Welcome to Marwencol

by Mark E. Hogancamp

In April 2000, Mark Hogancamp was beaten and left for dead outside a bar in his hometown of Kingston, NY. Waking from a nine-day coma, he had no memory of the thirty-eight prior years of his life, including his ex-wife, family, artistic talents, or military service. To reconstruct his past, Hogancamp built, in his backyard, Marwencol, an imaginary village set in World War II Belgium, where everybody is welcome—Germans, Americans, French, British, and Russians—as long as peace is kept. With 1:6 scale action figures and Barbie dolls, as well as toy armaments and meticulously built props, buildings, and clothes, Marwencol is an alternate reality, created with painstaking (and sometimes painful) realism and obsessive attention to detail.

Here, riveting wartime dramas are played out and photographed in saturated hues and unflinching detail. The emotional narrative mirrors the artist's through Marwencol, Hogancamp regained his cognitive facilities.
Welcome to Marwencol is an astonishing story of the redemptive power of art—of art as therapy and act of obsession.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Memoir, Biography, Biography Memoir, Photography, Military Fiction

78 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2010

Reviews

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I regret being unaware about the documentary film which preceded this book. Mark Hogancamp’s remarkable progress in recovery from a vicious beating by 5 young men is a story in itself. The attack destroyed all memory of the 38 years of his life. He only knew what happened to him through others. He could not remember his ex-wife, and family, his talent for drawing, or military service. He required extensive surgery for his eye which had been kicked out of its socket, plastic surgery to restore his face, and had to start all over learning to walk, talk, write and regain his artistic skills. He also lost his alcoholism which was leading him to a very dark place in his life. He went through extensive rehabilitation in hospital but was released when money ran out.

What raises his story beyond his horrific injuries is the amazing artwork he has created. This is in the form of an imaginary town in Belgium during WW2. It is meticulously created, populated by dolls dressed in costumes he has designed which are accurate for the time and place. Marwencol is built 1/6 to scale, with all props and accessories making it an amazing artistic achievement. The villains of the town are 5 brutal SS Nazi soldiers, which represents his 5 attackers. The characters and buildings in the town are photographed in such a way that they seem remarkably lifelike. Much time-consuming work has been spent on making the details realistic. He tells imaginative stories involving the wartime town and its inhabitants.

The book contains numerous photos of the storylines and characters he has set up and photographed. It also tells his story through others and in his own words. I purchased a digital version of the book but found it was best viewed on my iPad where the photos were in colour and could be enlarged for better viewing. There is an upcoming movie, Welcome to Marwen, based on Mark Hogancamp’s life and art which stars Steve Carell. The story is disturbing but shows the therapeutic and redemptive power of art. This book was published three years ago and wanted an update on Mark and his imaginary, and intricately constructed town of Marwencol.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't yet seen either the documentary or the narrative film made from this story, although that is what impelled me to 'read' it. It's primarily a photographic essay, detailing the fascinating story of a veteran who was beat up and left for dead after revealing he was a cross-dresser to some rednecks who didn't cotton to his revelation. The first roughly 1/3 tells the story of his life prior to the incident, the attack, and his long recovery. The next section details how he used his art form of creating dioramas to create the world of Marwencol, as a means of coping with the devastation to his body and mind - and delineating the various 'characters' and structures involved. And the last 100 pages are presented as a 'graphic novel' of photos of that world, depicting the story Hogancamp constructed as his coping mechanism - which presents a rather Tarentino-esque revenge fantasy that incorporates elements of WW II war story, time travel, and knights errant. It's a weird trip, and squeamish people might want to pass it by - but it is definitely sui generis.

Addendum: I watched the documentary a week after reading the book, and am glad I read the book first (as it actually helped I think, since some of the story gets truncated in the movie). The movie never tells about the trial and (light) sentences given to Mark's attackers, and is also somewhat coy in that it 'saves' all the revelations about his cross-dressing till very late in the game. The movie also never tells how Marwencol got it's name, although there is a scene in the deleted features that does.

[Tiffany]

This book blew my mind. Talk about meta-art: the composer of this world so deeply empathizes with his creations that his own plastic alter-ego, Hogie, (looking very much like Hogan, of Hogan's Heroes 1960's tv show) is sometimes shown creating and photographing fictional doll-populated worlds of his own.

