Joe Sacco has produced a gripping account of the war in Bosnia through the eyes of the people who lived it. He tells the story of Gorazde and by extraploation of the war in general by drawing up and commenting on personal encounters he has had during his stay in Bosnia. His account remains very much a journalist's account in remaining objective, regardless of a natural feeling of indignation for the atrocious crimes the people he interviews have suffered. He also displays appropriate criticism towards his own priviliged position as a UN protected journalist. The sometimes black humor in the book further helps to sharpen the focus on the situation.

The drawing style, in pure Black-and-white, is detailed and dynamic. There is a clear Robert Crumb influence in how the characters are drawn, especially in how Sacco draws himself. As far as format and story-telling go, I think Art Spiegelman's Maus has been an undeniable influence. The visual story-telling through the changing layout of each page is very functional. It helps the book to deliver its viewpoint in a very compact and efficient way.

All this of course is post-reading-analysis. I read the book cover to cover in one go. If I was teaching history to 16, 17-year olds, this would be a mandatory read on my reading list. I'm sure no one would complain.

I bought this one together with 'Palestine', which is of the same high quality, and immediately put in an Amazon-alert to notify me when anything new from Joe Sacco comes out.

Sacco is great at comic-book journalism; he in fact has a degree in journalism and can really draw. It's a shame that this terrific book is so little known while its precursor Maus--which is similar only in basic format--was out winning awards and hitting the bestseller lists. Maus is subjective, culturally and racially biased, far too personal and badly written and drawn where Palestine and especially this book on Bosnia are objective, intelligent and well-drawn, but Maus came first (and also had the benefit of appealing to the prejudices of many book reviewers) and so still gets all the attention. Perhaps some readers were stung by the overhype that surrounded Maus and judge the infinitely better works of Sacco by it; if so that's a shame. Sacco succeeds where Maus failed, that is, everywhere.

Joe Sacco is a rarity,a comics journalist. As in PALESTINE,Sacc uses the comic medium to give a long detailed report about a foregn land that he has visited. SAFE AREA GORAZDEfeels more true than any other reprt from the Balkans because Sacco is relentless in his search for some kind of understanding about the region without being simplistic about it. He is also a fine illustrator. This is the best graphic novel since MAUS and Sacco deserves all the praise attention and sales that he can get.

Sacco is great at comic-book journalism; he in fact has a degree in journalism and can really draw. It's a shame that this terrific book is so little known while its precursor Maus--which is similar only in basic format--was out winning awards and hitting the bestseller lists. Maus is subjective, culturally and racially biased, far too personal and badly written and drawn where Palestine is objective, intelligent and well-drawn, but Maus came first (and also had the benefit of appealing to the prejudices of many book reviewers) and so still gets all the attention. Perhaps some readers were stung by the overhype that surrounded Maus and judge the infinitely better works of Sacco by it; if so that's a shame. Sacco succeeds where Maus failed, that is, everywhere.

Sacco's second book (the first book of the two is called "Palestine Book 1: 'A Nation Occupied'") opens up more of the conflict, this time in the setting of Gaza, but should be considered as indivisible from the first book, as both represent the complete collection of "Palestine" comics which were originally published as individual issues.

In both books, powerfully-told stories are laced with well-researched facts, all couched in Sacco's humanity and disbelief at the people he meets and the events he sees.

The visual imagery is almost photographically faithful to the actual landscapes and cityscapes of Palestine (where I lived from 1994-1998). Both books together cover a wide variety of topics, including life for refugees, Israeli attitudes to the conflict, daily life inside prison, and more.

Accounts such as Sacco's taxi ride to Nablus will elicit delighted cries of recognition and laughter from those who have visited the country, as well as being funny in themselves even if you haven't.

Both books are a 'must have' that you will definitely not be disappointed with if you're buying them for yourself, and which should be considered a necessary part of your standard tools to explain the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict to others. In the absense of a Palestinian "Cry Freedom", these two books are the next best thing.

