Tag: human behaviour

Categories
Graphic novels and comics

Graphic Novel: Investigation on Elon Musk

French graphic novel on Elon Musk by author Darryl Cunningham, Delcourt/Ancrages edition.
French graphic novel on Elon Musk by author Darryl Cunningham, Delcourt/Ancrages edition.

The Musk family

I appreciate real-life stories, and especially investigations that study human behaviour. Reading this graphic novel in French about Elon Musk, one grasps the character’s high level of initiative. He likes risking a lot when creating a new company. This characteristic is also present in the family genealogy, starting with the grandfather. However, they clearly act without concern for social norms.

Elon’s main desire is to use his talent and creativity to influence the course of the world, particularly when it comes to the Internet, renewable energies and space. As well as mentioning Musk’s successes, the graphic novel also highlights the grey areas that are too often overlooked.

Spacex

Considering that mankind will one day colonize space, Elon Musk looked to buy a rocket, but they were all too expensive. So he created Spacex and a team of Spacex scientists invented a rocket named Falcon 1, which the company succeeded in launching into orbit after six years’ work. In 2011, Spacex built the world’s first reusable rocket. A year later, the Falcon 9 equipped with a Dragon capsule refuelled the International Space Station (ISS). In light of this success, the government reinjected another $440 million into Spacex for development. I write “another $440 million” because this was not the government’s initial investment in the firm.

Companies narrowly saved

As we read the book, we realize how many times Musk’s businesses have come close to disaster, only to be narrowly saved by perseverance, lots of luck, top-level government relations and whimsical promises.

Just think of Tesla and Spacex, two endangered companies that were spared from bankruptcy by a sudden injection of public money in the form of a $1.6 billion contract from NASA. This was preceded and followed by substantial loans from the US government: “Without the support of American taxpayers, Musk’s fortune would not exist.”

The book also mentions a possible fraud, as the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) filed a complaint for misleading tweets about Tesla. These tweets were said to have pushed up the share price by 6%. A settlement was reached a week later between Musk and the SEC. On this subject, Musk neither admits nor denies the allegations. “Musk and Tesla had to pay a fine of $20 million each and Musk had to step down as Chairman of Tesla’s Board of Directors for three years while remaining CEO.”

A page from the French graphic novel: Elon Musk: enquête sur un nouveau maître du monde.
A page from the French graphic novel: Elon Musk: enquête sur un nouveau maître du monde.

Whimsical Promises or Unfounded Announcements

Musk has talent when it comes to touting his products. But the author specifies this: “There’s no denying that Musk is determined, intractable and possesses a real gift for self-promotion. That said, he’s not an inventor, let alone a scientist.”

The book lists a number of whimsical promises, while pointing out that the media help Musk by passing on information that is not systematically verifiable or proven. The result is that the average reader is left with the impression that Elon Musk developed Spacex and Tesla all by himself: “The legend of the self-made billionaire will always be more seductive than the banal reality”.

As an example of whimsical promises, Musk announces that all battery recharging will be free for the Tesla Model S. This is nothing but hot air. He also declares that a Tesla will drive autonomously between Los Angeles and New York in 2017. At the time of writing, no such promise has materialized.

He also made other daring statements in 2016 when he founded Neuralink. This company has been criticized because the research it funds is poorly controlled. According to the book, it generates unnecessary animal suffering. In 2024, Elon Musk reveals that “his company has successfully implanted a device capable of ‘reading thoughts’ in an individual’s brain […]”. He gives no details of the location of the operation or the results.

Musk also makes unfounded statements about vaccination and the virulence of Covid-19. While he declares that this virus has a very low mortality rate and that he will not be vaccinated, the WHO announces in 2023 that the planet is at over three million deaths. He changes his mind and gets vaccinated. But what effect have his words had on recalcitrant Americans?

Elon Musk, Twitter and X

“Since its takeover by Musk, Twitter (or rather ‘X’) has been a tool for promoting the interests, prejudices and conspiracy theories of the right-wing parties of the American political class. This bias has brought a tidal wave of racism, anti-Semitism, climate skepticism, LGBTQ+ hate and medical fake news to the site.”

Elon Musk and Long-Termism

Long-termism and the colonization of various planets are themes dear to Elon Musk. Here’s what the book has to say about it: “Long-termism is an extremely dangerous ideology. It’s a secular religion built around the worship of ‘future value’ whose ethos absolves you from worrying about threats like climate change and global poverty, while making you a good person because you care about the future of humanity as a race that has conquered other planets.”

