War on Gaza

Renowned cartoonist Joe Sacco recently published his latest book War on Gaza. Sacco is famous for his reporting on life in Gaza. He is well renowned for creating the reportage comic sub-genre. However, this book is less about war on Gaza or war in Gaza but more about "I hate the USA." Only two pages out of the book’s 37 pages is directed against Israel. Three explain why he wrote the book. The remainder express Sacco's hatred of the U.S. and it's leaders.

He mocks our politicians for creating a "kinder, gentler genocide" and drew a line drawing of Biden in a diaper with a dialogue box "patent is pending." Also, we see another drawing of Biden with a scarlet "G" on his forehead which I thought was cute. I like the scarlet letter analogy. In addition, he uses sarcasm to rewrite Biblical passages such as "O, Israel, let a monument be raised atop the flattened cities of Amalek so that future generations will never forget the Miracle of Joe Biden's Hallucination." Of course, the November 2024 presidential election choices are what a "rotting republic deserves."

Sacco describes himself as "our hero cartoonist" out for a stroll. He claims he was walking to a postal box to mail a check to the IRS but that the government stole the check from the box. He might be paranoid but I am inclined to believe that this actually happened. 

This comic is dripping in anger and hate with a ton of sarcasm on every page. I give the author credit for his cleverness but the anti-American attitude was too much for my taste.

Wrap Up of 2025 New Release Reading Challenge

The New Release Challenge is an easy challenge for me as most of the books that I read are new releasees.  When I signed up a year ago I selected the New Release Veteran level of participation which required me to read 61 - 100 books. My talley for the year was just 51 books though so I missed my goal. Oh well. Better luck next year. Below is a list of the books that I read as well as links to their respective reviews.

The Saint Laurent Muse by CW Gortner

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer

The Pot Thief Who Studied Calvin by J Michael Orenduff

The Medici Return by Steve Berry

Sugar Shack by Lucy Knisley

High Tea and Misdemeanors by Laura Childs

The Bard's Trail by Andy Regan

The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits by Wanda Brunstetter

The Amish Ballerina by Richelle Brunstetter

The Peacemaker by Wanda Brunstetter

Rising Sun Falling Rain by Trish Devine

Two Spinsters and a Madman by Eve Tarrington

War on Gaza by Joe Sacco

No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

Old Habits Die Hard by Melissa Westemeier 

The Chaiwallah by Tim Van Es

The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau

Knife Skills for the Beginner by Orlando Murrin

The Lost Girls by JM Cannon

The World's Fair Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

The List by Steve Berry

The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli

Six Days in Bombay by Alka Joshii

Lincoln's Lady Spymaster by Gerri Willis

Spent by Alison Bechtel

Entitled by Andrew Lonnie

Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold

Bad Lands by Preston and Child

Into the Leopard's Den by Harini Nagendra

The Crash by Freida McFadden

The Intruder by Freida McFadden

Part of the Solution by Elana Michelson

Edge of Honor by Brad Thor

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

The Last Patient by Tudor Alexander

All the Words We Know by Bruce Nash

The Christmas House by Beverly Lewis

Muybridge by Guy DeLisle

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson

Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson

An Inside Job by Dan Silva

Pain Killers: A Year in the ER by Rachel Callaghan

The Master Jeweler by Reina Dai Randel

The Pretender by Wanda Brunstetter

The Patchwork Players by Jennifer Chiaverini

The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Wachtel

Deeds Left Undone by Ellen Crosby

Favorite Book:  The Retirement Plan

Second Favorite Book:  The Master Jeweler

Honorable Mentions:  No Roast for the Weary,  Bad Lands, The Keeper of Lost Art and Into the Leopard's Den

Least Favorite Book:  All the Words We Know

Stacking the Shelves #34

I don't participate in this meme very often but would like to talk about two graphic novels. War in Gaza by Joe Sacco will probably upset me but it's written by Joe Sacco. He's an icon in the graphic novel world and is known for writing reportage comics. When I first heard about the book I decided not to read it, mainly because I knew it would make me angry. In the past Sacco has written other graphic novels about the Palestinians and he definitely takes their side. I, on the other side, have chosen the side of the Israelis. The Sacco effect has finally happened to me and I am waiting to receive the book in the mail. 

I am also waiting for Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto. This story was just published three days ago. It's a science fiction crime thriller about being forced to find a new home and striving to build a better one. The main character, Edie, has just completed an eight year sentence in an icy prison planet located below the Kepler space station and has vowed to go straight. After her release her accomplice, Angel, offers Edie one last job that will make them rich. Bringing down the trillionaire tech giant that they failed to bring down before is their golden opportunity. As the publisher stated "What could possibly go all hammajang about this plan?" I am looking forward to figuring out what hammajang means.