A Künstlerroman Causes a Stir

Graphic novels are in; they’re hot. And to keep pace with a literary trend that sounds like fun, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and read one. I skipped the much acclaimed Persepolis and American Splendor, choosing instead a memoir cum Künstlerroman about growing up in a weird family. I read Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home last month and enjoyed her fresh approach to sharing memories from dysfunctional family life, an old though not exhaustible topic thanks to our continued interest and quite possibly hardwired voyeuristic fascination with other people’s dirty laundry.

Since my reading experience was positive, it came as a surprise to learn that Bechdel’s book is causing a wee stir in a small town in Missouri. What’s the fuss about I wondered.

One resident has this to say:

My concern does not lie with the content of the novels, rather my concern is with the illustrations and their availability to children and the community.

and

Does this community want our public library to continue to use tax dollars to purchase pornography?

Speaking in support of the library, another resident says:

The library’s purpose is to provide a broad sweep of information. If you have only things that you like in a library then it is a private library. I find myself defending something that I find repugnant, but I feel it needs to be provided.

Fun Home is the first graphic novel published by Houghton Mifflin.

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Board of Education v. Pico and a story at Newsarama (via galleycat)

Posted by Toni Urquhart