Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Drawn and Quarterly (2012), Hardcover, 320 pages
Description
"Delisle explores the complexities of a city that represents so much to so many. He eloquently examines the impact of the conflict on the lives of people on both sides of the wall while drolly recounting the quotidian: checkpoints, traffic jams, and holidays. When observing the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim populations that call Jerusalem home, Delisle's drawn line is both sensitive and fair, assuming nothing and drawing everything" --Paper band on book.
Media reviews
Après « Shenzhen », « Pyongyang » et « Chroniques birmanes », trois romans graphiques consacrés à ses voyages en Asie, Guy Delisle ramène de son année passée dans la ville sainte la matière de son nouveau livre.
Fidèle à ses principes, Delisle enfile sa casquette de touriste/dessinateur/pédagogue/ observateur et emmène le lecteur dans un voyage qui mêle toile de fond politique (évidemment importante), achat de couches, déplacements en voiture et découverte des sites du pays. Comme toujours, c'est
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passionnant. Delisle possède un grand talent, celui de savoir expliquer et de raconter avec une légèreté qui n'exclut jamais le point de vue artistique. Show Less
Curieux, faussement naïf, parfois maladroit mais respectueux des croyances de tous, Guy Delisle apprend à vivre au rythme des sirènes qui retentissent chaque nuit, au fil des fêtes religieuses. Il compose avec les traditions des juifs et des musulmans, rencontre les expatriés, les membres du
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cirque humanitaire, les religieux, les anti-religieux, les ultras... Un monde nouveau s'offre à lui chaque jour, et Guy Delisle l'offre au lecteur dans cette chronique du temps qui passe, d'août 2008 à juillet 2009. Show Less
Il ne faut jamais sous-estimer la perspective qui peut parfois se cacher dans le détail et la banalité du quotidien.
Delisle explique, dresse des cartes, place les villes, hachure les zones et, curieusement, plus on progresse dans son cours de géopolitique, plus on est, comme lui, de moins en moins sûr de comprendre ! Israël, Palestine, Cisjordanie, check points, colonies, blocus, roquettes… le tournis est
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total. Ce qui sauve le personnage-auteur, c’est sa disponibilité : « Je me suis aligné comme une année sabbatique, à passer du temps avec les enfants, faire des croquis, bloguer, explorer les environs », satisfait de cette nonchalance qui lui permet de tout relativiser et, surtout, de pouvoir passer de la gravité des situations aux vétilles de la vie de famille. Des tracas domestiques et climatiques aux circonvolutions politico-religieuses : rien n’échappe pourtant à l’œil averti de Delisle qui raconte avec humour, avec distance et sans dramatiser, sans niveler non plus ce qui est superficiel et ce qui est essentiel. Il travaille ici comme on le fait dans un carnet de voyages où l’intime et le planétaire occupent tour à tour chacun leur place. Show Less
La naïveté peut être un don quand il s’agit de regarder une réalité qui se dérobe aux raccourcis simplistes. Guy Delisle est très doué. « En s’appuyant, dit-il, sur la naïveté dont je fais preuve dans la vie et que je ne feins pas, mon propos s’exprime le plus clairement
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possible... » Il se voit comme « un type candide mais observateur ». Le candide n’exclut rien. L’observateur voit tout. Ou presque. Show Less
Lui n'étale pas radicalement ses opinions, mais ne s'est pas privé pour les laisser filtrer. «C'est un témoignage, pas un reportage», précise-t-il. Il ne s'en cache pas, il a fréquenté beaucoup d'Israéliens de gauche. «Je ne crois pas que quiconque va là-bas en accompagnant les
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humanitaires, et qui voit ce qui se passe sur le terrain, revienne en disant: «Bravo les colonies.» Ce n'est pas possible.» Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member jnwelch
I unfortunately didn't like Jerusalem Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy Deslisle as much as I did his Pyongyang, set in North Korea. Because of his wife’s job with Doctors Without Borders, this cartoonist gets to travel to places that welcome such help and create memoirs in comic form. In this
This is a substantial volume, 320 pages, and has many things to like in it. He's there with his two kids, and in his wanderings finds some good playgrounds and cafes, as well as attractive places to view the city. Because it's difficult to work at home, he ends up in a lovely high up windowed room in a church, thanks to a friendly priest. There nonetheless is plenty of violence around their lives, countless security checkpoints, and access to points of curiosity limited, based on religion. He's an atheist, but learns to carry around a kippa to wear to facilitate entry. He's seemingly apolitical, so we accompany him on his travels through the city without any strong religious or political slant. And yet, there seemed to me to be a continuous undercurrent of bully (Israelis) vs. victim (Arabs/Palestinians), and he doesn't seem to get to know any Israelis very well. It makes for quite a contrast to How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden, an open-hearted exploration of the country and her internal feelings that finds many more positives, not to mention much physical beauty. My wife has many warm memories of Israel and that beauty, so I may be affected by that, but this visit to Jerusalem raised the question for me of why so many people love living there. Despite pockets of civilized living, the answer would be hard to find in Deslisle's memoir of his year there. I had read somewhere that if you're going to read this one, you should read How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less as a balancing companion. I agree with that. It may simply be the differences in how people experience a locale, but I didn't feel I was getting close to the whole picture with Jerusalem Chronicles.
