Syncopated: An Anthology of Nonfiction Picto-Essays

by Brendan Burford (Editor)

The stories in Syncopated challenge convention, provide perspective, and search out secret truths–all in the inviting, accessible form of comics.

Syncopated will give you a daringly different view of the past–from the history of vintage postcards to the glory days of old Coney Island. It will immerse you in fascinating subcultures, from the secret world of graffiti artists to the chess champs of Greenwich Village. And it will open your eyes to pieces of forgotten history–for example, the Tulsa race riots of 1921–and to new perspectives on critical current events, such as the interrogation of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. These “picto-essays” encompass memoir, history, journalism, and biography in varied visual styles–each handpicked by Brendan Burford, one of America’s top editors.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Essays, Adult, Graphic Novels Comics, Anthologies

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 19, 2009

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short graphic non-fiction, ranging from reportage on Gitmo to The Dvorak typewriter to How and Why to Bale Hay and so on. So the art is good and varied throughout and the tone switches dramatically as one expects with collections, but I like the idea of graphic essays and it works well here. Wlll read more like it.

[Daniel Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and moving essays in comic form. Very much worth reading.

[Ryan Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of great stories in here:

“How and Why To Bale Hay” by Nick Bertozzi
(Thrown a few hay bales for extra summer cash in my time, so this hit a sentimental vibe for me.)

“Boris Rose: Prisoner of Jazz” by Brendon Burford and Jim Campbell
(Love to hear about weirdos and their obsessions. Dude taped jazz shows off the radio for decades and has the only recordings of many of them.)

“West Side Improvements” by Alex Holden
(The literal underground art scene in New York in the late-70s to early-90s: the abandoned railroad of decades past is covered up with a park, leaving graffiti artists and transients to build a remote culture all their own.)

“Like Hell I Will” by Nate Powell
(The Tulsa Massacre, a story that comes on the heels of a story about the torture at Guantanamo Bay. Starting to think America has some problems, folks!)

“Dvorak” by Alec Longstreth
(The Dvorak keyboard, a more efficient keyboard never adopted by the world, mostly due to bad timing and capitalism.)

“An Encounter With Richard Peterson” by Brendan Burford
(A mainstay of the Washington Square Park chess scene gets his moment to shine in this charming little profile.)

[Eileen Breseman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphical/comic style collection of authors' short works along with a fair amount of text for many. Themes are highly varied from learning to bale hay, prisoner torture at Gitmo, W.Side tunnel artists, Coney Island, musician busker sketches from NY subway, Dvorak typing keyboard, & more. I learned a lot of unique true stories, serious, funny, sad, inspirational, introspective. It's easy to digest the 149 pages in a sitting or two. The book title comes from the editor's love of syncopated music, "placing the stress on the weak beat between the unusually dominant beats. Each writer is stressing a weak or unaccented beat with their piece."

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was attracted to the nonfiction aspect of this book as I don't typically choose graphic novels. The stories and illustrations were varied and intriguing--I can't imagine any other way I'd be interested in hay-baling! The essays are short and easily consumed; I finished the book in one sitting.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I just loved this! An anthology of interesting non-fiction graphic stories by a good mix of artists. Discovered a lot of great artists and writers which is always what I’m looking for from an anthology.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, breezy and informative collection of non-fiction comics (I'm not saying picto-essays c'mon man). Some are more of a "Nifty Facts" and others deal with heavier stuff such as Guantanamo Bay torture techniques but overall the book is a nice easy summer read.

[Sarah Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this wasn't my typical read and it was for a class, I really enjoyed the essays in this collection! I particularly liked seeing all the unique art styles and getting to read fascinating stories I would normally not have come across.

[David Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some strong entries in here, but it would have been nicer if they'd all featured some kind of coherent theme. It ranges from the mundane, like how to harvest and bale timothy grass, to the extreme, like describing the treatment of inmates in Guantanamo and the Tulsa massacre.

[Geoff Sebesta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting without being fascinating. Would have benefited from a stronger editorial vision and some artistic consistency.

[Ian Carpenter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd, fun, cool. So many real life stories in here that I was surprised to find myself interested in or moved by.

[Krista Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice collection of graphic essays. I really enjoyed the painful history lesson on the Tulsa race riots/masacre and the art of the Westside NYC Subway tunnels. I highly recommend.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretentious title, but some pretty solid works inside. Nothing essential, but it's solid comics.

