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Friday, December 4, 2009

Books Funny-book Review: The Year of Loving Dangerously

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 4:12 PM

What's the book? The Year of Loving Dangerously, written by Ted Rall and illustrated by Pablo G. Callejo.

What's it about? It's a comic book memoir of a year in Rall's life when he was homeless and had to fuck women in order to have a place to stay for the night.

What's the art look like? It's kind of blocky and inept, like it was copied poorly from a lightbox of a photograph:

Screen_shot_2009-12-04_at_2.03.34_PM.png

Do you recommend it? No. This is a creepy, dumb book. Here is the plot: Ted Rall fucked a bunch of women when he was poor. The women aren't characters here (one girl, who tells Rall that she's fantasized about him for two years, has scars all over her wrist and Rall tells her "I want to hurry up and fuck you before you pull off that suicide!") and Rall just sort of floats along. This is the worst kind of middle-aged gloating, told poorly.

Comments (10) RSS

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It's concise and revealing summaries like this that make your book reviews so damn habit-forming, Mr. Constant. Thank you.

Posted by Ackham on December 4, 2009 at 4:39 PM

Those sample panels are atrocious. Whatever you said in this review, Paul, could not have made me want to read this book any less.

Posted by Julie in Eugene on December 4, 2009 at 4:43 PM

I saw this on the shelf at our local bookstore, looked interesting. Now I'm going back to buy it. Thanks. Christmas unleashes an open mind.

Posted by dnt trust me on December 4, 2009 at 4:57 PM

Wow. Going to leave that one on the shelf.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on December 4, 2009 at 5:15 PM

@4 that's cool. For me, having suicidal and homeless members in my extended family really sucks, but it's nice once in a while to delve artistically into it.

Posted by dnt trust me on December 4, 2009 at 5:18 PM

It has at least one thing going for it: Rall didn't illustrate it himself. How he managed to get a career in cartooning (let alone writing) I really can't guess.

Posted by keshmeshi on December 4, 2009 at 8:26 PM

The art is beautiful -- did you mean to post some other graphic?

I've already seen the book and it's magnificent, one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. I intend to buy several for holiday gifts.

Posted by someone who actually has eyes on December 5, 2009 at 8:09 AM

"dnt trust me" What from this review would make you want you pick this book up...On open mind is one thing but I can't cover blind ignorance.

someone who actually has eyes... Ted is that you...(see above...)

Posted by Bob Learned on December 5, 2009 at 9:43 AM

"dnt trust me" What from this review would make you want you pick this book up...On open mind is one thing but I can't cover blind ignorance.

"someone who actually has eyes"... Ted is that you...(see above...)

Posted by Bob Learned on December 5, 2009 at 9:46 AM

Is Rall gloating or fantasizing? Can't image a schmuck like him was so desirable as to have a large pool of women willing to bed him.

Just got a better look at the illustrations on ammiedotcom and, GOD!, they do indeed suck.

Xaviera Hollander wrote the intro, makes me curious; didn't realize she was still living. Paul (or should I write "Mr. Constant?), is there anything interesting in her introduction?

Posted by Scholar of violence on December 5, 2009 at 12:36 PM