by Debbie Tung (2022)
(Not a review, just some notes to help me remember the things I've read. But written this way because it's the Internet, and some people will stumble across this page.)
I saw this book listed as a recommended graphic novel. I don't remember where, or if it was in one of the lists of nonfiction that I was scanning (probably). It mentioned it was from the author of "Quiet Girl in a Noisy World", which sounded familiar. I requested both from the library. This one arrived first, but I waited for the first one before reading both. What I didn't realize is that Tung has published several other books in between the two, but this one continues the themes of the first book.
And it takes those themes to a really dark place.
Tung gives an account of living through a panic account and the stress, anxiety, and depression that accompany it. She details the ongoing troubles continuing to work her first job when trying to earn commissions for her artistic work. It goes well beyond just being shy and introverted.
Unlike Quiet Girl in a Noisy World, this book isn't episodic. Each page doesn't have a (self-deprecating) punchline or even a conclusion. The narratives continue for pages at a time, particularly in the beginning of the book. We are included in her therapy sessions, and we are witnesses to her internal thoughts.
I can see why this book came so highly recommended, and I'll add it to my recommended reading list next year if I get to teach this course again. Hopefully, I can acquire a couple of copies.
I'll also check out some of her other books that are more about her life as an introvert. (One is about books.)
Note: I added "memoir" as a tag to this one because the panic attack is central to the book. I didn't add the "biography" tag because it's not really a life story.
If you stumbled across my page via the Internet, please check out my short book series, Burke Lore Briefs. A fantastical foursome of flash fiction and short stories.
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