What is most unsettling is when Mr Hogancamp's hand appears in his photographs in deus ex machina. His Godhood is entirely appropriate in this arena given that this world is his creation. Except, what causes the shift from amusing to disturbing is when you see his author photo he's wearing a wedding ring on his hand, and in real life his wife is a blue-haired, 6 inch tall action figure named Dej'Alaqua Montique Thoris. His other great love is Princess Anna [sic] Romanov, who is unfortunately already married to his alter-ego, Hogie. There's so much crossover between real and make-believe in this book that it almost makes sense that this man is legally married to a plastic action figure.

This strange and moving world would be only an unread footnote if it were not for two factors: first, Mr Hogancamp's photos of dolls are sometimes unbelievably lifelike and very often moving to tears. His "Rescuing the Major" is simply stunning. Robert Capa should be so lucky to have captured such an image; and second, Mr Hogancamp is creating his world as a rehabilitative therapy from being beaten so badly by five young homophobes that he is severely brain-damaged. There's a bit about these young guys in the book. It's ugly, I tell y'all. These kids kicked his skull in. His eye was only prevented from sinking into his brain by a plastic cup inserted into his socket. I'm slightly nauseated that they nearly all walked away from the courthouse--only one of them did any serious time. Today they're walking around free while Mr Hogancamp is so damaged that he is permanently disabled and has been reduced to playing with dolls in public.

Poignant, moving, bizarre, disturbing, but wow, what a testament to the human capacity for creative gestures.

[Marta Pelrine-Bacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the documentary, and the book fills in the story and answers many questions. The layout and photographs are great. An inspiring story on a human and on an artistic level.

[Renee Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, sad story. Very short, mainly photographs. I finished in just a couple of hours. It's the true story of an artistic person left with brain damage and memory loss following a hate crime attack. When he gets out of the hospital, he reads his old journals, decides to be a better person, and works on his rehabilitation. Unable to draw like he used to, he instead builds detailed dioramas and photographs them.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book by an extraordinary man. I don't mean he's exemplary, or amazing, or fantastic; he's rather ordinary, someone you're easily overlook. I mean he's had an extraordinary life path, been dealt some truly rotten cards by life, and done something amazing and fantastic with the tragedy and adversity he's faced. His story is inspiring, his artwork rather breathtaking.

Some readers seem confused, and think that this book should be filled with more details about Mr. Hogancamp. I disagree, this is an art book by the artist and a collaborator, included updated copies of his photos, details about his art, and some back story about the tragic assault that nearly left him dead, and his recovery from TBI (traumatic brain injury). You don't have to see the documentary film, Marwencol, or the recent film "Welcome To Marwen" that's based on his story, to understand. All that you need to know is in this volume. But don't expect a novel. It's not an in-depth examination of the man. This is a potent book about his work, and the journey he took to create this art.

The Robert Zemeckis movie based on his experience is getting trounced by critics, but I think it's a bum rap. The movie tells a specific story about a portion of this man's journey, and does it vividly through amazing visual effects and dramatic interpretation. Worth seeing in the movie theater if you can. But I think the real Hogancamp's book is more engrossing, the movie is sort of a "sampler."

The book is available as an eBook on Hoopla, but it's far more entrancing to hold the physical book and wonder at the miniature reenactment dioramas and photos. The hardcover appears to be have been published later than the self-published softcover, and may have more recent photos.

[Kandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give the photos included so many stars, but the writing was not compelling. It was more like Friday's "The facts ma'am, just the facts" than a real story.

I admit to reading this only because I am interested in the movie. I was very, very curious why the movie was so poorly received and having read this, think I know why. It was very poorly marketed. I've seen countless previews and not once is it mentioned that Mark is a cross-dresser and this is probably why he was attacked.

I think if this had been revealed in trailers, those offended by the idea would have stayed away, thus deleting most of the poor reviews. Those tolerant of, or participating in this, would have seen the movie because of this, not despite it. I think it's sickening that a man was attacked, beaten almost to death and left to die in a street for this. Some people don't. More's the pity.

