_mallc_'s review against another edition

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5.0

I really enjoyed this. The presentation of the book with the illustrations and the style of writing and font really added to it. I thought this was really well done and a nice tribute to his dad.

florawr's review

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emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

pussreboots's review

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5.0

Seth, a Canadian graphic novelist, grew up listening to his father's stories of growing up in extreme poverty on Prince Edward Island. In 2004 he put his father's stories together in a slim volume called Bannock, Beans and Black Tea.

The title refers to their basic diet, when they had money for food. Bannock is a fry bread, similar to the American biscuit but fried as a flat bread, sort of like pita or na'an.

The book is a rather bleak memoir. Gallant's family was always struggling for money and it took its toll on everyone. This is not the idyllic PEI of L.M. Montgomery. This is a harsh and cruel island divided into the haves and have-nots.

The memoir begins and ends with some of Seth's illustrations in comic form. I wish there were more of them peppered through out the book, or even comprising the entire volume.
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