January 2024 MBR The Literary Studies Shelf

The Literary Studies Shelf

The Cambridge Companion to the American Graphic Novel
Jan Baetens, et al.
Cambridge University Press
www.cambridge.org
9781009379342, $90.00, HC, 300pp

https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Companion-American-Companions-Literature/d=
p/1009379348

Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of academician=
s Jan Baetens, Hugo Frey, and Fabrice Leroy, "The Cambridge Companion to th=
e American Graphic Novel" explores the important role of the graphic novel =
in reflecting American society and in the shaping of the American imaginati=
on.

Using key examples, this unique volume is comprised of contributors who rev=
iew the historical development of various subgenres within the graphic nove=
l tradition and examines how graphic novelists have created multiple and di=
fferent accounts of the American experience, including that of African Amer=
ican, Asian American, Jewish, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Reading the American graphic novel opens a debate on how major works have c=
hanged the idea of America from that once found in the quintessential actio=
n or superhero comics to show new, different, intimate accounts of historic=
al change as well as social and individual, personal experience. "The Cambr=
idge Companion to the American Graphic Novel" also guides readers through t=
he theoretical text-image scholarship to explain the meaning of the complex=
 borderlines between graphic novels, comics, newspaper strips, caricature, =
literature, and art.

Critique: A seminal body of original scholarship, the contributor's article=
s to "The Cambridge Companion to the American Graphic Novel" are organized =
into two major sections: 'History & Genre' and 'Graphic Novels and the Ques=
t for an American Diversity'. Informatively enhanced with the inclusion of =
a listing of the contributors and their credentials, "The Cambridge Compani=
on to the American Graphic Novel" will prove of immense interest to fans of=
 the graphic novel as a contemporary literary format.

While strongly recommended as a key and core addition to personal, professi=
onal, community, and college/university library Contemporary Literary Studi=
es collections, and supplemental Graphic Novels curriculum studies reading =
lists, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist genera=
l readers with an interest in the subject that "The Cambridge Companion to =
the American Graphic Novel" is also available in a paperback edition (97810=
09379359, $29.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.87).

Editorial Note #1: Jan Baetens is Professor Emeritus of cultural studies at=
 the University of Leuven. His work focuses on the theory and practice of c=
ontemporary French poetry, cultural theory, and visual narrative in popular=
 print genres. Some of his recent publications include The Graphic Novel (2=
014, coauthored with Hugo Frey), Novelization: From Film to Novel (2018), T=
he Cambridge History of the Graphic Novel (2018, co-edited with Hugo Frey a=
nd Stephen E. Tabachnick).

Editorial Note #2: Hugo Frey is Professor of Visual and Cultural History at=
 University of Chichester UK. With Jan Baetens he has published The Graphic=
 Novel: An Introduction (2014) and with Baetens and Stephen Tabachnik coedi=
ted The Cambridge History of the Graphic Novel (2018). He has written exten=
sively on French cinema (Nationalism and the Cinema in France, 2014) and th=
e director Louis Malle. He has conducted research for the British Council a=
nd in 2022 was a Visiting Professor at the University of Ghent.

Editorial Note #3: Fabrice Leroy is Professor of French and Francophone Stu=
dies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has published numerous=
 book chapters on French and Belgian Francophone literature and graphic nov=
els, as well as articles in leading scholarly journals. His most recent mon=
ographs devoted to comics are Sfar So Far. Identity, History, Fantasy, and =
Mimesis in Joann Sfar's Graphic Novels (2014), and Pierre La Police: Une es=
theitique de la malfacon (with Livio Belloi, 2019).

Doyle's World - Lost & Found
Daniel Friedman, author
Eugene Friedman, author
Square One Publishers
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004483, $29.95, HC, 344pp

https://www.amazon.com/Doyles-World_Lost-Found-Histories-Sherlock/dp/075700=
4482

Synopsis: "Doyle's World - Lost & Found: The Unknown Histories of Sherlock =
Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle" by co-authors Daniel and Eugene Friedman=
 is no ordinary biography about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- one of the world'=
s most influential writers.

