1. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, by Scott McCloud
A comic about comics, but I don’t think you have to enjoy the medium to get something out of the book. If you enjoy exploring subjects to their core, give it a shot.
2. The Sculptor, by Scott McCloud
The latest fiction graphic novel by the person who wrote a seminal book on comics. No surprise it does a lot of things right.
3. S-Town, by Brian Reed
Technically a podcast, but it was released all at once and is a contained story that lasts for seven hours. I’d say a fairer assessment would be to call it a well produced non-fiction audiobook, which is what you’d expect from the producers of Serial and This American Life. When I recommend it I always tell people to give it until the end of the second episode before deciding if they’ll stick with it.
4. Mindhunter, by John Douglas
Enjoyed the Netflix show? There’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this.
I gotta second "Understanding Comics", it's incredible! McCloud is a under-recognized genius and comics are a profound medium! I found a copy on the sidewalk. I'm halfway through it now and he's blown my mind four or five times already. Don't be too proud to read a comic about comics: it will change the way you think, not just about comics but about thinking itself!
It was published in '93. I just looked and I couldn't find the exact quote, but at one point he says something like, "even if you don't read comics, they will be influencing popular art and entertainment" and I thought, "Didn't a comicbook-based movie just gross two billion dollars?"
A comic about comics, but I don’t think you have to enjoy the medium to get something out of the book. If you enjoy exploring subjects to their core, give it a shot.
2. The Sculptor, by Scott McCloud
The latest fiction graphic novel by the person who wrote a seminal book on comics. No surprise it does a lot of things right.
3. S-Town, by Brian Reed
Technically a podcast, but it was released all at once and is a contained story that lasts for seven hours. I’d say a fairer assessment would be to call it a well produced non-fiction audiobook, which is what you’d expect from the producers of Serial and This American Life. When I recommend it I always tell people to give it until the end of the second episode before deciding if they’ll stick with it.
4. Mindhunter, by John Douglas
Enjoyed the Netflix show? There’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this.