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Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations
Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations | Mira Jacob
162 posts | 139 read | 117 to read
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review
REPollock
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Pickpick

Absolutely couldn‘t put down this compelling graphic memoir. And I generally don‘t stick with a memoir through the whole book but this one is 💯

jlhammar Great book! And pretty photo. 7mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 😍 7mo
REPollock @jlhammar thank you! These were originally from my great grandmother‘s yard. 7mo
REPollock @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks thank you! These were originally from my great grandmother‘s yard. 7mo
23 likes4 comments
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Addison_Reads
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Pickpick

This graphic memoir was phenomenal! 😍

I love the art style, I love the story, and I love that Mira Jacob shared this with the world. It's a very personal look into families and politics during the Trump era.

Highly recommend. 💚

44 likes2 stack adds
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BekaReid
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Pickpick

This beautiful graphic memoir depicts the author's journey through difficult, honest conversations with her son about race and racism.

Aimeesue I didn‘t exactly enjoy this one, but it was excellent. 2y
17 likes1 comment
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Pinta
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Pickpick

Heartfelt & hilarious. Graphic novel depicting tough conversations with drawings of flat, expressionless faces. Blank stare in face of bigotry, misunderstanding. Absorption/refusal. Dissonance. Emotion in language, not image. Motherhood, daughterhood, interracial families, dating, marriage, identity, professional success. Section on 9/11 so evocative of that time of loss & confusion. Open w/ her own biases. ???s asked & answered. Intimate. 2019

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MyNamesParadise
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Pickpick

I read this for work as it‘s one of the Top 11 for the 2023 One Maryland One Book program. I‘m so glad I did! It‘s a graphic memoir that depicts the author‘s journey in having complicated conversations about race & racism in America with her young son who is of mixed race. It‘s a great read & highly recommend it! Note for younger readers: there is one scene of full frontal nudity & the F word is used sparingly throughout.

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sarahbellum
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#12booksof2022

January was a very good reading month for me, both in quality and quantity. My favorite book of the month, and will most likely be my favorite book of the year, was the graphic memoir, Good Talk by Mira Jacob. Close runners up were I Capture the Castle and In Waves.

vivastory Good Talk is phenomenal. I read it at the beginning of last yr & it kicked off a love for graphic memoirs. 2y
JenReadsAlot I loved Good Talk! 2y
Andrew65 Good choices. 2y
See All 9 Comments
jlhammar I loved Good Talk! In Waves was also really good. Still need to try Castle! I‘ve been meaning to for years. 2y
Aimeesue That was a good one! 2y
tpixie I BOUGHT Castle this year- can‘t remember where I had just learned about it. It‘s still waiting TBR. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. 2y
sarahbellum @vivastory Blankets did the same for me back in high school! Love a good graphic memoir 2y
sarahbellum @jlhammar @tpixie Castle is really wonderful for when you‘re feeling nostalgic and in the mood for a light coming of age story 💖 2y
57 likes1 stack add9 comments
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merelybookish
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Pickpick

I don't read a lot of graphic novels, but this memoir proved perfect for a Friday night. (Back to work means I am pooped by the end of the week. 🥱) I appreciated this smart, honest, at times funny, at other times uncomfortable exploration of growing up & living as a POC in the US. The format took a heavy topic and made it easy to read and entertaining while somehow not sacrificing the complexity. Really well done! 👍

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ReadingEnvy
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Pickpick

Mira Jacob writes about what it is like to be brown (for her, Indian with darker skin than her other family members) in the America post 9/11 up through Trump's election win. Not only that but married to a Jewish (white) man whose parents refuse to see the harm in voting for Trump, and mother of a young mixed race boy with Questions. ↘️

