Good: From the Amazon Jungle to Suburbia and Back

by David Good, Flux (adapter/artist)

This is the story of the incredible journey of David Good, the son of an American anthropologist father, and indigenous Yanomami mother who calls the Amazon rainforest her home. Overlapping the story of what David’ s mother’ s early years were like being raised in the rainforest, the book follows David from childhood to adulthood as he searches for identity, love, acceptance, and the one thing truly missing from his life, his mother. Growing up in a predominantly white population of the US without a mother or a deeper connection to his South American roots, David struggles with issues of identity and relationships. His and his mother’ s stories intertwine in a heartbreakingly beautiful climax when they are reunited in the jungle. Beautifully illustrated and co-authored by award winning artist and storyteller, FLuX, Good is a vivid and breathtaking visualization of a highly unusual life’ s journey.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Memoir, Comics, Biography Memoir

216 pages, Hardcover

First published May 14, 2024

About the author

David Good is the son of American anthropologist Kenneth Good and his ex-wife Yarima, a member of the Yanomami tribe in Venezuela. He is currently a PhD student in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph, Ontario.

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

David^^^Good

Reviews

[Micheal Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good: From the Amazon Jungle to Suburbia and Back by David Good, adapted and illustrated by FLuX, is a compelling graphic memoir that explores identity, cultural heritage, and the search for belonging.

The story follows David Good, the son of an American anthropologist and a woman from the Yanomami people, an Indigenous community that lives deep within the Amazon rainforest. His childhood begins at the intersection of two vastly different worlds one rooted in the traditions of the jungle and the other shaped by modern life in the United States.

After leaving the Amazon at a young age, David grows up in American suburbia, surrounded by a culture that feels unfamiliar and often disconnected from his origins. Raised largely without his mother and separated from the environment where she lived, he struggles to understand where he truly belongs.

As David moves through childhood and adolescence, questions about identity, family, and cultural heritage become increasingly important. Living in a predominantly white American community intensifies his sense of difference and leaves him searching for a deeper connection to his South American roots.

Interwoven with David’s experiences is the story of his mother’s life growing up in the rainforest, offering readers a glimpse into a very different way of living. These parallel narratives gradually move toward a powerful reunion between mother and son back in the Amazon.

The graphic novel format enhances the emotional impact of the memoir. Through vivid illustrations and visual storytelling, the book brings both environments the dense rainforest and the structured landscapes of American suburbia to life. The art helps convey the contrast between these worlds while highlighting the personal emotions tied to David’s journey.

Overall, Good: From the Amazon Jungle to Suburbia and Back presents a deeply personal story about heritage, identity, and reconciliation. By combining memoir with visual storytelling, the book offers readers an engaging look at the complexities of growing up between cultures and the enduring importance of family connections.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗: 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗭𝗢𝗡 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗕𝗜𝗔 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱, illustrated by FLuX, was an eye-opening and emotional experience. The graphic novel tells the remarkable story of David Good, caught between two vastly different worlds—his father, an American anthropologist, and his mother, a Yanomami woman from the Amazon rainforest. David's journey of identity, love, and acceptance was well portrayed in this graphic novel. His struggle to reconcile his South American roots with his life in the U.S. is depicted with raw honesty and sensitivity. The illustrations are stunning, especially the vivid bursts of color that bring the jungle scenes to life, contrasting with the monochrome depictions of his suburban life. The climactic reunion with his mother in the Amazon is emotional and beautiful; a testament to the power of family and cultural identity. I wished he would have offered more insight into his mother's perspective on her time in America. Overall, 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗 is a beautifully illustrated and moving story of a unique life's journey.

[Joanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing. The lasting impression is of trauma and heartbreak, not of resolution because that's where most of this book is focused.  The reader is subjected to illustrations of alcoholism and self-harm, but the resolution is glossed over and largely off screen.  I was left with way more questions after finishing the book.

Then ending feels rushed. Suddenly it mentions he starts to process, talks to his Dad and finds his Mom. Ok, more please! What was it like meeting his Mom?? What did they talk about, how did they communicate? How long was that visit? Did he interact with the tribe? Get to know his half-brother? She comes back to America for a visit? More please!

Also, nowhere in this book does it mention that our subject had previously published a memoir. Having finished the book with more questions than when I started, I took to looking up David Good and his family afterwards. I found a BBC article a much more helpful (albeit disturbing) overview.

Return to the rainforest: A son's search for his Amazonian mother - BBC News https://share.google/JBNNoIgnLVt0rDoA1

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The true story of a man torn between two worlds. His father is an anthropologist and married a woman from a tribe in the Amazonian jungle. After going back and forth between America and their jungle village for a few years, she could no longer handle it and abandoned her family and children. David grew up angry and confused, embarrassed of his heritage especially after seeing himself with the tribe in a documentary. The story is about how after many years he was able to come to terms with things.

There are some things I'd like to have seen that were excluded. He has a younger brother and sister. Did they go through the same struggles or was it easier for them because they were younger? I would have liked to see a bit more from his mother's side and she how she felt. It had to be an incredibly isolating experience to be here in America after living in a communal hut in the jungle all her life. There's also no mention of how they communicated with one another. I can't imagine she spoke much if any English. Was it a mixture of English and the local tribe's language they spoke to one another?

The art was interesting. It was completely black and white except for when they were in the jungle. Then it would burst into full color.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 but rounded up. I enjoyed the peak into the Yanomami world. The really liked the addition of the mom’s childhood between the main story and the use of color between worlds. Both really drove home how vastly different these two places were. That being said, this was far too short to really make an impact or give the amount of detail that a reader would want.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fascinating and someone needs to make a documentary out of it. David Good lives in two worlds. His dad lives in the city while his mom, a native Yanomami tribe member, lives in the jungle. This is David's story of growing up and trying to find where he fits in.

[Margaret Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - I kept thinking this would be a really fascinating story if it was fleshed out as a (non-graphic) memoir or a multi-perspective study of cross cultural conflicts.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful artwork, I love the back and forth of detailed b+w with simple colour.

[Neena · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book! A tear jerker!