The photos Hogancamp has taken of his town are breathtaking and in some case seem like photos of actual people and places instead of 1:6 scale. I could look at them for hours and will be searching out the documentary hoping to see more.

I'm also going to see the movie. After reading/seeing this, how could I not?

[Brandon Forsyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across the documentary MARWENCOL almost ten years ago, and it’s never really left my mind. It’s a fascinating look at how art can make a difference in one person’s life, and how that change can have ripple effects beyond any belief. Mark Hogancamp’s story has now been adapted into a feature film called MARWEN, and while I am nervous about how this unbelievable true story will be handled, I am seriously heartened that it will provide more people the opportunity to look into the real story here. This book is not quite as good as the documentary, but it does an admirable job of showcasing Hogancamp’s actual work and providing some biography of the man and his artistic process. It’s inspired me to keep some sort of creative, artistic work in my life.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very short telling (and illustrating) of the true story behind the movie "Marwen." Even though I seldom go see a movie, I read a lot of reviews of them. I feel confident that I can say this tiny book is better than the movie. (Although I admire Steve Carell and find that difficult to believe.)

[Carolyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so disappointed in this book. Saw the movie preview and then a kindle deal on this book so I thought I would pick it up. 99% of the time, the book is better than the movie. If that is the case with this one, it is going to be a REALLY BAD movie! The book really did not go into depth about anything. I wanted to read more about the man, his past, what the little town does for him in his recovery, etc. There was only a minuscule amount of that type of story.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the past 3 days I have watched the feature film and the documentary about this story, and I've read this book. They all provide different facets to this poignant tale of creativity arising from a brutal beating. Recommended.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the uniqueness and quirky quality of this book!

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tricky review. 3 stars for the book but 4 stars for the subject/artwork. First of all, see the documentary "Marwencol" which tells the same story of artist Mark Hogancamp and his work as this book. It is an amazing story and an amazing artist. This book, however, doesn't seem to do as good a job, despite being written by the producer of the movie and put together with the artist. Biographical information is un-insightful and far too simple. While Hogancamp's is based around storytelling and world-building, the second half of the book emphasizes "character" biographies and edits his photos into "fumetti" in such a way that feels reductive. Again, this may be the way that the artist wants to present his work at this point, in which case the problem lies with me. But I would recommend seeing the documentary first, and then using this book as a way to better look at individual photos. But I would not recommend it as your first step into the world of Mark Hogancamp, as I feel it is doing the subject a diservice.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the digital version of the book shortly after seeing Welcome to Marwen, we're talking a few hours after I left the theater. It was such a strange story and I wanted to see what they included from real life. Surprisingly, most of the oddness came straight from the book. It was a sad story about a man who was jumped by homophobic young men who severely injured the author, even to the point of severe brain damage. He had to relearn how to speak, walk, and lost control of dexterity in his hands. He used dolls and action figures through the medium of photography to express himself. The story was sad but somewhat inpiring. The photography was nice but it was when it was transformed into comics that lost me. He also based all the females in his stories on women he knew in real life, including his married neighbor that he chose to have a narrative of her falling in love with him. Yikes. It's an unfortunate story, but it needed to be told.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read the real story before seeing the movie, told in Mark's own words. Very brief book with loads of photos of the doll town of Marwencol. Quite fascinating. He was lucky to have been so artistic to begin with so that he could create his own art therapy.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this story within a story.

To improve your experience, listen to Snap Judgment podcast episode #626 first. http://snapjudgment.org/marwencol

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Welcome to Marwencol' by Mark E. Hogancamp

