This has been a weird week. I have had a great deal of trouble focusing so anything requiring much concentration has been very slow going. As such, I only managed to finish two short books this week and one comic:
A CRIME IN HOLLAND, Georges Simenon
33 1/3 – DAVID BOWIE – LOW, Hugo Wilcken
USAGI YOJIMBO VOL.1: THE RONIN, Stan Sakai
Another Simenon Maigret novel, a book about my favorite David Bowie album and a reread of the first volume of one of my favorite comics of all time. Nothing wrong with that, but I can’t help feeling disappointed in myself. I should probably just get over it, book-reading isn’t a competition, and I did make progress in the other books I have on the go, but still…
I reread more of the new coloured edition of Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell’s FROM HELL. I was very skeptical when I heard Campbell was colouring the series for a rerelease (I was similarly alarmed when I learned Usagi Yojimbo was going to start being in colour) but it’s really been outstanding. It really cleans up and makes the art clearer and easier to read (Usagi also has turned out brilliantly) and it has given me an excuse to reread that book again. As great as Watchmen is I think it’s a bit of a shame it gets the most attention and praise of Moore’s writing. FROM HELL I think might be one of the greatest novels I’ve ever read, graphic or otherwise. If you haven’t read it, now’s a good time to do so (a new collection of the coloured issues is due out in May I think.)
Currently Playing, A Year in the Country – “The Quietened Journey”
Currently Reading: HEAVY WEATHER, Bruce Sterling
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