A faithful representation of the atmosphere of a visit to Palestine, and a well-conceived articulation of the conflict. Highly recommended.

While many students might find reading about the lives of early or memorable Christians boring or time-consuming, the stories of religion's greatest heroes must not be forgotten. "The Big Book of Martyrs" is an excellent book to have especially if you have children or young adults who find reading a comic book much more interesting and entertaining.

Illustrated in the form of comic strips, The stories of many great and memorable Christian martyrs such as Joan of Arc and St. Paul are told in a respectful, interesting manner. Using dialogue and excellent pencil drawings, the lives of these martyrs comes to life as the reader becomes very interested with every page they turn.

Illustrated by over fifty of the world's top comic artists, "The Big Book of Martyrs" is an excellent companion book to have around when studying theology. It hits all the right spots when covering the lives of every subject featured in the book, and it is overwhelmingly entertaining. The book should be popular with the young adult crowd due to the fact that the book is composed of comic strips, however adults shouldn't rule it out of their reading lists.

Overall, this is a great book to have. It will provide countless times of very inspirational and educational reading to anyone who picks it up.

It is my experience that this is the least popular of the Big Book series, usually because it treats its subject matter with a more serious tone than all the other books. However, being an information junkie who also appreciates good art, I feel that this book does a good job of delivering on both.

While I have never been accused of being the best of Christians, it is my opinion that this subject matter deserves to be treated seriously and respectfully given that it often involves telling the stories of people standing up for their message of love and peace at the threat of violence (a lesson less tolerant Christians can learn from).

Many of the saints should not be subject to criticism, regardless of the imperfect record of the Catholic church. That being said, not everyone who has been granted sainthood is really a saint. For example, some were mere barbarians respected by the Catholic church for their zeal in slaughtering innocent people of different faiths. But this book, while being respectful of the title of saint, does not cower from pointing out these occassional pieces of hypocrisy. Also included in this book is a chapter dealing with saints who were purely fictional (and are even recognized as such by the Catholic church) including the still popular St. Christopher (of the medallion fame), but I'd be surpised at anyone taking this as an attack on their faith.

Since this book is about the history of saints and the process (and politics) of cannonization, it is factual regardless of one's personal faith or lack thereof, but I am sure it appeals to Christians the most. But the interesting stories and artwork are worthwhile for anyone to experience, and, yes, even the nonreligious can find inspiration in tales of people standing up for their beliefs in the face of persecution, including those who have been targeted by the Catholic church.

In "The Big Book of Martyrs," Paradox Press takes a look at religion. Many saints of the Christian church have led amazing lives, and this volume covers some of them. It should inspire you no matter what you believe!

This is a comic book, entirely. There is no text (other than that in the text bubbles), no bibliography, no substantiation of the material presented, no analysis. The historical accuracy of the events presented has nothing to provide verification. If you're looking for a book to provide information regarding the war in Bosnia, this isn't it. If you use comic books as your basis for knowledge and understanding, this is probably a good book. If you can read above a 2nd grade level, this book is below you. Unfortunately, there were but two pages scanned to preview before purchase. Also unfortunately, it appears that the literary world is devoid of quality books regarding the war. If you're desparate for a deeper understanding of the war, this book will be a great disappointment.

While Sacco does provide a few pieces of historical and political detail to establish the context of his stories, this book is not an overall account of the war in Bosnia. As he did in PALESTINE, he combines the oral histories of his interviewees with his own observations on conditions in the enclave as well as his feelings about being in a danger zone. He keeps his primary focus on roughly half a dozen people, which helps to structure the collection of vignettes into something of a narrative, while also including interviews with a number of other people. Sacco stands back and lets the interviewees tell their stories, keeping his editorializing and personal reflections to interludes. You can feel his outrage over the conditions and the circumstances, but he doesn't allow that outrage to boil over and distract from the story. Despite the comments of Christopher Hitchens in his introduction, I think this approach serves Sacco well. It ensures that the reader will not be able to distract himself from the brutality and suffering by getting caught up in critiquing the author's tone.

