Blankets...

If you read one graphic novel in your life, it should be Blankets by Craig Thompson.

It makes my heart ache.

I love books that make me feel. At its most simple, Blankets is a story about the author's first love. There's so much more to it than that. It's a recording of the process of trying to find his place in the world.

He draws the book in black and white. While I love color and generally prefer color in my graphic novels, for Blankets the stark hues enhance the story. His renderings are so lovely. His images are detailed and intricate without being cluttered. That's a very hard balance to maintain, yet Mr. Thompson manages wonderfully.

I just barely finished the book again for the fourth or fifth time. My mind is still reeling for the intense emotional input. It definitely goes on the list of my favorite books of all time.

Oh yeah, definitely.