Sleeping While Standing

by Taki Soma

Taki Soma’s life has taken unexpected turns on top of twists over the years, a journey that starts in Japan in the early 1980s and spins through traumatic family loss, a childhood murder, drugs, comics, medical mysteries, true love, fertility, pets, and zombies. All of that and more is depicted here in a series of brilliant, deceptively simple short comics chronicling one young artist’s blazing bright milestones of life, the ones we don’t always celebrate but still return to again and again in our dreams.

A compelling authorial voice with sly wit and an accomplished cartoonist’s eye for visual play, meaningful details, and imaginative interludes, Soma gently guides us through a collection of tales built on emotional themes rather than chronology that jump back and forth across the decades, for a bracingly effective and inspiring memoir.

Sleeping While Standing is an unflinching look at harrowing moments in the life of a highly regarded creator, threaded through with levity and love.

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

100 pages, Paperback

Published July 26, 2022

About the author

Taki Soma is a Japanese-American, HUGO award-nominated artist, writer, and colorist who’s worked on projects such as “Rapture,” “The Victories,” “Bitch Planet,” “Dick Tracy,” and “Iron Man.” Her debut autobiographical comic “Sleeping While Standing” is what brought her to WePresent. The publication is split into four-page chapters, each one dealing with a different theme from Taki’s life, from love to teen angst to the separation of her parents, and she told us all about the feeling of relief she had while telling these very personal stories.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taki Soma tells her life story in a series of four-page vignettes that -- as she predicted in her afterword -- left me wanting to know more. I've spent the last hour and a half reading about the 1996 murder of Christina Marie "Christi" Mendoza and the long overdue resignation of Charles Brownstein in 2020 from the Comic Book Legal Defense fund 14 years after he sexually assaulted Soma and engaged in patterns of abuse and workplace harassment before and after her charges.

Soma has had more than her fair share of hardships and this book introduces any number of topics that I hope she will revisit in longer form sometime in the near future.

[Mairi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and painful snapshot of the author's life that I'm very pleased I picked up!

So, just to give a little back story. I'm a big fan of Avery Hill Publishing. Whenever they sign a new author or release a new book I leap at buying it. In one of my latest Avery Hill orders was Taki Soma's new book, Sleeping While Standing.

I'd never heard of her before but I'm for sure not going to forget her any time soon. Expect to laugh, cry, and have your heart broken a few times. All with beautiful and evocative illustrations.

I can't wait to read what comes next.

[Estibaliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 solid stars.

If you are looking for your next real life superhero, stop looking and grab this autobiographical graphic novel, because Taki Soma is the real deal.

Not only she'll leave you in awe at her resilience facing all the curve balls life keeps throwing at her (and nobody should have to deal with so many), but she'll also make you feel that there's hope regardless, and that everyone can be vulnerable and hurt, but that's not the end of it.

Not to mention her ability to do so in just four pages stories, that we'll hit you hard and stay with you for a very long time.

And yes, even though Taki's ability to condense the important facts to the minimum is admirable, I'm sure hoping for some more things coming from her, hopefully in long form, but anything goes, really. She's that good.

[Keen Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brevity is the soul of wit. Almost every one of these micro stories packs a real punch, or leaves a memorable mark on your mind. Soma is clearly a gifted artist with a refreshing voice who brings some really interesting ideas out of her rather dark, offbeat and sometimes funny experiences.

This is filled with some lovely art work with generous colouring and nice, fresh drawing too and like she says herself, the good thing about these being so short is that you really are left wanting more, a lot more. I look forward to reading more!

[elbow ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
a very concise yet thorough memoir told through short comic-style vignettes. lots of hard topics are addressed in this graphic novel, all for the purpose of establishing a complete picture of the author's life. i don't know what exactly i was expecting from this work but it certainly wasn't this. i didn't mind the art style but i thought the information it conveyed was far more impactful than the illustration.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Sleeping While Standing' by Taki Soma is a graphic novel memoir told in very short stories.

Each chapter has a one word title like Minnesota, Demon or Addict. The stories are frank and sometimes sad and unpleasant. They tell of assault, loss and neglect, but the thread of hope glimmers somewhat. The art is quite good. I really like Taki's line work and color choice.

Originally done as a creative project and shared with fellow artists, the author was eventually encouraged to create a book. We are the benefactors, not because this is a light fun biography, but because it can show us that we all struggle, even if some struggle more.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm speechless. What a life and what a way to tell it. (Honestly, I wish I could get some of my friends to tell me their stories in 4 pages or less.) And when you get to the end of this book and realize Soma is what, 30? Every day forward should be unicorns and rainbows (metaphorical, Taki can have whatever she wants).

Donate today:
https://www.nationalmssociety.org/

[Salty Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through a dozen short stories, Taki Soma takes us through her life so far. Family matters, her parents divorce, medical issues, pets, drugs, and even zombies make their way to the pages of her graphic memoir. Dark humour but also filled with emotional prowess, this is a fine example of a writer who's comfortable in wearing their heart on their sleeve.