ReadingEnvy What I love is her very frank tone. In all the "talks" in the book she shows how she navigates difficult situations where people want her to make them feel better about racism, often their own, and what happens when she doesn't. This includes one very difficult conversation with her husband! The art is hand-drawn people often cut out and laid over stock photos, which adds a dimension of reality to what is happening. 3y
vivastory I love this one. It kinda cemented my love for graphic memoirs when I read it the beginning of last year. 3y
JenReadsAlot Great book! 3y
See All 9 Comments
charl08 Such a good book. Time for a reread I think. 3y
ReadingEnvy @vivastory any other recommendations? I keep finding my way to graphic non fiction this year. 3y
vivastory Earlier this year I read, & loved, Radtke's Seek You. I think you might have read it? I liked her previous book, “Imagine Wanting Only This“ (a gn grief memoir also about urban exploration/ruins) even more! Another stand out volume was Thi Bui's The Best We Could Do. It reminded me a lot of Jacob's book in how it addressed the immigrant experience in America, but Bui delves into the Indochina War & is from the perspective of Vietnamese refugees. (edited) 3y
vivastory The watercolor artwork is perfect & often astonishing. Derf Backderf is another favorite. I have now read 3 of his graphic works & would recommend any of them, but Kent State is esp. informative & memorable,. Finally, for one that is a bit more under the radar, I recommend Nicole Georges' Calling Dr. Laura. Georges is informed during a palm reading that that her bio. father, who she had been told was dead, is still alive. Messy family dynamic & (edited) 3y
vivastory some humorous moments throughout. The artwork, while nto quite as impressive as the others I mentioned, works for Georges narrative & she adds some nice flourishes from time to time. I believe I left full reviews on Litsy for all of these titles. Hope it helps. 3y
ReadingEnvy @vivastory thanks! I've read some of what you listed but not Backderf, will look for it! 3y
57 likes1 stack add9 comments
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ReadingEnvy
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Library haul!

Two for foster son, one for April Sword and Laser, one I've been meaning to read forever, one for #readingenvyrussia non-fiction quarter, and one Booker International longlist title that followed me home.

sarahbarnes I‘m intrigued by the “leisure” sticker on the very long Books of Jacob. 😂 I‘m still working my way through that one. 3y
ReadingEnvy @sarahbarnes at our academic library it's more like "this is a novel" 3y
54 likes2 comments
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sarahbellum
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A very strong start to the year!
5 were on my TBR
2 were my #roll100 reads
1 was my #bookspin
1 was #authoramonth

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squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

#nywd

This is only the second graphic novel I‘ve read. Once again I‘m amazed that the message is as strong, if not stronger, than a ‘written‘ book.

The author is the daughter of Indian immigrants to the US; the book is a series of conversations from the time of 9/11 to the Trump era, with friends, family and with her son as he tries to understand racism.

I can‘t help but wonder what her in-laws thought of their portrayal in the book!

Prairiegirl_reading I hope writes a sequel. 3y
megnews I never read a graphic novel til I got in Litsy and I found I love them—certain ones. 3y
LeeRHarry I read very few graphic novels but I thought this was fab - glad you did too 😊 3y
72 likes3 comments
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sarahbellum
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I‘m enjoying my current read, Pigs in Heaven, but I keep looking longingly at my #librarystack 😍

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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

I think part of the reason this struck a cord with me is because I‘m raising two sons, one of which is about the age of the boy in this graphic novel about race.
#12Booksof2021

Cinfhen I did this on audio….BIG MISTAKE 😖 3y
Andrew65 Looks a good choice. 3y
jlhammar Such a good book! 3y
82 likes3 comments
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rjsthumbelina
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Pickpick

A solid meditation on racism and some of its daily effects. Interesting art style. #wgwordsearch 22 words found for 220 pts. #TBRread 15 pts #dashingDecember #adventathon #thefestivereadathon #averymerrybingo #averymerryreadathon #wintercosy #bookspinbingo #Christmasmyway 8 readathons*2 hrs*10=160 pts

396 pts #wintergames #teamgamesleighers @StayCurious

jlhammar Such a good book! 3y
TheSpineView Excellant! 3y
29 likes2 comments
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Christine
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Pickpick

I loved this a lot. Really interesting art style, and such a powerful memoir and analysis of race, identity, family, politics and how they all intertwine, joyfully and painfully.

vivastory This really kicked off my love for graphic memoirs this yr 3y
Christine @vivastory They‘re so good! I need to read more of them (and should browse through your feed for ideas!). 3y
vivastory My favorites of the year (I've posted reviews for all of them) are 3y
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Christine @vivastory Thank you for taking the time to share about these! I love Kristen Radtke. And I‘ve had the others from the library and returned unread (due to time, not disinterest) - must get them back! 3y
vivastory I hope you enjoy! I can't wait to read Radtke's latest. I also recently checked out the following. I haven't read it, but I got a lot of positive comments when I posted about it 3y
Christine @vivastory Ooh, that sounds great! Stacking. 3y
47 likes8 comments
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rsteve388
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#NFN Don't forget to get your points in for the last week! I'll be sending emails.out tomorrow tonight after work.
#NonFictionNovember #NonFicNov #NFN21

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rsteve388
Pickpick

This memoir was excellent, heartbreaking as the author learns about her self and our country as drastic changes occur around her as a person of color. Phenomenal! Excellent, Superb. Heartbreaking. #NFN #NonFictionNovember #NFN21

