At every literary prize I've judged, I've heard some juror complain that they don't know how to evaluate comics
Details from Roz Chast's "Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir" and Alison Bechdel's "Are You My Mother?" (Credit: Bloomsbury USA/Mariner Books)
With the announcement today of a MacArthur fellowship for Alison Bechdel and a National Book Award nonfiction nod for Roz Chast, whatever else you feel about the state of culture in America, it is a great day for comics. You could even say it is a great day for female cartoonists. Or a great day just for the two of them. But honestly, it is a great day for all of us.
Yes, major literary prize announcements are usually greeted with a fair amount of criticism, often deserved, but in recent times, I’d argue, more than the honor they confer, the conversation such awards bring is much more important or at least as important to the culture. Most of the time, there is a good amount of second-guessing, and a few good digs, some ridiculous accusations, and at some point the discussion gets around to “who really should have won.” And in the case of the MacArthur, there are the usual “Hey, I didn’t get one” Facebook posts you see each year, which typically neglects the arduous selection process and the accomplishments of the winners.
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Yes, major literary prize announcements are usually greeted with a fair amount of criticism, often deserved, but in recent times, I’d argue, more than the honor they confer, the conversation such awards bring is much more important or at least as important to the culture. Most of the time, there is a good amount of second-guessing, and a few good digs, some ridiculous accusations, and at some point the discussion gets around to “who really should have won.” And in the case of the MacArthur, there are the usual “Hey, I didn’t get one” Facebook posts you see each year, which typically neglects the arduous selection process and the accomplishments of the winners.
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