[Diana Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of interesting content in here - but could use more development. I read this on the ComicsPlus platform and finished in under an hour, so it's probably a pretty slim volume. Would have liked to read twice as much and get more details on each story.

And what was up with the zombie apocalypse?

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning/horrifying/honest/art.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book of short-short memoir stories (4 pages or less) sort of randomly organized that features a foreword by her friend and collaborator Brian Bendis. These are really just anecdotes with huge back stories you want to knw more about, such as her ms diagnosis, a rape, her mother wanting to give her away to a friend for adoption, addiction, family suicide. Maybe short and evocative is better, as a book four times as long that details all of this suffering would be. . . insufferable.

Bendis is one vignette encouraging her to allow her great sense of humor t come through, but maybe that will happen in her next book? I agree with him when he says he likes the format, likening it to 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould, which I once saw. I thought her digital art was fine, colorful but otherwise not striking.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a lazy reader...meaning I'm an avid reader at my core but am terribly out of practice. At 38, I wish I could read like my 15 year old self. Picking up Taki Soma's slim graphic novel took me back. Even though our stories are different, the relatability and vulnerability are off the charts. This collection of vignettes from her own life, sharing enough to be impactful but not so much you can't stand up straight afterwards, was a beautiful one-sitting read in a café - a much needed session. You can feel the weight and suspense of her experiences, especially knowing they're true. She shares the weighty things she couldn't control and even some of the things she could have. Her continual search for meaning, purpose, and identity is very compelling and my heart goes out to her. Thank you for sharing, Taki, and crafting your beautiful memoir.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book by an accident, or so it seemed to me. Found it on some blog I’ve never seen before, then found myself wanting to know more and read more about it. Ended up ordering it.
This is the first graphic novel I’ve read in my life. I’m done with it in under an hour, but the bittersweet aftertaste is here to stay.

What I wanted to say, this book made me feel lots of things - anger, sadness and joy. It was totally worth it giving it a try.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bunch of short autobiographical vignettes in chronological order. Themes are early childhood alienation, immigration, divorce and step family, career as an artist, trauma and trauma adjacent experiences, comic career.

Mental health content: depression (not elaborated much aside from the early experiences resulting in author feeling unwanted), experiencing suicide of a family member, and one very strong compulsion with a possible hallucinations or delusion.

[Max Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book randomly from my local library and I’m so glad I did! One of the best graphic memoirs I’ve ever read (and I’ve read a lot of them) I loved it, I related to it, I laughed, I cried. Thank you Taki Soma for sharing this beautiful work with the world. I felt deeply impacted by reading it.

[Kandace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the vignette approach to these snippets of life Taki Soma shares with the reader. The method of the book felt super fresh. I liked the illustration style and Soma's style is such that there is a level of heaviness and also hope in the tales she chooses to share about her life. Would recommend if you're into innovative graphic memoirs!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superlative. Beautiful art showing difficult and important events from Soma’s life. More than being willing to read more by her, I will actively seek her out.

The format is of short vignettes; but they all come together so well and the level of detail in each is so excellent that it feels quite satisfying to read. Not light reading in any sense, but so good.

[Gary Lima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was really struck by the frankness and candor the author expressed in this autobiographical work. The book is a series of short stories or vignettes covering various challenges the author has faced I wished she gone into some more depth on some of these issues. But it does leave one thinking about how much one really knows about the people in one’s life.

[Megan Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning. Both visually and story-wise. I mean, to tell such gripping stories in four pages or less?! I could never have such incredible restraint and pack that much punch. I am so impressed. Also, her mom sounds AWFUL. Offering her up for adoption more than once? Like ????? Bye.

[Mike Plavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a heartbreakingly funny, gorgeously drawn and written graphic novel. It’s a fairly quick read (not a bad thing), but each vignette tells a deeply personal part of the author’s life. Please, do yourself a favor and spend an afternoon with Taki’s stories.

[Michelle Tuite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading 2023
Book 143: Sleeping While Standing by Taki Soma

Book 6 in my #30booksin30days challenge.

This graphic memoir was told in four page vignettes. I wished these were longer and explored more depth. I get why the author did these this way, but this reader wanted more. 3.5⭐️.

[Adam Gillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 and a half stars rounded up to five (because rounding down to four would be a disservice). I love this comic. A collection of 4 page autobio comics by Taki Soma, it's unrelenting and ugly and unafraid - all the best things an autobiography can be.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this! Its amazing.

[Isabel’s bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love all the short stories and the art work. Is a must read, everyone should own it.

[Mary Brickthrower · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel is:
+ Deeply personal

+ Absolutely stunning

+ Tear-jerking

+ Funny as heck

[Lizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t understand the zombie part at all

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible

[wildct2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of short subjects

[Anna Erecinska · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kelly Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly earnest and raw. Taki made a really beautiful comic and I'd recommend this book to anyone.