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rsteve388
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Started this book today. And just received my first Christmas swap #CreepyChristmas @teebe

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Sharpeipup
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My kind of kid…ask ALL the questions.

vivastory This is one of my favorite graphic memoirs of the year 3y
Sharpeipup @vivastory It was quite good! 3y
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mhillis
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Pickpick

Good Talk is a graphic memoir centered on Mira Jacob‘s conversations with the people close to her, especially her son. I loved his inquisitiveness and imagination. The conversations are so real and provide an interesting structure for her experiences #ContainsPhotos #Booked2021

Cinfhen Nice!! I did this on audio and even though it was a multi cast narration it didn‘t resonate with me 🤷🏼‍♀️ 3y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Great choice! 3y
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MeganLindell
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½ • While I know this is a memoir, it felt so much more personal than most — us readers are so lucky that Mira shared these experiences.

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alysonimagines
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I just want to leave this here because it‘s my most favorite panel in the whole book. Love this kid‘s imagination so much! 😂💙

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alysonimagines
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Recommended by several members of my book club, #LitsyATXReadersSociety or #LARS for short. It was also my pick for our January theme, “Read previously for LARS by another member.” I loved the openly curious and innocent questions of the author‘s young mixed-race son about race, religion, and culture. 🔸 #januaryreads2021

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BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

This is a powerful read—called a “memoir in conversations”, the author uses talks with her son about race as a jumping-off point into remembered conversations from childhood & the more recent past. There are also some hilarious moments with her son, and profound & thought-provoking observations on her experiences as an Indian American, esp. in the aftermath of 9/11 & during 45‘s campaign. Thank you @MeganAnn for another great #NewYearWhoDis pick!

MeganAnn I‘m so glad you liked it!! I loved the way her discussions with her son prompted her own memories and the way it was presented in the graphic novel format. 4y
vivastory I read this recently & loved it 4y
Prairiegirl_reading I loved it too!! 4y
megnews I loved this. 4y
BarbaraJean @MeganAnn Yes, it was really well put-together, pairing past and present in the way she did. And the graphic novel format was excellent—Great marrying of form and content. 4y
47 likes5 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Ohh my goodness allllll the heart eyes! 😍
I‘ve been hearing about this book for years and it really is as fabulous as everyone says. A biographical graphic novel from Mira, an Indian American who has conversations with her young son, but also looks back at conversations from the past to build her life‘s story. Excellent images and amazing storytelling with touching conversations about race, politics and the vexing realities of America.

Prairiegirl_reading Great book!! 4y
91 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BarbaraJean
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🤣 Started this one this morning—so good! It‘s both funny and thought-provoking... and I will probably finish it today! This is my third read for #NewYearWhoDis.

Chelsea.Poole I‘m reading this one right now too and loving it!! 4y
MeganAnn Yay!! 😍 4y
44 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Bath time! 🛁 📚

MarriedtoMrT LOVED Good Talk! 4y
89 likes1 comment
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candority
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Pickpick

I loved the unique art style of this graphic novel and I think it lends itself well to the difficult topics that Jacob‘s discusses. Really well done. 4⭐️

Richryan52 I hope you can make the webinar 4y
102 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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#currentlyreading #graphicnovel
I‘ve seen this book discussed so many times and have never had a chance to borrow it. Finally, I purchased it for our library. 📚

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eve
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“Every door I get through, this guy is always on the other side. Patting himself on the back for being open-minded while making sure I scrub myself before I enter.”

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charl08
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Rereading this for a book group meeting.
Still makes me laugh out loud.

(Remind me never to recommend a book again: I hate worrying about if everyone liked it)

rabbitprincess SAME! My recommendations are more caveat than actual recommendation 😂 4y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag It‘s quite crushing when someone doesn‘t like a book that you loved (and you‘ve recommended because you thought they‘d enjoy it) - I work in a library and get asked for “good book recommendations” fairly often and it never gets easier 😂 (although I‘m always quite pleased if they borrow one I‘ve particularly enjoyed - and they rarely come back with feedback - so it‘s kind of ideal) 4y
charl08 @rabbitprincess I should caveat more (but I love this book!) 4y
charl08 @thegirlwiththelibrarybag I'm sure they appreciate the recommendations. I'm always glad to hear them when I go in to mine. 4y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @charl08, I just find the phrasing amusing - everyone‘s idea of a “good book” is different. I‘m always happy to talk books, my favourite is when they‘ve loved a book so much that in their enthusiasm they tell you the whole plot. (edited) 4y
49 likes5 comments
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

