Monthly Archives: March 2015

Graphic Novel Exploring Climate Change

Photo of the graphic novel Climate Changed: A Personal Journey Through Science by Phillippe Squarzoni

Climate Changed: A Personal Journey Through Science by Phillippe Squarzoni

For those interested in learning more about the current state of climate science, and perhaps those who saw Scott McCloud’s Witt Series presentation on Monday and wondered if there are any comics they’d be interested in reading – I have a book for you!

Climate Changed: a Personal Journey through Science by Philippe Squarzoni (2014)
Call #: QC903 .S6813 2014
Available in the library’s new book area, currently in the graphic novel/graphic nonfiction display

The book is a work of graphic nonfiction, a category of comics that McCloud mentioned several times (and to which many of McCloud’s own books belong.)

Philippe Squarzoni is a graphic journalist whose research on French environmental policy led him deeper into the science of climate change. Based on extensive research and interviews with leading authorities on climate science, Squarzoni summarizes the current scientific consensus as reflected in the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and examines the human impacts of and responses to the crisis. Into this presentation of facts, Squarzoni weaves in the story of his own evolution in understanding climate change and his own choices in relation to it. Not only does the book document many of its sources, it is also one of the few graphic works with an extensive and detailed index to its contents, which makes it usable as a reference for researching particular aspects of climate change. It is an excellent example of one way graphic nonfiction can work, though it is certainly not the most usual way.

Come check it out, get it from OhioLINK if our’s is checked out, or add it to your summer reading list!

This blog post is an excerpt from:
Irwin, K. (2014). Graphic nonfiction: a survey of nonfiction comics. Collection Building, 33(4), 106-120.

For online access through Wittenberg’s Thomas Library, click here.