kurtwombat's review against another edition
5.0
I was blessed to discover Harvey Pekar on LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN back in the 1980’s. He shambled out on stage, plopped into the guest seat and would not sit still. Agitated and annoyed, his intense eyes would flare and his coarse tongue flame in response to Letterman’s show biz BS. I viewed Letterman differently after that. Pekar had a way during those interviews of cutting straight to life’s bone—refusing to play along with the game of shallow presentations that most of TV is. I loved Letterman back then and still like him today, but watching Pekar fight to remain himself amidst the high show biz gloss seemed to pull back the curtain and reveal that TV was not life but a puppet show instead. And Pekar would not have his strings pulled by anyone even at the risk of damaging his career.
This same battle can be seen on every page of AMERICAN SPLENDOR. It would be very easy to read a story or two of Pekar’s and come away unimpressed. Often sparsely worded and little action to speak of, most of the stories feel like overheard conversations or those thoughts that make us pause a moment before stepping back into the usual rhythms. These are moments that question who we are and what we really want or how much our day to day lives are costing us. There is humor in his work, not all irritated gloom. Though I can’t say I laughed, I did quite often smile recognizing the truth of the life sprawled out before me. Even when the stories are gloomy and seemingly lacking in hope, there is a tough minded perseverance by the author that rarely fails to inspire. During his career, Pekar’s work was illustrated by several different artists—most famously by R. Crumb. The switching up of artists from story to story adds to the power of the work, giving the sense of jumping around inside Pekar’s mind—denying any quality of linear thinking having a singular illustrator might imply. As I mentioned, one or two stories might not impress you but each story adds wattage to the bulb so that by the time you reach the end there is a bright light indeed.
This same battle can be seen on every page of AMERICAN SPLENDOR. It would be very easy to read a story or two of Pekar’s and come away unimpressed. Often sparsely worded and little action to speak of, most of the stories feel like overheard conversations or those thoughts that make us pause a moment before stepping back into the usual rhythms. These are moments that question who we are and what we really want or how much our day to day lives are costing us. There is humor in his work, not all irritated gloom. Though I can’t say I laughed, I did quite often smile recognizing the truth of the life sprawled out before me. Even when the stories are gloomy and seemingly lacking in hope, there is a tough minded perseverance by the author that rarely fails to inspire. During his career, Pekar’s work was illustrated by several different artists—most famously by R. Crumb. The switching up of artists from story to story adds to the power of the work, giving the sense of jumping around inside Pekar’s mind—denying any quality of linear thinking having a singular illustrator might imply. As I mentioned, one or two stories might not impress you but each story adds wattage to the bulb so that by the time you reach the end there is a bright light indeed.
germancho's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing book! The art in each story is beautiful and poignant, just as the prose and dialogue are. But really, the thing I enjoyed the most about this book was Harvey Pekar's dry, no-nonsense sense of humor and timing. I chuckled almost constantly while reading it.
jonbrammer's review against another edition
4.0
Pekar's vignettes about life in Cleveland capture the explicit angst of a man who does not fit neatly into any categories of the artist or intellectual. His life is one of defiance - he is not an easy man to get along with, but despite the resulting loneliness and angst, he sticks to his idiosyncratic path. The most moving stories involve his reflection and his attempt to make meaning out of the mundanities of his existence.
lookhome's review against another edition
4.0
awesome, I'm hooked, I need to hunt down more non fiction comics
bakudreamer's review against another edition
2.0
I only like the Crumb illustrated parts. I wish I had a friend like ' Mr. Boat '. Actually, maybe - I'm - Mr. Boat ... or I will be if I survive another twenty years or so. Strawberries.
nnebeluk's review against another edition
2.0
"I'll be Forty-three on Friday (how I'm living now)" is the only story that really had any poignancy for me. Maybe in time I'll mature and reflect on these stories but I just didn't see the appeal here. I think a lot of Pekar's appeal was him being the first one to do this. This book deserves a place in history, not your shelf.
sammykammy's review against another edition
1.0
maybe this isn't fair to Harvey Pekar, but I read this book right after I read "Persepolis", and all I could think of was "it's just another guy whining about the little things in life, not realizing how wonderful his life really is." There was no war ravaging his country, no close family members being torn away from him. just him. complaining. for over 100 pages. I really didn't get anything out of this book.
eberico's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, this was so much better than I expected, and I had high expectations. There's no new story here, per se, no new ideas to be introduced - but rarely does the ordinary seem so, I don't know, transcendent. I regret not reading this earlier, and look forward to more from [a:Harvey Pekar|5125|Harvey Pekar|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1208208364p2/5125.jpg].
cjordahl's review against another edition
5.0
Obsessive, judgemental, dryly humorous. I love Pekar's voice and his slice-of-life vignettes.