One of my top nonfiction books of the year, Jacob looks at the difficulties of raising a brown child right now. The book has a nonlinear timeline encompassing her parents meeting in India, moving to Albuquerque, and her childhood there. She examines the role race played in friendships and relationships. She has conversations with her son about the racist comments Trump makes and why her husband‘s parents chose to vote for him. #graphicmemoir

MallenNC We read this in book club and we all liked it, plus we had a great discussion about it. 4y
vivastory I've been meaning to read this one. Great review 👍 Have you read When We Were Vikings? 4y
Librariana This was also excellent as an audiobook! The narration felt very much like listening to their conversations 😊 4y
See All 15 Comments
JenReadsAlot This was fabulous! 4y
Reviewsbylola This one is on my TBR. Sounds like maybe I should give the audio a shot. ⬆️ 4y
Megabooks @MallenNC I can see how this would make a great discussion book! 4y
Megabooks @vivastory I have. I don‘t think I was in the right headspace for it and want to reread it in light of some of the reviews I‘ve read. Re:Vikings. I hope you read Good Talk. 4y
Megabooks @Librariana @Reviewsbylola I wouldn‘t think to read a graphic memoir as audio, but it makes sense that this one would work. 4y
BarbaraBB My sister has adopted a black girl from the US. Do you think she should read this book? My sister I mean, my niece is just six years old now. 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I can see how it could also apply to racist fascism from anywhere, and that certainly exists in Europe, plus I think it could help her understand where she came from. So the short answer is yes. 4y
Megabooks Her = your sister, she = your niece. English can be very nonspecific. @BarbaraBB 4y
BarbaraBB Thanks for taking the time to answer so specifically. I think I have my Christmas gift for my sister, who I also encouraged to read 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I think that is another good choice, especially with the immigrant/assimilation aspects of the book. (If I‘m remembering correctly. I read it in 2014.) A white childhood friend is raising two boys adopted from Haiti, and I know certain aspects of it have been challenging. The immigrant experience plus being brown/Black in a white majority country definitely poses its own set of issues but also joys. 💜💜 4y
Librariana @Megabooks @Reviewsbylola - It absolutely does! It felt like listening to an intimate conversation... to someone's inner thoughts and concerns. And if my memory serves me right, it was an ensemble cast of narrators with the author being the predominant voice 😊 I would listen on my way to work and read the print format during lunch break. 4y
91 likes2 stack adds15 comments
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Megabooks
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Best nonfiction of each month of the year #challengeaccepted @Cinfhen

January-> April
May -> August
September-> December?

@kaysworld1 some months had multiple 5⭐️ nonfiction books, but please feel free to choose among these, too, if you‘re interested. 👍🏻 I read a lot of nonfiction!

Megabooks @Cinfhen you know I love you since it took me a little over an hour to go through all 332 books I read through November! 💖😘😘 4y
Cinfhen Love ya back 😘and this is a curated list worth saving 🙌🏻 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen I hope you find some to enjoy! 💜💜💜 4y
See All 21 Comments
Cinfhen I‘ve read 5 and 2 were on my best list too!!! 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen 👯‍♀️👯‍♀️😘 4y
Prairiegirl_reading Good talk and hidden valley road we‘re both excellent. Good talk is possibly my favourite of the year. I was blown away by that book. 4y
Megabooks @Prairiegirl_reading I‘m rereading it today, and it definitely stands up as one of the best of the year! 4y
kaysworld1 All your recommendations are amazing and I have added loads to my tbr list in the near future I have also picked 3 for #newyearwhodis ill post later xx 4y
aa_guer2021 I got to read more nonfiction, too. But TBR at home feels like first priority! I am hoping to get back to the library soon! 🤞🏻❤️ Thank you for some future recommendations! 4y
Megabooks @kaysworld1 thanks! I can‘t wait to see which ones you‘ve picked! 4y
Megabooks @ruskigurl16 you‘re welcome! I hope you have a great reading 2021! 4y
Reviewsbylola Hidden Valley Road is intense! I chose Caste from BOTM but I feel like I‘ll need to be in a certain headspace to read it. 4y
Megabooks @Reviewsbylola caste is very intense too. Difficult read but so glad I did read it! 4y
Megabooks @kaysworld1 these were my top reads from 2020 by month (the complete Persepolis was December). I‘m going to tag a few others that I have 5 stars to. (There were a few because I read over 370 books last year.) 4y
Megabooks @kaysworld1 you mentioned you were interested in this one 4y
Megabooks @kaysworld1 I think that‘s got the ones that would be good on audio! I hope you find ones you enjoy!! 4y
kaysworld1 @Megabooks Thanks hun xx 4y
94 likes1 stack add21 comments
review
keepingupwiththepenguins
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Pickpick