“No one should have the discretionary power that Elon Musk enjoys, because he hasn’t earned it and he doesn’t owe it to himself alone. He doesn’t understand how much his success owes to privilege and luck. As a result, he thinks he’s much smarter than he really is.”

Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump

If the attitude and decisions that characterize Elon Musk in entrepreneurship are transposed to the state, they could undermine the American president’s aspirations regarding his vision of American politics and the actions to be taken in the face of future challenges.

For example, Musk is known for avoiding confrontation with the Chinese president, as China is Tesla’s second-largest market. But Trump didn’t hesitate in his first term to impose substantial tariffs on China. Musk has also “directly interfered in Ukraine’s fight against Russian invasion”. The strategic interests of the two individuals could diverge significantly at times.

But it must also be considered that the actions of the two men could come into phase, which would mean far more rapid and far-reaching upheavals than anticipated.

One thing is certain: the Trump/Musk duo’s solutions to America’s problems will surprise observers of the political and economic scene. The Musk family has never been concerned about the dust they kick up when it comes to pushing their ideas forward. And Trump’s reductive analysis of the cause of America’s problems will do nothing to reassure the various national and international players. This can be seen in his current comments on Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada.

The countries targeted by this duo’s initiatives will have to expect anything, and use their creativity, fighting spirit and composure to impose respect and restraint.

Click on the link for more graphic novels and comics in my blog.

Title: Elon Musk—Enquête sur un nouveau maître du monde.

Author: Darryl Cunningham

Publisher: Delcourt/Encrages, © 2024

ISBN: 978-2-413-08612-3

Categories
Biography and autobiography

Biography : L’homme en mouvement.

L'homme en mouvement, de l'auteur Patrick Straumann.
L’homme en mouvement, de l’auteur Patrick Straumann.

A biography generally tells the story of a person who has made an impact on his or her environment and society. Why, then, take the time to write a book about the existence of a completely unknown individual, who passes through life like a ghost?

Paul Reichstein, “l’homme en mouvement (the man in motion)”, is the enigmatic great-uncle of the author, journalist Patrick Straumann. The latter has carried out an extensive research to find out more about this “black sheep” of the family.

Why “black sheep”? Because Paul was born into a talented family, one of whose brothers, Tadeus (nicknamed Tajik), even won the Nobel Prize in collaboration with two Americans for having succeeded in isolating cortisone. His other brothers all went on to earn degrees that launched them into life. Except Paul, who is interested in everything, but quickly tires of one subject or one place.

Paul was born in Kiev in 1905 and spent his youth in Switzerland, specifically Zurich. He went everywhere, but only briefly. We find him in Russia, where he witnessed the return of the survivors of the Chelyuskin icebreaker . He worked in a tractor factory during the Stalin era and also became a mountaineering instructor where he climbed very high mountains for the glory of the Stalinist regime. (See also “Les alpinistes de Staline” on my blog).

He also joined the US Navy as a soldier. He managed to be expelled twice from Switzerland, did a stint in prison, sailed the Pacific Ocean working for the merchant navy, sold land and cabins in Anchorage, Alaska, and worked for several months in a mine in Chile, before making a detour to Australia.

He was hospitalized for accidents in Rochester, Oakland and Yokohama. We also follow him to San Francisco, Baltimore, Palm Springs, the banks of the Volga, Pusan, Seoul, China and the Philippines.

He died in 1995 and, having outlived all his brothers, there were only a dozen people at his funeral who didn’t know what to say about this elusive “man in motion”.

In 140 pages, the author succeeds in painting a generous, non-judgmental portrait of this great-uncle. Paul’s troubles and wanderings make this man very endearing.

Click on the link for more biographies on my blog.

Title: L’homme en mouvement

Author: Patrick Straumann

Publisher: Chandeigne, © 2024

ISBN: 978-2-36732-279-7

Categories
Graphic novels and comics

Graphic Novel: Le murmure de la mer

The graphic novel "Le murmure de la mer", by Hippolyte.
The graphic novel “Le murmure de la mer”, by Hippolyte.

The graphic novel “Le murmure de la mer” is a tribute to the work of the Ocean Viking’s crew, the rescue ship belonging to the SOS Méditerranée group. Its mission is to rescue migrants leaving North Africa, particularly the Libyan inferno.