And there is plenty of brutality and devastation here. Sacco's artwork is detailed and expressive, not gruesome for shock value's sake but unflinching in its depictions of wartime injuries and combat medicine under the worst possible conditions. You can't help but wonder not only how human beings could be so cruel to each other, but how other human beings could stand back and let it happen.

Sacco shows the human side of the Yugoslavian war through a brilliant and effective combination of prose and comic book illustration. Not only does he provide a history and time line of the conflict, but also what it meant to the people who lived through it - and those who didn't. Sacco portrays aspects of the war that the press seemed to miss. Shocking, but a must-read!

This new one volume edition of Joe Sacco's Palestine comics evokes my first trip to the occupied Palestinian territories in 1989 a couple of years before Sacco's first visit from 1991-1992. His book faithfully represents the contradictions and striking images of the conflict, and being a graphic novel/comic book renders them visually and powerfully.

I couldn't think of a better medium to explain the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to someone than this book, which stands out as an honest account of one man's attempt to make sense of it all, as well as a work of art in its own right.

Powerfully-told stories are laced with well-researched facts, all couched in Sacco's humanity and disbelief at the people he meets and the events he sees. Particularly chilling is the account of a Palestinian father's torture experience. The book covers a wide variety of other topics, including refugees, Israeli attitudes, life inside prison, and more, introducing these issues (along with the atmosphere of a visit to Palestine) through Sacco's walk through the West Bank and Gaza, talking to people there.

The second half of Sacco's book opens up more of the conflict, this time in the setting of Gaza, but should be considered as indivisible from the first half, as the two halves represent the complete collection of "Palestine" comics originally published as individual magazines, then as a two volume edition.

The visual imagery is almost photographically faithful to the actual landscapes and cityscapes of Palestine, and accounts such as Sacco's taxi ride to Nablus will elicit delighted cries of recognition and wry laughter from those who have visited the country.

This book is a 'must have' that you will definitely not be disappointed with if you're buying them for yourself, and should be considered a necessary part of your standard tools to explain the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict to others. In the absense of a Palestinian "Cry Freedom", this is the next best thing.

Nigel Parry

Joe Sacco's "Palestine" provides the western world with a powerful account of the Palestinian perspective of their conflict with Israel. Sacco's path takes him through much of the West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem and parts of Israel. He tells the stories of the people he meets and through them paints a picture of the brutality and injustice they endure under the apartheid policies of Israel. With the media coverage of the conflict being what it is, the accessibility of the graphic novel format makes "Palestine" a singularly important work. By communicating the truth, perhaps a lasting solution to this conflict can be found.

Although the journalistic content of "Palestine" is its primary value, it also stands on its own aesthetically. Sacco also writes well and the narrative flows smoothly from one part of his journey to another.

We have been able to access information on the Israel-Palestine conflict from the media. However, the readily-available information seemed one-sided, with the other side always being branded as the 'evil' side or 'terrorists'. This book shows the conflict from the Palestinian point of view, which is very rare.

Clearly the theme for this book is that life has been and continues to be a struggle for working people in the United States. The upper class, whether the pre-Revolutionary landed aristocracy or the more recent industrial or post-industrial capitalistic class, through its power, privilege, and wealth, has largely dominated and controlled the working class irrespective of wage or slave labor. The democratic promise of the nation's founding has taken a beating in this arrangement.

The authors attempt the impossible: the description of working class life in general over the last five hundred years with snapshots of countless names and events to provide the sustenance. The tone for the laboring class was set early on in our nation's history. The brutal and deadly nature of both indentured and permanent servitude is vividly brought home by the authors' careful description of their conditions and often futile resistance. Yet the fissures within the working class itself are evident throughout the book. Immigration and slavery and resulting ethnic conflicts and racism are shown through any number of positions taken and violent incidents to have been devastating to working class solidarity. In addition to ethnicity and race, the authors do not shrink from gender and sexual orientation issues. And the trampling of Native Americans fortifies the authors' arguments for the abuse of power.

