Palomar: The Heartbreak Soup Stories, Gilbert Hernandez

This massive graphic novel brings to life the inhabitants of a backward Mexican town called Palomar, following many of them from birth to death. Palomar brings into one volume Hernandez' output from 1982 to the present time; there are approximately 25 different stories in the book, some as long as two hundred pages, some as short as two. Hernandez' scope is epic, his storylines clearly developed, and the book itself is produced on high-quality glossy paper. It's weight, however, makes reading it something of a chore -- plan to take breaks! I'm more fascinated by the form of this work than the storylines themselves; it's tough to think of many other graphic novels that can rival Palomar in size. The artwork itself is remarkably consistent, given that Hernandez drew the first of these panels 20 years ago. Unfortunately, however, that span of time is most obvious in his rendering of recurring characters that are often only recognizable through their more bizarre physical characteristics (read: scars and enormous breasts). Palomar is definitely worth a read if you're a fan of comics, graphics novels or epics.

Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I had high expectations for Love in the Time of Cholera, based on Gabriel Garcia Marquez' lyrical writing in other words. Sadly, I was disappointed. It's always disturbing to be underwhelmed by a book commonly regarded as a classic piece of literature, but I found this book slow moving, overly descriptive and relatively plot-less. It felt very like this was 350 pages of character sketch -- very developed character sketches, but character sketches. This might not be the end of the world if the characters were likable or understandable, but Marquez really isn't exploring real people in this book. Then there's the ending. I won't give it away, but it's frankly bizarre. The book takes a turn into fantasy at its end. Do I recommend it? Love in the Time of Cholera is definitely worth reading, but don't make it the only one of Marquez' works you read.

Worlds Apart, Joe Haldeman

This book was so bad that even though I finished it exactly one month ago I have no memory of it. Forgettability is never a good quality in books when you're an author; it's great for me, though.

Mapping the Terrain: New Genre Public Art, Suzanne Lacy

I'll admit that not everyone is going to be as interested as I am in public art, but if you have even the slightest desire for a book on the subject, this should be the book. Lacy has edited together a group of essays written by any number of leading public artists, administrators and critics. The essays address emerging issues in the field of public art, largely from the viewpoint of those who are unsatisfied with the status quo in the field today. Of particular interest is the introduction by Lacy, and the article Mary Jane Jacob. The essays will be a bit jargony for newcomers, but nothing is that tough to figure out. I was most interested in the writers who addressed the changes in our ideas about what an artist does.