Those refugees find themselves overcrowded on makeshift boats, drifting endlessly in the middle of the sometimes raging Mediterranean Sea. Often, the rafts brush up against Libyan oil platforms. Day and night, the coast guards pursue the migrants and brutally drag them back to Libya.

After a first blocked attempt to participate in a rescue, the author climbs aboard the Ocean Viking in 2020 as a journalist, cartoonist and crew member. He’s directly involved in the salvage operations, and recounts his experience in a series of beautiful sketches and touching photos.

Readers appreciate the great discipline and preparation required to carry out salvage missions in an orderly and safe manner for all concerned. Sentimentality has no place when rescuing migrants in crisis. Not following procedures can result in further deaths, including those of crew members.

A page from the graphic novel "Le murmure de la mer".
A page from the graphic novel “Le murmure de la mer”.

We bear witness to the crew’s successes and failures in their attempts to rescue as many people as possible. The sailors of the Ocean Viking face administrative blockades from Italy, which seeks to limit the considerable arrival of refugees.

First among these attempts to hinder rescue operations is the obligation for the ship to remain docked for long periods for different reasons.

Next is the requirement to transfer the new migrants to ports far from the Ocean Viking’s position. These ports are deliberately chosen by the Italian government to generate fuel costs and lengthy delays between each recovery mission. This drag prevents thousands of refugees from being salvaged.

We must, however, question the involvement of other states when it comes to admitting migrants. The misfortune of people living in countries disadvantaged by ruthless dictatorships, climate change or poverty accelerated by the plundering of wealth is everyone’s responsibility.

Once the refugees are on the boat, the crew still has to secure them, care for them and prepare them for transfer to their next land of welcome. We all know the story of those vessels which have picked up hundreds of Africans in difficulty, and which remain immobilized for weeks while awaiting clearance to transfer the survivors to a new territory. Yet the law of the sea states that any ship’s captain who learns that human beings are in peril on a body of water must render assistance.

In short, a fascinating and informative read. It increases our understanding of the challenges faced by crews helping humans in danger on the Mediterranean Sea.

Click on the link for more graphic novels and comics on my blog.

Title: Le murmure de la mer

Author: Hippolyte

Publisher: Les Arènes, Paris, 2024.

ISBN: 979-10-375-1156-0

Categories
Novels

The novel « Que notre joie demeure », by Kevin Lambert.

The novel "Que notre joie demeure" by Kevin Lambert.
The novel “Que notre joie demeure” by Kevin Lambert.

Kevin Lambert’s novel “Que notre joie demeure” caused a stir when it was published. While writing the book, the author allegedly consulted people to ensure that they would not be offended by the book’s content. Some saw this as a desire to be politically correct towards the various interest groups represented in the story.

Once the crisis has passed and the criticisms have been addressed, I must emphasize the excellence of the plot and the skill with which the writer transports us into the salons of the upper middle classes. The novel won the Prix Médicis 2023.

Through the open windows of a luxurious Montreal estate, we breeze into the world of the well-to-do and witness the attitudes, conversations and intrigues taking place throughout this social evening, where a renowned architect plays the starring role.

We take part in the life and story of this famous woman, who is planning the construction of a huge building in a less affluent part of Montreal. Where does she come from and how did she acquire her letters of nobility? How is a woman regarded in the architectural world, and what pitfalls does she still have to face to preserve her reputation in a male-dominated environment?

The story is a skilful presentation of the constraints faced by creators in Quebec, and especially in Montreal, when it comes to architecture. The new building will encroach on spaces long adopted by the less well-off. What role does information play, and how are pressure groups organizing to try and thwart the project in progress? What excesses can we expect?

The main character is going through a media storm at a time in her life when she’s approaching a well-deserved retirement. How does she see her contribution and how does she adjust, if at all?

The author maintains our interest from beginning to end, adopting a literary style that favors immersion. He also uses the feminine gender whenever possible.

Happy reading!

Click on the link for other novels on my blog.

Title: Let Our Joy Remain

Author: Kevin Lambert

Publisher: Héliotrope

© 2022

ISBN : 9 782 898 220 876

Categories
Graphic novels and comics

The graphic novel « Sept vies à vivre ».

The graphic novel "Sept vies à vivre".
The graphic novel “Sept vies à vivre”.