To counter power and to assert their own voice, workers have formed countless organizations such as political parties (Socialist, Greenback), advocacy and reform groups (Ten Hour Leagues, producer and consumer cooperatives), community groups (Black Panthers, fraternal orders), as well as labor unions. The authors provide enough detail for the reader to see a U.S. labor movement at odds with itself in terms of basic philosophies. It has adopted any number of approaches: the political of the Knights of Labor, the syndicalist of the IWW, the bargaining of the AFL, the CIO's social unionism, and the post-WWII social-accord, not to mention narrow, craft-based unions versus industrial. Of course the issues of native-born versus ethnic or racial differences have been played out in the labor movement.

The authors accurately point out that there have been few periods where the democratic promise for the American working class has made sustained headway. Interestingly enough they comment little on WWI as being a period where workers called for making the world safe for democracy. The U.S. government was forced to back the right of workers to elect representation committees within workplaces. The two periods in our history where workers and their unions gained the most power, that is WWI and WWII, were followed by periods of either suppression or containment. And in both cases red-baiting was a primary instrument of their foes with some conservative unions leading the charge against their more radical brethren. Clearly these were huge turning points not overly emphasized by the authors.

While the book is consistent in showing that working class life has been a constant struggle, there is a lack of an attempt to understand the basis of continued setbacks. The issue of American "exceptionalism," the failure to achieve a stronger, permanent political position, is relevant in any history of the American working class. The Western European working class managed to tame the worst excesses of capitalism. The role of the mass media and the educational system might well be factors to consider. In addition, the attempt to be inclusive of most relevant players and events in the working class story results in what seems like a mountain of details, which can cloud the bigger story. One might question how much insight can be achieved into the American working class from this book alone. It seems that some previous background would have to be assumed.

Joe Sacco is obviously a very talented artist. Unfortunately, he is not the "journalist" he claims to be. What could have been an intersting account of life in Palestine, is instead a heavy-handed and shallow indictment of Israel. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge about the middle east couldn't help but be embarassed by the one-sided naivete of the author. While justifiably detailing the hardships of the Palestinian people, he ignores the contibution of the PLO, Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad, etc to the suffering of both Isralies and Palestinians. He neglects to mention that most of these groups call not for merely indepenence for Palestine, but the destruction of Israel. What is most irresponsible is that he does this under the banner of journalism and it is obvious that his intent is to influence those less sophisticated by doing so in comic book form. He is directly speaking to an audience who is very unlikely to have even the most basic knowledge of the region...

Joe Sacco's book -- describing "an innocent's walk" through the occupied Palestinian territories during 1991 and 1992 -- reminds me of my first trip there during the Intifada in 1989.

Palestine Book 1: 'A Nation Occupied' faithfully evokes the realities of daily life for the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank, the latter area in which I lived from 1994-1998.

Sacco accurately captures the striking images of the region and conflict in this powerful graphic novel/comic book format, a fabulous medium to introduce a reader to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestine Book 1: 'A Nation Occupied' is distinguished as a humble and honest account of one man's attempt to make sense of it all, as well as a premier work of art.

Particularly chilling (and representative of the testimonies collected by human rights organisations and the testimonies of people I have personally known and interviewed) is the account of a Palestinian father's torture experience.

Be sure and also check out the second book, "Palestine Book 2: 'In the Gaza Strip'" by Joe Sacco.

Both books together cover a wide variety of other topics, including life for refugees, Israeli attitudes to the conflict, daily life inside prison, and more.

A faithful representation of the atmosphere of a visit to Palestine, and a well-conceived articulation of the conflict. Highly recommended.

Bravo Joe Sacco. This book is one of the very very rare instances in which the Palestinian side of the story is told. Unfortunately a drop in the ocean as compared to the 50+ years of Israeli propaganda and revisionist history (not to mention its on going brutal & illegal occupation). If this changes the opinion of a hand full of people, Joe can raise his head high. It is fairly unique piece of work.