[Deke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there were more books like this, as the graphic non fiction essay shows such promise (with books like Maus and Persepolis good examples of longer form)

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his introduction editor Brendan Burford explains, "[S:]yncopation literally means that an accent or stress is placed on the weak beat between the usually dominant beats. When music is syncopated, it can offer a whole new perspective on rhythm." Using this definition as a guide, Burford compiled a diverse collection of quality stories. Some of the tales such as the excellent "How and Why to Bale Hay" by Nick Bertozzi offer uniquely personal histories. Others illuminate fascinating aspects of historical figures ("Erik Erickson" by Paul Karasik and "Dvorak" by Alec Longstreth). Burford and artist Jim Campbell relate one of the book's finest tales with the dynamic "Boris Rose: Prisoner of Jazz." Alex Holden's "West Side Improvements" chronicles the amazing story of graffiti artist Chris Pape (aka Freedom). Perhaps this extraordinary anthology's only weakness is a few too many New York-centric tales. But this is a small complaint. With Syncopated, Buford and his contributors have crafted one of the best books of the year.

[Raina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compliation of nonfiction "picto-essays" - basically nonfiction essays in graphic novel form. There's everything in here from a summary of the history of postcards, to illustration of the gitmo torture documents, to a series of portraits of buskers in the NY subway system. Great range, I wanted more, and couldn't believe it was over when it was. Unique slices of life include the story of Boris Rose, a guy who recorded an incredible collection of radio broadcasts of the great jazz musicians - a collection which has not yet been listened to by anyone but Boris himself (an amazing archive story that makes a librarian just cringe/salivate. A story of adoption from China. A story of chess players in Washington Square Park in Manhattan. It just goes on and on. More please! This is the way I want to read my nonfiction.
(and the first thing I think of are those Larry Gonick Cartoon histories and guides, but I think there's a unique strength in the variety of subjects and author/illustrator voices in this approach.)

[Lee Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best (only) anthology of essayistic comics I've ever read. No real clunkers. Sometimes sort of "meh" form- and content-wise, other times more interesting (graffiti artists in old train tunnels under Riverside Drive park; a profile of a long-time Washington Square chess player; the Tulsa race riots). Most were straight-up, reliable etc, but often seemed thin (unlike essays in the New Yorker etc, per some reviews/blurbs). Not sure if the form works as well for short essays as it does for extended non-fiction, or even shorter fictions? Worth a look but hard to jump up and down about short "picto-essays" about Native American identity; adopting a Chinese infant; the guy who came up with the eight stages of child development; drawings of Washington Square Park or NYC subway buskers (yawn); or an appreciation of what it takes to bale hay. Also, maybe seemed a little too NYCentric? Perfectly adequate and original but nothing to get all evangelical about . . .

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

SYNCOPATED is named for the editor's interest in jazz music. And that is exactly what we get here: often discordant, but complimentary notes that come together in a pleasant, challenging package. As with any anthology (and I've edited them myself, so this is not shade), there is generally a mixed bag of items. However, here, the mixed bag is exactly what it seems like the editor was going for. While not all of the stories grab me or will be memorable, the intent behind the collection and the stories collected within is what is most important. Each creator paints a vivid portrait of the world, often personal, that is incredibly meaningful in the age of personal space and avoidance of connection with other people. It provides a window into another world, another experience, and it reminds us that every human story has value.

[Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really know what to expect when I began reading "Syncopated" but it turned out to be a very interesting collection of comic pieces, or "picto-essays" with themes ranging from the humorous to the sobering, the strange to the mundane. Each comic is extremely evocative in telling its story, even more impressive in that each is nonfictional, encompassing history, memoir, and journalism. With a wide variety of art styles and topics, each piece was as interesting to read as the last. In particular, I really enjoyed Rina Piccolo's discussion of "postal cards," being a postcard collector and fan of found items myself. "Syncopated" should provide an afternoon or two of insight for anyone interested in comic art.

[Damon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume has an example of one of my favorite kinds of story - the "lost treasure" story, where someone has created or collected something that no one else has, something that without this one person would never have existed and that even despite this person, no one really knows about. I don't know why, really - maybe it's just that I'm a compulsive collector, but I'm always fascinated by stories like this, even when the content of the lost collection is of no innate interest to me.