For a long time, I hesitated to buy this graphic novel, which was only available in one of the seven bookshops I regularly visit. In this age of flashy covers and attention-grabbing themes, I found myself faced with this quiet book about the seven lives of a complete stranger. What was I to do?

In the end, I decided to buy it and found it so interesting that I read it in one go. A very nice surprise, although I should have known that the quality would be there when I saw the name of the author, Charles Masson. I had previously read another very interesting graphic novel by this author. The book was entitled “Droit du sol” and dealt with the difficulties experienced by natives in dealing with colonialism.

A page from the graphic novel "Sept vies à vivre".
A page from the graphic novel “Sept vies à vivre”.

“Seven Lives to Live” is an intelligent and humane account of the life of an ordinary man named René. Forget computers and social networks. The reader finds René and his family several decades ago in the Bauges massif, where he spent his childhood and adolescence in the absence of comfort and luxury. The inhabitants toil to survive in this part of the country.

René lost seven siblings in infancy and is determined to live life to the full. He heads down to the valley to change his life. René’s seven lives are the seven great moments that change this man’s destiny. Like so many of us, he was shaken by events. In his case, it’s the Second World War, compulsory military training in France in 1946, chance encounters, and so on. How do you adapt and retain your humanity in the face of life’s surprises?

The script is solid and the graphics interesting. There’s no downtime, which is something to be said for a 225-page story. A great find to add to your library.

Click on the link for more graphic novels and comics in my blog.

Title: Sept vies à vivre

Author: Charles Masson

Editions: Delcourt/Mirages

© 2024

ISBN: 9 782 413 077 060

Categories
Graphic novels and comics

Graphic novel: “L’expert”.

The graphic novel "L'expert" by Jennifer Daniel.
The graphic novel “L’expert” by Jennifer Daniel.

The story takes place in 1977 in West Germany. A road accident that claims the lives of a woman and her child attracts the attention of a morgue employee, a man with high standards of professionalism and who is well regarded by his general manager.

This employee is Monsieur Martin, a former soldier who once fought in the Second World War and for whom the word “responsibility” weighs heavily in his existence as an older man. He conducts his own investigation, and naturally upsets people in high positions who have decided to look the other way to preserve their reputations.

Such a theme will always be relevant, as it affects not only German society but all nations across the planet, where individuals who have the most to lose in a given situation choose to disregard their obligations, despite the injustices.

The graphic novel “L’expert”  is very well done. I like the drawings, the scenario, the choice of colours, the period and the location where the story takes place. The Germans must certainly have appreciated its publication in 2022.

Click on the link for more graphic novels in my blog.

Title: The Expert (original German version as “Das Gutachten”)

Author: Jennifer Daniel

Publisher: Casterman, ©2024 for the French translation. Original German edition Carlsen Verlag GmbH, © 2022.

ISBN: 978-2-203-28080-9

Categories
Biography and autobiography

Race to the South Pole: « Un monde au-delà des hommes ».

The novel "Un monde au-delà des hommes" by Catherine Hermary-Vieille.
The novel “Un monde au-delà des hommes” by Catherine Hermary-Vieille.

The novel ” Un monde au-delà des hommes” will be of particular interest to readers whose knowledge of early Antarctic expeditions is limited. If you don’t know whether Norway’s Roald Amundsen or Britain’s Robert Scott reached the South Pole in Antarctica first, don’t do the research before opening this book. You’ll find it much more interesting.

In the days of the great conquests of the planet’s uncharted territories, explorers risked their lives for the glory of their country. Here, Norway and Great Britain race to reach the South Pole first.

This historical novel runs to just 134 pages, allowing the author to concentrate on the essentials. She has divided the book into two parts. The first focuses on Amundsen, the second on Scott. The two men used very different methods to achieve their ends. At the beginning of the book, she includes a map showing the routes chosen by each team and the stopovers they agreed on.

Author Catherine Hermary-Vieille discusses the preparation of the journey, the strategic choices made regarding objectives, the obstacles encountered along the way, not to mention the mental attitude adopted by each explorer and the members of the expedition.

Back cover of the novel "Un monde au-delà des hommes" by Catherine Hermary-Vieille.
Back cover of the novel “Un monde au-delà des hommes” by Catherine Hermary-Vieille.

