Book Review: This Land Is My Land by Andy Warner and Sofie Louise Dam

This Land Is My Land: A Graphic History of Big Dreams, Micronations, and Other Self-Made States by Andy Warner and Sofie Louise Dam

This graphic novel takes a quick look at thirty different visionary projects where someone or some group struck out on their own in radical ways. Some sought to create more just and independent communities. Others wanted to memorialize their heritage or to propose an ideal that others should emulate. Others just wanted to satisfy personal interests, like having their own country or making their daughter a genuine princess.

Almost all of the projects are failures but fascinating in their own ways. A few people have taken over or built platforms in international waters so they are independent of their country of origin. Most of these micronations printed money and postage along with issuing noble titles for a modest fee. The nations were also subject to hostile takeovers thanks to their inherent lack of defense. One platform off of Italy was eventually destroyed by the Italian military. The platform's owner (who had fled before the apocalyptic event) quipped that it was the only war that Italy ever won. Other people have tried to establish communities within countries. The stories often follow a pattern--the leader's vision and enthusiasm draws a surprising number of followers who flock to the new community, only to lose interest or revert back to their original nationalism after a few years.

Recommended for a glimpse into the fascinating and bizarre things that people have done throughout the ages (though I feel compelled to admit many of the examples originated from the 1960s and 1970s).

Book Review: Brief Histories of Everyday Objects by Andy Warner

Brief Histories of Everyday Objects written and drawn by Andy Warner

Many common objects have interesting and unexpected histories and legends attached to them. This volume tells the stories of forty-five such items. Most tellings have some authentic history, though many items like tea and dice are so ancient as to have no definitive origin story attached. Many cultures have come up with common objects. Making a claim for uniqueness or originality is not always possible. Author Andy Warner has managed to find common threads and running gags to tie items together.

The information provided by the book is more like cocktail party trivia than in-depth history. Each item is covered in four pages through cartoons, so detailed accounts are virtually impossible. Often, entertaining stories are favored over origins or creations. The bit about barbed wire is all about the Texas cattle wars, when ranchers used the stuff to keep wandering herds off their property. The part about stamps is devoted to the guy who came up with postcards (so why isn't the four-pager called "Postcards" instead of "Stamps"?).  The trivia is interesting but feather-weight. Other stories, like the origins of velcro and microwave ovens, are very familiar.

The book is entertaining, but there's a lot more sauce than meat served up. Ultimately it's not satisfying.