Oregon Public Broadcasting

1st congressional district 2012 election 2012 session agriculture art arts author beer births books budget business central oregon college congress crime culture death penalty eastern oregon economy education employment energy environment eugene fishing food gangs gay rights health health care high school history homeless housing jobs law legislature literature living media mental health military movies music native americans obama occupy portland occupy wall street onthejob oregon our town outdoors parenting police politics portland portland business journal portland mayor pregnancy prison public health race rebroadcast recess recession religion republicans rural schools science shooting sports supreme court talking business technology teen theater unemployment union university of oregon washington water weekend women youth

When I'm in a mood and need to feel better, I turn to Brian Eno's album Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks.

For me, it's a perfect dose of perspective to show me that "this too shall pass".

The track An Ending (Ascent) is the most perfect ambient song ever written.

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
view in context

Graphic novels are literature and are definitely works of art. Just like novels, some are good, some are bad, but the best shine through.

One in particular stands in my mind, "Maus: A Survivor's Tale" by Art Spiegelman. A memoir recounting his relationship with his father and his father's experience as a survivor of the Holocaust. It is one of the most powerful stories I have ever read.

Too often comics are relegated to the "childish nonsense" category due to the public's apprehension of the popularity of the superhero power fantasy genre. However, there exists a culture of comics that seeks to push the boundaries of what comics means to pop culture. Through "Watchmen", Alan Moore deconstructed the classic superhero and created one of the most internally disturbed "heroes" in this or any literary genre in the character of Rorschach.

Another champion of comics and graphic novels that I feel should be mentioned is Scott McCloud. His graphic novels on the internal and external worlds of comics are enlightening and informative and show that "comics" have been a part of human society for thousands of years.

I am a fan of graphic novels and I feel a very personal connection when reading them. I hope that as a medium, the graphic novel continues to grow and gain acceptance into the literary mainstream and academic circles.

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
view in context