I was unaware of the 2010 documentary ‘Marwencol’ until I picked this book up. The writing, (which is part backstory and partly new photographs, documentary footage, and Marwencol storylines) set the stage for Steve Carell and Robert Zemeckis’ fictionalized account in the new film -‘Welcome to Marwen.’ I liked the creative fantasy village concept that the trailers showed and found myself lured into Mark Hogancamp’s miniature fictional town of Marwencol. I only wish the book had been longer. I think there's a much larger story to tell here.
The story behind his artful building project is a tragic one, where he was a struggling alcoholic, honorably discharged from the military, troubling relationships, and during a hate crime was beaten and left for dead. He awakens from a coma and had suffered traumatic brain damage and now endures severe amnesia leaving blanks in most of his life before. He tries to relearn skills, resume his photography, and pick up the remnants of what he has left as he pores into this fully operational and familiar but also changed 1/6 scale characters township. He decides the stories and dramas they will tell and brings the scenes to life in a vivid way with effects and props.
When his mother passed away shortly after, and all else had been taken from him, he found himself exploring “the compulsive need to create something when the world leaves you with nothing.” It’s odd and strangely fascinating at the same time.
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“I went from having nobody around to creating my own town so I could be in control of something, because I didn’t have control of anything else in my life. And now other people want to be a part of it. // It’s a weird experience having people document me documenting my life. Answering questions…talking to people. But I decided I’m not going to lie in my second life. I always tell the truth and tell people who I am, because why should I be afraid to tell you who I am? // That’s exactly the message I want to send to people – just be yourself. The longer I live in this world that humans created, the more I’m finding out people don’t accept everything that other people have to offer. There’s prejudice…that’s a trait that we learn from other humans. // So I’m glad if my will to fight has given others hope. It’s good hearing from people who’ve been helped by my story… by my town. That’s why I did all this = the art show, the documentary, the book. ‘For duty and humanity.”


“Mark’s new digital camera turned out to be much better than just a replacement. The camera’s flip-out viewer freed him from having to look through the viewfinder and enabled him to fit the camera into the tiny spaces occupied by his characters. And he was no longer restricted to twenty -four images every few weeks. With instant feedback and unlimited room to experiment, Mark was suddenly free to shoot as much as he wanted, whenever he wanted. He could experiment with different lighting schemes and angles and setups.”
“He lay down on his stomach in the dirt, mud, and snow, bugs crawling all over him, in order to put his lens at eye level with his figures. He shot large tableaus, close-ups, over-the-shoulder shots, and reverse shots – just like in the movies – so his stories would feel more cinematic. At last, his photos reflected the rich adventures he saw.”
“When I grab my camera and go outside, I don’t get the feeling that the town is moving or alive until I lie down in the mud or stones, and I’m at their level. It’s such a different perspective. When I’m photographing from that angle, I’m their height and it looks like somebody their size took it.”

“When I set up or shoot a scene, it’s as if the characters tell me what to do. It’s like they don’t even hear me… they just do what they want.// Each figure has a personality – even the characters that aren’t based on any one person in the real world, like Deja Thoris. So , with my camera, I’m trying to take something plastic and make it look real, because in my head it’s real. I see it as real, but nobody around me does.// When it gets cold, I put coats on my figures, because that’s what I would do in real life. And I know how an American World War II soldier’s coat feels and moves because I have one. Does it keep me warm in the winter? No, not really…so I understand why some people froze in the Ardennes forest. // Even the ambient noises make it more real. I come out here and I hear the train whistling and the gunfire from the gun range that’s a mile away and it all adds to the story in my head. It’s like I’m trying to capture the story in one photograph, because it’s not a moving picture – they’re more like stills from a movie. I’m trying to capture that mood… that moment when you can almost smell the grass or the rain and feel the rocks or the mud or the snow.”

[Kurt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where we see the world most clearly is in our mind. We take in visions of the happenings around us, blend it with who we are and where we’ve been and create a synthesis reality—then we reside there. This is how we find some comfort, some security in ourselves and decide how we fit into the greater world around us. Some launch themselves into the world from this comfort zone, socializing quite freely. Others don’t. For those more reticent, the interior world retains a greater importance—a place to retreat. So, imagine you are divorced thirty-eight-year-old raging alcoholic cut off more and more from those around him. The interior life, though unfocused and ragged, is largely what you have left. This was Mark Hogancamp before he was beaten nearly to death—when he finally emerged from a coma and eventually the hospital, he would find that the few threads that still bound him to life did not include his memory.