On this trip, one of the two expedition leaders will use sledge dogs as their main means of transport, while the other will try to make progress with mules. One will have only one objective in mind, the other will have several goals to achieve. One will behave as a flexible leader, the other will be more intransigent. The choices and attitude of each explorer will have a direct impact on the success of the expedition.

It’s worth noting that the two competitors don’t start their journey to Antarctica at the same time, so there’s an imbalance right from the start as to when they’ll arrive at the South Pole. But even so, once you know this, there’s still a frozen continent to cross, men to feed, crevasses to avoid and frostbite to treat. You also have to be able to come back alive.

A novel like this can be read in a day. We can forgive a few sketchy descriptions and even a small error like the one on page 19, where the name of the Inuit dog “Funcha” appears twice in the list. These distractions don’t detract from the intensity of the story. These are, after all, the stories of men who went to the very end of themselves for the glory of their country.

Today, we’re witnessing a similar race between countries to send humans to the planet Mars. Which country will get there first? And once it gets there, will it have the right to claim a planet for itself at the expense of Earth’s other humans?

Click on the link for more biography books on my blog.

Title: Un monde au-delà des hommes.

Author: Catherine Hermary-Vieille

© Éditions Albin Michel,

2023

ISBN: 978-2-226-44240-6

Categories
Graphic novels and comics

Comics : 13h17 dans la vie de Jonathan Lassiter

The comics " 13h17 dans la vie de Jonathan Lassiter".
The comics ” 13h17 dans la vie de Jonathan Lassiter”.

“When you’ve got nothing left to lose, you can take all the risks…”. This is the sentence [translated] on the back of the comic strip “13 h 17 dans la vie de Jonathan Lassiter” (13:17 in the life of Jonathan Lassiter), which best sums up this French-language work published in 2023.

Jonathan Lassiter works as an insurance agent in Keanway, a small, remote town in Nebraska. Overnight, his wife leaves him, he loses his job and his wallet is stolen. In short, his life suddenly takes an unexpected turn. He has two choices: either he feels sorry for himself, or he changes. His chance encounter with Edward, a “distinguished, cultured and cynical” man, forces him to take a stand.

It was the quality of the graphics that caught my eye. This isn’t one of those publications where you wonder whether the design can be done in a month, and which pretends to be original through the absence of detail, and therefore of work. A great deal of effort went into this album, and it shows at first glance.

Back cover of the comic strip "13h17 dans la vie de Jonathan Lassiter".
Back cover of the comic strip “13h17 dans la vie de Jonathan Lassiter”.

It’s got it all: the judicious choice of angles, the refined, masterful drawing, the skilful maintenance of atmosphere through well-dosed, under-saturated colors, the well-crafted script. This comic strip keeps the reader’s interest from start to finish, with no downtime. 

The main character reminded me of the famous actor Vincent Price.

Vincent Price
Vincent Price

Click on the link for other graphic novels and comics on my blog.

Title: 13 h 17 dans la vie de Jonathan Lassiter

Author : Éric Stalner

© 2023 Bamboo Edition

ISBN : 978-2-8189-9880-9

Categories
Graphic novels and comics

The graphic novel ” Un tournage en enfer “.

The graphic novel "Un tournage en enfer - Au coeur d'Apocalypse Now".
The graphic novel “Un tournage en enfer – Au coeur d’Apocalypse Now”.

The graphic novel “Un tournage en enfer: au cœur d’Apocalypse Now” takes us right to the heart of the creation of Francis Ford Coppola‘s famous film, brought to the screen in 1979. As the director points out, [my translation] “[…] we were in the jungle. There were too many of us. We had access to too much money and too much material, and little by little, we all went crazy…”.

It didn’t start well. Right from the start, the director was unable to convince well-known actors to get involved in his film. In turn, actors such as Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Robert Redford and James Caan refused to join the adventure. Coppola continues his research and interviews.

As readers, we go behind the scenes of the production and hear from those close to the filmmaker. Filming begins in the jungle of the Philippines, even though Coppola has no idea on how the film will end. This would haunt him throughout the production, causing him sleepless nights when he was already quite exhausted.

A page from the graphic novel "Tournage en enfer - Apocalypse Now".
A page from the graphic novel “Tournage en enfer – Apocalypse Now”.

Cost overruns followed, and the pressure on the director from financial backers increased. He was asked to complete his film as quickly as possible, which he proved unable to do. Coppola came to guarantee the required funds by pledging to pay off the debt himself if box-office receipts failed to reach $40 million.

