non-ecumenical ramblings

the development of certain Hebrew phrases proves they were penned more than 600 years after Solomon's time

I remember my late step-brother pointing out that the epilogue of Ecclesiastes must have been written by someone else since its tone & advice is so far different from the rest of the book, but had never realized that several other sections must have been inserted by scribes "to leaven the tone" (2:24 & 5:19) until I read Blankets last night. The authour, Craig Thompson, toys with becoming a minister, but eventually leaves the faith, with Ecclesiastes providing his final epiphany "if indeed they were subtly modified by generations of scribes and watered down by translation, then for me - their TRUTH was cancelled out."

Balancing Craig's leaving his religious upbringing behind is the end of his first love, Raina. I wonder how she feels reading this graphic novel now. He doesn't credit her in the acknowledgements, which makes me wonder if he published without contacting her - or if he provides her with a nom de plume to protect her privacy.

Blankets is lighter than usual graphic novel fare, e.g. Our Cancer Year or Persepolis (2), so I was underwhelmed while whipping through the first hundred or so pages, but somewhere during the fortnight visit with Raina (½ the novel) my opinion changed though I can't pinpoint the passage - perhaps it was the photo of Jesus on the wall passing judgment on his love affair.

Will be curious if Craig can write another book that is not autobiographical. Can think of many authours, O'Neill, Spiegelman (to a certain extent), Williams, Satrapi, Sacco, who's best book was clearly autobiographical, so Thompson will be a rare talent if he can top his own history.


I did have some Ecclesiastical dreams last night, but they've faded - too bad, they would have made a nice addition to this review, and given me a better ending than a forgotten phantasm.