It is instead a work that deciphers in particular the cryptic origins and a=
ctual scientific methods used by fiction's most famous consulting detective=
 Sherlock Holmes -- and a study that provides a detailed look into the psyc=
he and working life of Holmes' creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

"Doyle's World" follows Doyle's entire illustrious literary career, with em=
phasis on the Sherlock Holmes mysteries as they evolved from the late 1880s=
 to the early 1900s. Revealed here for the first time by son-father writing=
 team Daniel Friedman, MD, and Eugene Friedman, MD are the many inspiration=
s behind the physical, emotional, and intellectual characteristics that Doy=
le wove together so deftly to bring his legendary sleuth to life.

Interested readers are in for many surprises as the Friedmans bring forth t=
antalizing parallels between the literary realm of both Sherlock Holmes (al=
ong with his various other fiction and nonfiction works) and the actual eve=
nts from Doyle's childhood and early adulthood that served as frequent insp=
iration.

The co-authors offer answers to long-debated and mysterious questions, such=
 as:

* From whom did Sherlock Holmes actually learn the art of detective work?
* Why did Doyle kill off Sherlock Holmes?
* What story elements did Doyle borrow from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasu=
re Island?
* How did Doyle apply his fervent belief in Spiritualism to a variety of Ho=
lmes stories?
* Who inspired Doyle to write about civil rights after a steamship journey =
in 1882?
* How did the women in Doyle's life come to influence the relationships wit=
h women that both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have across sixty written =
adventures?

"Doyle's World" is divided into three sections.

The first section is dedicated to the elements (both good and bad) that com=
prised Doyle's childhood and early adult years, and how an assemblage of pe=
rsons and places and things from his life found their way into his literatu=
re.

The second section emphasizes the highly complex themes and plots present i=
n the Sherlock Holmes adventures, while it also thoroughly examines some of=
 Doyle's strengths - and weaknesses - as a public figure of his time. The F=
riedmans also reveal how Doyle was able to subtly incorporate his own polit=
ical, social, and religious views - in particular, his passionate and often=
 bewildering embrace of Spiritualism - into the Holmes stories.

The third section offer two "lost" stories they uncovered that were written=
 by Doyle under a pseudonym -- accompanied by textual analysis with which t=
hey make their case.

"Doyle's World" is a work of rich detail and in-depth scholarship that shou=
ld win over both established fans of Doyle and devoted "Sherlockians" every=
where -- and that will engage, and entertain, all others who enter this int=
riguing hall of literary mirrors.

Critique: Fascinating, informative, thought-provoking, insightful, eloquent=
, and impressively well written, organized and presented, "Doyle's World - =
Lost & Found: The Unknown Histories of Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan=
 Doyle" is a unique combination of biography and literary analysis that is =
essential and highly recommended reading for the legions of Sherlock Holmes=
 & Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fans. While especially and unreservedly recommend=
ed for personal, community, and college/university library Literary Critici=
sm Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should=
 be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with a=
n interest in the subject tht "Doyle's World" is also available in a digita=
l book format (Kindle, $18.99).

Editorial Note #1: Daniel L. Friedman, MD, received his BA from Stony Brook=
 University, and his medical degree from St. George's School of Medicine. H=
e is currently a practicing pediatrician in Floral Park, New York, and is a=
lso an active member of the Cohen Children's Medical Center, where he sits =
on the voluntary staff advisory committee. Dr. Friedman's prize-winning art=
icles on Doyle and Holmes have appeared in numerous national and internatio=
nal journals. He and Dr. Eugene Friedman are also the authors of the book, =
The Strange Case of Doctor Doyle.

Editorial Note #2: Eugene Friedman, MD, received his BA from New York Unive=
rsity, and his medical degree from New York Medical College. He was Chief R=
esident in Pediatrics at New York Medical College and later served as Assis=
tant Chief of Pediatrics at Martin Army Hospital at Fort Benning, Georgia. =
Dr. Friedman has been in private practice with his son, Daniel, for over tw=
enty years.. He has held multiple leadership positions in organized medicin=
e and has devoted himself to the education of future physicians.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo=
ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
 reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte=
rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi=
duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo=
rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat=
ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
 for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
 (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal=
muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish=
er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review