It is available for borrowing from the CHC Library.
So much to say and not a word written. As you can see in this photograph of CHC fraternity engrossed in their reading of Joe Sacco's book, The Great War, down the corridor of the SE&H, this is a book with a difference.
In the spirit of the Bayeaux Tapestry, Joe Sacco, one of the great graphic novelists of the current era, has created a new work that is simply breathless in scope and scale. A six metre long illustrated panorama in which the detail requires many viewings to appreciate [you can read The Economist's review here ]
An account of the first day of the Battle of Somme, July 1, 1916. Sacco invites us to participate in the events, beginning with the musings of General Haig in the morning and then on through the catastrophic destruction of the British Fourth Army, where nearly 60,000 men were killed on the first day.
It is very hard to define exactly what this particular publication actually is. Art? Literature? Both? Sacco encourages appropriate reflection on the tragedy of the industrialized war that was the Great War. It also allows me to reflect, as an educator on the nature of history, how we tell the stories and nuances of the past and even raises questions as to the nature of literacy and what it means to be 'literate'.
Certainly, you do 'read' the story, but not a word is written. To give you a sense of the detail of the panorama depicted, some of the 24 plates are shown here.
The included essay by Adam Hochschild is also worth pulling out as an addendum.
Beautifully presented in a hard case cover, this is one book that is a treasure for the depth of opportunity to engage with the story within.
The publishers have produced a video where Sacco talks about his experiences and the research he undertook whilst writing / drawing this panorama and is well worth taking the 5 minutes or so out of your day to view.