I could‘ve read this book quickly, if I wanted to. I probably could‘ve knocked it over in a single afternoon. But I took my time, in an effort to really, truly, fully appreciate its content, and the generosity of Jacob in sharing it with us (and by “us”, I mean “me”). If all graphic novels are as good as Good Talk, consider me a convert. Full review here: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/good-talk-mira-jacob/ #GraphicNovels #MustRead

EH2018 Great book! 4y
39 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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ChaoticMissAdventures
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I am a bit torn as to which is my favorite September read. I loved A Thousand Ships, it was literary, and wonderfully crafted, and I loved Good Talk which had art I have never seen, and was very on point talking about growing up in the US through the 80-00's Many of the little stories had me feeling all the feels. This was a good reading month, got many on my old 2015 TRB off the list and enjoyed most of these #monthlyroundup

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charl08
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By Mira Jacob (via IG)

Chrissyreadit ❤️yes- our biggest problem has been inertia. It‘s time for big movement. 4y
Liz_M 💔 😭 4y
Chelsea.Poole 😭😭😭 4y
janerzy 💔💔 4y
Sace I'm still reeling. 😢 4y
62 likes5 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
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Pickpick

Wow this is fantastic. Not only is the layout different then most graphic novels, but the storyline is also well done.
A little bit funny, sad parts, parts to connect with, and think over.

Librariana The audiobook was also quite a treat with an ensemble cast of narrators. I read it along with the audio and it made for a great reading experience. 4y
ChaoticMissAdventures @Librariana nice! I didn't even think of looking at the audio when the art was so well done. 4y
sharread What a cute kitty. 4y
23 likes3 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
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What 6 year old now days wouldn't want to be The Sixth Jackson 😹

I listened to an interview with Mira Jacob on NPR and ordered this not knowing it was a GN, much less how creativity it was laid out.

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JenReadsAlot
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OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚👍🏻 4y
36 likes1 comment
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charl08
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Mira in conversation. This was brilliant.

#GoodTalk
#UpperValleyBooks
#StillQueer

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sarahgreatlove
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Pickpick

I‘ve been trying to read more about race, as a lot of us have. This one is a graphic non fiction memoir and I loved it. I picked it up and just stayed where I was until it was finished. It is beautiful visually, it‘s complex and it makes you think without feeling like school. The conversations the author has with her son made my heart ache and made me hopeful at the same time. Get the book 😍 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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charl08
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I'm kidding myself I can stay awake despite the time difference to hear Mira Jacobs talk about her amazing book.

"Good Talk recounts the conversations between Mira and her son, both before and following the 2016 election. Mira will be joined in conversation by Still Queer co-curators Alexander Chee and Dustin Schell."

https://www.crowdcast.io/e/stillqueer-mirajacob/

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TerriGreen
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Pickpick

I loved the style of this important graphic novel. I know this book is available in audio, but do yourself a favor and read an ebook or physical copy. It turned a little too political for me towards the end, but it is funny and touching. Book 71 4⭐️

Tracyantoon I have seen this on audio too. I will make sure I get a physical copy instead. Thanks! 4y
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MaryM
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I finished Good Talk by Mira Jacob today. I enjoyed this story and loved how it was illustrated. 👍👍

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kathytrithardt
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Pickpick

I have never yelled so much at people who cannot hear me while listening to an audiobook before (due to the incredibly racist things people were saying to/about the author/POC in general). This was brilliantly written and produced, and discusses several nuances of race and relationships. I highly recommend it.

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Prairiegirl_reading
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Pickpick

I 👏🏼LOVED 👏🏼THIS👏🏼!!! I‘ve seen so much about this on bookstagram but honestly was not expecting how good this is!! I can‘t even find words for how good this is.

britt_brooke So good!! 4y
Prairiegirl_reading @britt_brooke super inarticulate post on my part but I still can‘t get over it!! 4y
britt_brooke @Prairiegirl_reading No way! You were just fangiring, and for good reason. 😂💚 I loved the art so much. Such a great read! 4y
35 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Merethebookgal
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My afternoon plans 📚 I feel like the #eclecticreadathon always flies by, but I‘ve gotten in 3.5 hours so far and I‘m out on my balcony now hoping to pretty much spend the rest of the day out here reading. It‘s in the upper 80s but my balcony is shady so it feels amazing 😎 Hopefully thunderstorms will stay away!
#readathon #eclecticreaders