In addition, it was taken for granted that the U.S. government would provide the helicopter gunships required for the film’s action. But in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, the interest of American politicians in such requests waned. The director had to turn to the then President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, to obtain helicopters and personnel, in return for certain fees and compensation. But these aircraft sometimes left the scene on Marcos’s orders to go hunting for the regime’s enemies. Coppola was falling behind again…

A page from the graphic novel "Tournage en enfer - Apocalypse Now".
A page from the graphic novel “Tournage en enfer – Apocalypse Now”.

They thought that Harvey Keitel would be the ideal actor to play Robert Duvall. Many sequences later, the obvious becomes clear: the man just didn’t cut it for a number of reasons. On the verge of disaster, they urgently contacted Martin Sheen and beg him to replace Keitel. Multiple scenes had to be reshot with the new actor, and the delays and associated costs continued to mount.

All sorts of other pitfalls awaited the director and his crew throughout the shoot, including the language barrier with the Filipinos and a storm that destroyed the set. The widespread use of drugs and alcohol by staff and helicopter pilots didn’t help matters either.

The mosquitoes, the heat and Coppola’s constant demands took their toll on the actors. Martin Sheen fell seriously ill, and his brother had to be used for some of the secondary scenes. Rather than use only actors to simulate deaths, a staff member went to the morgue and returned with a corpse. This prompted the arrival of the police force, and the problem was solved with generous sums of money.

There were many other factors that delayed the end of the shoot and increased costs. Marlon Brando’s demands were a case in point.  They managed to get him back on set for an extra day, provided that he received $70,000 more than planned.

Shooting finally ended in 1977. The team chartered a private plane to fly 381 kilometers of original film to the United States. Editing the film proved to be an ordeal. There was too much material to analyze. In 2001, Coppola presented a modified version of his original 1979 production. In 2019, he finally delivered a final 182-minute version, Apocalype Now “Final cut” , more than forty years after the initial release.

Earnings met the director’s expectations, and he ultimately won his bet. In all, the film generated $140 million from a total budget of $30 million.

Click on the link for more graphic novels and comics on my blog.

Title: Un tournage en enfer – Au cœur d’Apocalypse Now

Author: Florent Silloray

Publisher: Casterman

© Casterman 2023

ISBN : 978-2-203-21653-2

Categories
Graphic novels and comics

The graphic novel “Jours de sable”.

The graphic novel "Jours de sable" by Aimée de Jongh.
The graphic novel “Jours de sable” by Aimée de Jongh.

The graphic novel “Jours de sable” is a historical reminder of the famous Dust Bowl which struck the central United States between 1930 and 1940. These were ten years of misery that inspired John Steinbeck for his work “The Grapes of Wrath“.

The sand and dust storms that engulfed parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado came from a multitude of combined causes, including farmers’ overuse of the soil and repeated droughts.

The American Dust Bowl.
The American Dust Bowl.

Add to these factors linked to the economic crisis and multiple epidemics, and we can understand the mass exodus of American households. They left everything behind, including many family members who died of dust-related respiratory complications. Most headed for the West Coast, but this massive influx of people only served to increase the region’s already high unemployment.

A page from the graphic novel "Jours de sable".
A page from the graphic novel “Jours de sable”.

The strangest thing is that, decades later, the climate changes experienced today in these same states could help to repeat the phenomenon, without it necessarily covering such a long period.

Author Aimée de Jongh uses fictional characters, but the scenario respects the reality experienced by the population. In her story, a young photographer leaves New York in 1937 to report on the Dust Bowl. He has been briefed on the subjects to be covered, but soon realizes that he is dealing with a human tragedy of unsuspected proportions.

The main character in the graphic novel tries to do his job in the sandstorm.
The main character in the graphic novel tries to do his job in the sandstorm.

Asking suffering people who have lost everything to pose for the New York media was not as simple as he had thought. The situation becomes even more complicated when he gets to know these people and experiences their difficulties first-hand.

In addition to the deftly drawn panels that delight the reader, there are plenty of period photos gleaned from various museums, as well as official historical content. I loved this award-winning book.

Click on the link for more graphic novels and comics on my blog.

Title : Jours de sable

Author : Aimée de Jongh

Edition: Dargaud, 2022

ISBN: 978-2-5050-8254-5