While the book deals with the assault, most of the book reveals how Hogancamp rebuilt his life. His interior life swept away, he created an exterior one to replace it. Using a childlike imagination focused through a damaged adult lens, the doll inhabited WWII town of Marwencol was created. As if refilling an emptied bookshelf one story at a time, Hogancamp lived through the characters in this town as the good guys representing his friends battled Nazi bad guys standing in for those who attacked him. He captured these stories with marvelously detailed photographs—perfectly angled shots of precisely posed dolls create moments at once intimate, dramatic and cinematic. These photos populate the second half of the book and were what ultimately brought him to the attention of the world at large (including a major Photo Exhibit, this book, a very well received documentary and recently a less well received major motion picture). Despite such attention, he still zealously maintains his privacy.

The photographs wield a strange power. Each is of an almost perfect moment that seems to tell an entire story. Yet each could also be the opening scene of an epic. Hogancamp’s scrutiny of every detail, his day after day of attention layered over the town like brush strokes, have hewn life into the hard plastic of these dolls. Th e power is like a tide that escapes Hogancamp and crashes upon Marwencol only to recede back into him once more. That give and take is life. It was pure chance that this story escaped into the limelight. How many Marwencols are out there in other forms that we will never know about. How many people yearn for them but don’t know where to look. How many people live one step away from the rest of the world.

Ratings are always somewhat personal and inexact. In this case if the book were viewed merely clinically, perhaps I would have given it 3 or 4 stars instead of 5. In this case I have chosen to rate according to impact. I was moved by the world building involved and staggered by how that world spun once set in motion.

[Char Freund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really a book but more like an extra long magazine article. Different sections tell the background story about Mark, his past, and his brain injury; describe his fictional town; describe the main characters; and lastly, put it all together in a comic book style story line.

It is a fascinating look into how the human brain adapts to trauma. It also intrigued questions about creativity and artistic genius. Mark was a gifted artist and set designer prior to the injury. He now sets scenes using realistic dolls since he can no longer draw. What part of his brain survived enough to transfer those artistic parts of his imagination?

Our book club read Life of Pi several years ago with some rating it a ten and others a two. I have a feeling this book’s rating would also be polarized. But those who understood how Pi created an alternative story to deal with the horrid happenings on the raft, would be captivated by Mark’s imaginary town of Marwencol.

Yet, I would advise all to try this book as a look into the resilience of the human brain and into what is genius. Mark’s artistic representations are so powerful that they need to be explored. Sure some scenes have violent or sexual undertones but this only highlights how the ego creates false narratives as a way to adapt to violence. I’d love to discuss with a psychologist.

Mark’s life has been he subject of magazine articles, documentaries, and this book. It is now a movie starring Steve Carell. Unfortunately, the movie reviews have been all negative. Most critics have said that the producers chose to create special effects focusing on the imaginary stories instead of exploring Mark’s story of recovery through art. I am going to skip the movie and find a copy of the documentary to view.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Hogancamp’s story was first made known to me through the trailers for the “Welcome to Marwen” movie (starring Steve Carrell). My interest was piqued so I first purchased the documentary film “Marwencol” which included interviews with Mark and a fascinating glimpse into the world that he created after nearly dying from a hate-crime attack by five cowards in his town. His memories virtually beaten out of him, he had to find a way to re-enter the world albeit one that would be mainly focused in a fictional 1:6 ratio WWII Belgium town. This book continues that narrative, reiterating Mark’s life prior to the attack, one mostly inhabited inside large quantities of vodka; and Mark’s life henceforth. His penchant for cross dressing before (and reported to be the trigger that set off his attackers) and since is just one facet of this complicated artist/photographer/story-teller. The book contains many of his photos as well as various Marwencol stories.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about the movie and was intrigued by the story behind it. Mark, a somewhat reclusive, divorced alcoholic is mercilessly beaten by 5 men after leaving a bar and left for dead. Somehow he survives, although without any memories of his life before. Mark channels his artistic talents to create Marwencol, a 1:6 scale town peopled by action figures and dolls living in WWII Belgium, where everyone is welcome...but there is always the enemy nearby and there is always violence lurking around the corner. The creativity and artistry behind Marwencol is amazing and I admired every photo, the realism seriously incredible. But in the end I didn't quite reach that redemptive place that I was probably supposed to. I felt like he was picking at a wound and never letting it heal, a mind trapped in the past.

