A rousing tribute to an athlete whose star has dimmed over the generations but deserves to shine again.
Riding to glory.
Not many know the name Marshall Walter Taylor. A century ago, however, he was celebrated around the globe for his dominance in the sport of bicycle racing. His inspiring life story is told in this spirited graphic biography by Noland, an artist whose work centers on overlooked Black historical figures. He begins by outlining the bicycle’s origins, zipping through lively descriptions of “proto-bicycles,” such as the “quintessentially Victorian” high-wheeler; once a “novelty for the rich,” the bicycle in the late-19th century came to be mass-produced, allowing people from all walks of life to explore their surroundings on the “machine of freedom.” Into this world emerged an Indiana boy who took to his bike, at age 11, to sell newspapers to help his family. Young Marshall was also a natural on two wheels, blessed with acrobatic skills that drew the attention of onlookers. One of them was Tom Hay, a bike shop owner who hired the lad. “Pishposh,” says Hay. “You aren’t a paperboy. You are a performer!” Hay promoted Marshall to “Major” and encouraged him to compete in his first race—which he won. In little time, he was taking part in other contests; in 1892, at 13, he was in the top three finishers in an Illinois race, despite being “the youngest, smallest, and the only Black rider.” As Taylor’s stature grew, the League of American Wheelmen, which had banned Black members, changed its course and accepted Taylor, in part because of the buzz it would generate. Taylor’s victories did not come without obstacles. Even as he became a famous athlete—and one of the wealthiest Black men in Massachusetts—he received threats, was denied lodging and entry into races, and suffered injuries after being struck by fellow riders. Yet the perseverance of this “polite and levelheaded…model Christian” shines through in Noland’s evocative drawings, the thrill of the races and the gentleness of this rare soul vividly captured in panel after panel.
A rousing tribute to an athlete whose star has dimmed over the generations but deserves to shine again.Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
ISBN: 9781770464933
Page Count: 372
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
A memoir for those who want to laugh through the free fall of their own emotional roller coaster.
A humorous take on dread.
In her amusing graphic memoir, cartoonist Correll turns her emotional roller coaster into a literal, visual experience with her own amusement park of worries that she calls Anxietyland. Within this playful framework, she guides readers through her lifelong struggle with severe anxiety—there are attractions like the “worry-go-round,” “booze cruise,” “downward spiral,” and more, all culminating in finding the help that not only helps her manage the anxiety, but pushes her to do the work in confronting and living with it. To her credit, Correll uses the amusement park concept to dissect points in her life where her anxiety was holding her hostage from leading a fulfilling life. One panel shows Correll’s whimsical approach, as when her cat, Oliver, goes missing. “Why hasn’t he come home?” she thinks, her eyes full of worry, her mouth downturned. “What if he’s dead?” The subsequent image shows her pet peeking into the panel; the accompanying text reads, “Oliver (very much alive).” It’s one thing to read a memoir that breaks down episodes with the benefit of time and knowledge; it’s a completely different experience to see someone living through their depression while hanging on for dear life in “anxie-tea” cups. Readers who hold season passes to Anxietyland will be able to laugh along with the author, but this book will also benefit those coming to terms with a new or future anxiety diagnosis. These readers may, for the first time, be able to put their swirling emotions into a tangible context that makes more sense to them and others. That’s the beauty of Correll’s memoir: The book provides a comical medium lens that can open doors to understanding—rather than a door to the house of horrors.
A memoir for those who want to laugh through the free fall of their own emotional roller coaster.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781668004159
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2026
An impassioned message of rage and hope.
The author of Persepolis returns with a collection about burgeoning activism in Iran.
In September 2022, the beating and death of Mahsa Jina Amini, an Iranian student arrested for not wearing her headscarf properly, incited a solidarity movement among women and men that spread around the world. To publicize and bear witness to this major uprising, Satrapi has gathered stories, cartoons, and essays from more than 20 artists, activists, journalists, and academics. The author has two aims: “to explain what’s going on in Iran, to decipher events in all their complexity and nuance for a non-Iranian readership, and to help you understand them as fully as possible”; and “to remind Iranians that they are not alone.” Setting the movement in context, Iranian American historian Abbas Milani offers an overview of the political upheavals and revolutions that have led to the current misogynist, repressive regime and the “resolute defiance” that has emerged in protest. As each contributor attests, life under a wrathful dictatorship is consistently frightening and dangerous: “The Islamic Republic ensures its own survival by murdering people. During the successive demonstrations” over Amini’s murder, “several hundred people were killed in an attempt to strike fear into the hearts of protesters. Young people were forced to confess under torture.” Women are especially vulnerable. Since November 2022, young students in schools across Iran have been poisoned by toxic gas as part of an attempt to force girls’ schools to close. Protecting the regime falls to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a paramilitary organization that answers directly to Khomeini, the Supreme Leader, and for the past four decades has carried out a reign of terror. This collection pays homage to victims and celebrates the dreams of Iran’s determined activists. Other contributors include Joanne Sfar, Lewis Trondheim, Paco Roca, and Mana Neyestani.
An impassioned message of rage and hope.Pub Date: March 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781644214053
Page Count: 280
Publisher: Seven Stories
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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