Anyway, good book overall - I like the variations in what the creators included interpret as "reportage" or "picto-essays," and there's some very good stuff here covering the spectrum from personal to political.

[Sam Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of "nonfiction picto-essays" and for the most part I really enjoyed it. There is some really interesting stuff in here about international adoption, state sanctioned torture, graffiti artists in New York, and lots of other topics. The content is incredibly varied, in both style and subject, and the only criticism I have of it is that an awful lot of the stories take place in New York City. On the other hand, NYC is a place with a lot of stories and many people live there, so I can understand how it turned out that way. Lots of these artists have their own graphic novels/comic books and it's a great way to find out about people you haven't come across yet. It took me about an hour and a half total to read.

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

As is the case with most anthologies, the stories are uneven. I like 3 of them quite a bit. The first story is my favorite. I t is by an old acquaintance Nick Bertozzi and is called "How And Why To Bail Hay " The reason is because I lived that story. I mean really. I could have written that almost word for word. Same time frame and everything .I was in Virginia though and he was in New England. Fun stuff and vivid memories than will be with me always. Erik Peterson,Dvorak and An Encounter With Richard Peterson were also all good.

[P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd argue that a good number of these aren't "essays" or what I think of as narrative non-fiction. What they are are mostly pleasing to read. The best piece is about the process of hay baling--it uses the graphic form and the first person voice to make what sounded like an utterly boring subject fascinating.

The other standout was the piece on Guantanamo. Simple and powerful.

There was one that relied on a conversation and info-dumping as its narrative method, which disappointed me. I can't even remember what it was about--goes to show how effective that was.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Syncopated was my first experience with picto-essays, and I'm lucky I started here. The book is varied, fun, and has something for everyone. Each author has something neat to say. Perhaps the best aspect of the book is that the essays, short though they are, are packed with thought provoking material. Since there's no plot, you're not compeled to hurry through the book and get to the end. Thus, I found myself stopping after each essay to just think about what I had just read. This process leaves you with new perspectives and a unique reading experience that makes Syncopated worth your time.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended! I have told so many of my co-workers and comics-loving friends about this book! Graphic non-fiction is one of my favorite genres and this did not disappoint. Usually with anthologies there are some weak points, but I thought this was unusually strong. And I thought the weakest essay was by the editor of the book.

I think the strength of this collection lies in how far-reaching the topics and how varied the styles are; but they also don't attempt to exhaustively explore the topic. They're factual and real, but personal and affected.

[Sheri S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book includes the work of several graphic artists and covers a range of topics. I appreciated the exposure to the various artists' styles and their approach to their respective issue. One of the picto-essays that I found most interesting was "West Side Improvements" about the artists of the tunnels beneath Riverside Park in New York. It was also fascinating to read about Guantanamo Bay, the background of Erik Erikson and the Dvorak keyboards (some topics of which I previously knew little about) among other issues.

[Laura Cushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything from How to Bale Hay to an adoption story from China - this anthology presents a lot of slice-of-life stories that show unique human perspectives.

One of the most fascinating was about Boris Rose who obsessively recorded a lot of early jazz broadcast live on the radio. His family has possession of his recordings - tons of meticulously archived and recorded materials and they've never been heard by anyone but Rose himself.

This is a great non-fiction graphic novel.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of this book jumps through ridiculous hoops to avoid calling itself comics. Picto-essay is perhaps the dumbest term yet. However, I do think there is a lack of non-fiction comics (at least other than bad autobiography) so it is nice to see this short collection. Like all anthologies this one is a mixed bag, but leans toward the quality over the crummy.

[Terre · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very concept of this book I heartily endorse: a series of picto-essays from different authors on different subjects. What unites them? The graphic format and the desire to share some opinion or slice of life.

While the different contributions were of varying quality, the overall package is very interesting, and I look forward to more of Syncopated.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what a GN should aspire to! Out of 17 entries, there were only 2 I found uninteresting. The story on hay-baling took me right back to my shildhood, the story on Guantanamo had simplistic art, but a strong storyline. I studied Erik Erickson in college and never knew this about him! Never knew about Boris Rose! A great read, especially for people interested in NYC history!