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nssutton's review against another edition
3.0
required mfya reading. not having had cable when this season (or really, any season that counted for something) of the real world was on, this was my first extended exposure to pedro. i think it would have been more interesting to talk about this during our week on death in ya literature, but the story is still compelling any way you slice it. wasn't a great time to read such a bummer of the book, which probably affected my star ranking.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
5.0
Dude - what took me so long*?
Pedro and Me is the true memoir of a guy who was on MTV's The Real World with a really cool person who happened to have AIDS.
It talks about Judd's life, it talks about Pedro's life, and it talks about their friendship and experiences on the show. It very personally chronicles a very historical event in a super touching way.
Yes, I cried too. But I've kinda been like that lately.
It feels like Judd is super honest and real about the whole experience. Yes, of course there's an agenda, but it's not like that's a secret. Winick is an effective comic creator, using a variety of panel approaches and leading the eye really well. I wanted more photographs, and there were a few places where the narrative kind of floundered (for the time actually on the show, it's sometimes hard to tell what's on camera and what's off, and some of the noncentral relationships are a little unclear. Also, things are told topically, instead of chronologically, so that's occasionally confusing). But in the most important things, Winick does a great job.
An important chapter in health and GLBTIQA history.
*Give me a break, I was twelve when these events went down, and didn't have a TV.
Pedro and Me is the true memoir of a guy who was on MTV's The Real World with a really cool person who happened to have AIDS.
It talks about Judd's life, it talks about Pedro's life, and it talks about their friendship and experiences on the show. It very personally chronicles a very historical event in a super touching way.
Yes, I cried too. But I've kinda been like that lately.
It feels like Judd is super honest and real about the whole experience. Yes, of course there's an agenda, but it's not like that's a secret. Winick is an effective comic creator, using a variety of panel approaches and leading the eye really well. I wanted more photographs, and there were a few places where the narrative kind of floundered (for the time actually on the show, it's sometimes hard to tell what's on camera and what's off, and some of the noncentral relationships are a little unclear. Also, things are told topically, instead of chronologically, so that's occasionally confusing). But in the most important things, Winick does a great job.
An important chapter in health and GLBTIQA history.
*Give me a break, I was twelve when these events went down, and didn't have a TV.
skyring's review against another edition
5.0
Discoverylover sat me down in a comfy chair in the basement of City Lights (Columbus and Broadway, one of the world's great bookshops) and forced me to read this all the way through.
Which I did. Loved it!
A story of a gentle soul and his friends at a trying time.
It's a graphic novel, but that doesn't make it any easier on the emotions.
Which I did. Loved it!
A story of a gentle soul and his friends at a trying time.
It's a graphic novel, but that doesn't make it any easier on the emotions.
laissezfarrell's review against another edition
3.0
As far as AIDS memoirs (and, to a large extent, memoirs in general) go, Winick's recounting of his friendship with Pedro Zamora is touching and emotionally-grabbing, but is far from revelatory. Winick's narrative lacks, of course, the first-hand experience of living with the disease and he tends to gloss over some of the myriad societal ramifications. But he does paint a personal, wistful portrait of a lost friend and goes to great lengths to show how their friendship impacted his own life.
Maybe it's because I like righteous anger, but I was hoping for some Paul Monette-style rage at the mainstream for side-lining the AIDS disaster in general and homosexuality in specific. But that wasn't Winick's aim, I guess, so I should get over that.
Maybe it's because I like righteous anger, but I was hoping for some Paul Monette-style rage at the mainstream for side-lining the AIDS disaster in general and homosexuality in specific. But that wasn't Winick's aim, I guess, so I should get over that.
wayfaring_witch's review against another edition
5.0
I connected with this book instantly. It covered the relationship between HIV positive Pedro and comic creator Judd who met on Real World season 3. The art was amazing and I cried several times. The story telling quality reminded me of Maus. I've been watching the show since I finished the book on Hulu!
sandraagee's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent account of friendship and loss as a former member of the cast of The Real World documents his friend and Real World housemate's struggle with AIDS. It was incredibly touching. I teared up; I'll be honest.
Reread 12/2019. Still amazing.
Reread 12/2019. Still amazing.
mo3rgan's review against another edition
5.0
If you’re willing to read something that makes you cry, you should absolutely check out Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned.
If you’ve already seen The Real World: San Francisco, this is the perfect coda. If you haven’t, the book works on its own.
Pedro Zamora was one of the first openly gay men with AIDS to appear in popular media. Knowing that he was going to die, he was committed to embracing life and raising awareness until that happened. His story is heartbreaking and inspiring.
If you’ve already seen The Real World: San Francisco, this is the perfect coda. If you haven’t, the book works on its own.
Pedro Zamora was one of the first openly gay men with AIDS to appear in popular media. Knowing that he was going to die, he was committed to embracing life and raising awareness until that happened. His story is heartbreaking and inspiring.
froydis's review against another edition
3.0
This would be more of a 3 1/2 for me - I wish we could do 1/2 stars! Very emotionally moving story. Pedro's character is a bit too good to be true, however, but a powerful message nonetheless.
olivia_striedl's review
5.0
this was such a beautiful story told in such a beautiful way! i laughed, cried, all the things.