Kochalka, James – Sketchbook Diaries Volume 2

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Sketchbook Diaries Volume Two

How do you follow up what has been called the best book of your career? With more of the same, apparently. I really thought that the first Sketchbook Diaries was probably the best thing that he had done for the sheer openness and honesty involved in it. This one followed that up, but it also made me realize that his life borders on dull. He’d often tell something in the four panels that would make me curious about the rest of the day, or about the thing that he chose not to write about it. The four panel structure was more than a little bit restrictive, but maybe that’s what he had in mind. There was also an extremely dull patch there right before he quit for a few months (he was obviously burnt out creatively and came back stronger than ever), but past that it was a solid work. His outlook on life is incredible and is something that simultaneously annoys and fascinates me. I’ll wonder for pages how Amy (his wife) could possibly put up with him and then I’ll go for pages wondering how she could ever possibly leave him. Whether that’s because of his strips or my own schizophrenia is up for you to decide. Anyway, both of these books are cheap (this one is $7.95 and it’s a much longer read than the rest of his books) and they’re both incredible. He’s right, if he spent more time drawing than he does playing video games he probably would be even more famous by now…