[Sandra WB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Hogencamp's story is very inspiring! He has created mesmerizing photo stories despite his life-altering injuries. His success is a triumph and I wish him well in his continued recovery. I'd like to know whether he has created new stories, and how else his work can be accessed and/or supported. I hope he could find a way to teach his artistic style to others, as he clearly has an amazing gift of talent to share.
Side note: I loved the movie 'Welcome To Marwen' which was inspired by Mark's story. Its technical achievement was astounding and I thought Steve Carell portrayed him wonderfully. I love how the dolls came to life in Hogie's imagination. I hope Mark enjoyed the movie too. I'd definitely like to see the documentary 'Marwencol' as well.

[IrisMoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. With the Steve Carrell film just coming out, I became aware of the award winning documentary, and watched that first, which led me to the book. This is of specific interest to me as I have a teenager who’s very into model building and creation of dioramas. But Hogancamp’s creative channeling of his emotions and imagination into these elaborate stories, and how this has helped him recover from catastrophic brain injury following a vicious attack was incredible. The book give some extra details not included in the documentary (most specifically details about Hogancamp’s early life, and the results of the trial of his attackers). They make a great pair.

[Johnathon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful and fascinating account of how Mark Hogancamp recovered from his brutal attack by creating his fantasy world, Marwencol. Hogancamp makes an honest narrator, being open about his alcoholism and how he drove his family and friends away from him at times, though in no way excuses the attack on him. Marwencol is also loving photographed (reportedly one picture is so realistic viewers thought it was an actual WWII photo) and truly feels like a real world. An excellent look into a damaged mind and how art can help repair it.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard about this book from the movie with Steve Carrell that was made from it. I did not realize at first that it was actually based on a true story. Marwencol is a created place that is built scale 1:6 by the author. Hogancamp was a history buff prior to being savagely attacked and left with severe injuries. Before the attack, Mark was an artist. He lost much of his "art sense" after the injury, but he began to heal through the building of this village in incredible detail.

The chapters are very short, and they are followed with lots of pictures. I am very curious about the movie with Carrell. I found the documentary on Youtube and watched part of it. Fascinating! I am curious what and how he is doing now.

[Chris Gifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark, a man that is living his life and is tragically targeted by some men that attempt to beat him to death. It also includes his struggle to recover from the deadly beating. Mark was a former cartoonist that uses creative display and making animated short films, through animated action deals with his losses by reenacting war scenes from World War 2, where the female dolls back up the GI's (dolls). It is a triumph aides in regaining his confidence to face his attackers in court and continuing living through this new medium.

[Rich Rosell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't seen the documentary 'Marwencol' I would recommend you do so. Now. You will thank me later. Then, get this book.

This companion piece features a ton of Hogancamp's remarkable photos - many of them full page - all consisting of 1:6 scale figures in elaborately detailed scenarios set in a fictitious WWII setting.

The tragic story of Hogancamp, and how he came to immerse himself in his new world, is a real heartbreaker, but what came out of it is truly spectacular.

[Kendra Schlieszus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short biography of Mark Hogancamp's triumph over a hate crime is uplifting. The biography briefly touches on Hogencamp's downfall into alcoholism and the tragedy that "killed" who he was; and instead focuses on his therapeutic hobby.
Again, this was a very short read, with the author choosing to allow a lot of Hogencamp's art speak for itself.
Although Hogencamp went through turmoil, he was able to create a beautiful world to escape and recover.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the film Welcome to Marwen, curious about a few details, I researched the film to quickly discover it was inspired by a true story. Now, I immediately went to the library catalog to find the documentary. Regrettably, they did not have the film, but they did have this book which offers a true look at this man's work.
Even as fiction, it was fascinating-- the reality is stunning.
The inclusion of the artist's story, and how the book was born offers another layer, with the photographs taking center stage.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t seen the documentary, watch it first. And if you’re fascinated like I was, read this book. I especially enjoyed the comic book-like section at the end, which tells some of Mark’s fictional stories of the characters you’ve met in the documentary and got to know better here in these pages. More than mere entertainment, the art is given the inestimable value of a life remade - healing, and rebirth. Thank you to all who helped Mark tell his own story, and the stories he’s created.