Palestine by Joe Sacco
2001
Available now from Islington Libraries
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http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/
In late 1991/early 1992 the artist Joe Sacco visited Palestine and interviewed many of the people who lived there. Using their testimonies he then wrote and drew this book. Not so much then "graphic novel" but more "graphic reportage." While the tone of the book is serious and the events depicted mainly harrowing and bleak (although Sacco does enliven things up with his distinctive authorial voice and keeps keen note of how much tea he ends up drinking) the artwork is lively, full of rich detail and shot from great twisty angles - with the box captions spilling around and across the pages. There's no 'big' narrative that keeps you going throughout the book (disclosure: I'm the type of guy that likes a good story) and so at times I did find things heavy going - but this is deservedly a landmark work and one that will repay the reader with a better, clearer understanding of how the world works and how those with power treat those without.
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Links: Guardian Review, Guardian Interview with Joe Sacco.
Further reading: Footnotes in Gaza, The Fixer, The Photographer, Maus, Waltz With Bashir.
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