often times than not led to their arrests. Powell also masterfully used varying shading techniques and brush strokes that brilliantly rendered a tension filled atmosphere befitting Lewis and Aydin's accompanying text. “March: Book One", by Lewis, Aydin, and Powell is an invaluable lesson for any society interested in achieving deep-rooted social change in the face of discrimination and segregation as based on racial biases. As a lover of American history and avid grap...