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one he deals with the fallout from the Israeli/Arab divisions every day, including a high barrier wall that fascinates him and he draws from many angles, until security moves him on. In Jerusalem Israelis normally don't travel in Arab areas, and vice versa. One Israeli cab driver doesn't even know how the Arabs get around, saying, "The Arabs have buses?"This is a substantial volume, 320 pages, and has many things to like in it. He's there with his two kids, and in his wanderings finds some good playgrounds and cafes, as well as attractive places to view the city. Because it's difficult to work at home, he ends up in a lovely high up windowed room in a church, thanks to a friendly priest. There nonetheless is plenty of violence around their lives, countless security checkpoints, and access to points of curiosity limited, based on religion. He's an atheist, but learns to carry around a kippa to wear to facilitate entry. He's seemingly apolitical, so we accompany him on his travels through the city without any strong religious or political slant. And yet, there seemed to me to be a continuous undercurrent of bully (Israelis) vs. victim (Arabs/Palestinians), and he doesn't seem to get to know any Israelis very well. It makes for quite a contrast to How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden, an open-hearted exploration of the country and her internal feelings that finds many more positives, not to mention much physical beauty. My wife has many warm memories of Israel and that beauty, so I may be affected by that, but this visit to Jerusalem raised the question for me of why so many people love living there. Despite pockets of civilized living, the answer would be hard to find in Deslisle's memoir of his year there. I had read somewhere that if you're going to read this one, you should read How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less as a balancing companion. I agree with that. It may simply be the differences in how people experience a locale, but I didn't feel I was getting close to the whole picture with Jerusalem Chronicles.
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LibraryThing member mkboylan
I am now totally sold on [[Delisle]] and just ordered [Shenzhen a Travelogue from China] and [Pyongyang: a Journey in North Korea], having already read [Burma Chronicles]. I have read a few books about Israel and Palestine lately so have been gaining different perspectives. In this fictionalized
An interesting view of daily life in this area of the world is presented. For example, taxis will not travel in both sections of Jerusalem, which results in big inconvenience, especially during off hours. There are actually three sabbaths in the area between Christians, Jews and Muslims, so you have to know which store to go to when, as well as which group sells what and refuses to sell other items. One common sight is people walking down streets carrying rifles slung over their backs or pistols in their hands. Another weird experience is sitting on a beach during a much needed day off and knowing the jets flying over are on their way to bomb Palestinian areas, especially when you know and love both.
I am embarrassed to report my surprise at the large amount of international intervention and assistance offered in this area of the world. Once again, my ethnocentricity surprises me. The author himself is Canadian and I believe his home is France.
There is an incredible amount of information packed into this graphic novel and I highly recommend it. Also, once again I seem to have a deeper or more complete experience with the graphics included. You know that feeling when you look up from your reading and realize you are not actually in that place you are reading about? It is very strong for me with graphic books. I almost feel as if I toured the holy places and attended both NGO and embassy gatherings as well as those of locals. Five stars.
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account of Delisle's trip to Jerusalem, perspectives are not only presented from Israelis, Palestinians, and Muslims, but from different subgroups within those groups. This deeply enriches the information offered. Delisle takes tours of one place for example, with two different tour groups, one from each "side". He hears from the Israeli group about Palestinians killing Israelis, and from Palestinians about Israelis killing Palestinians. He learns from separate sources about subgroups from each that have helped and given shelter to the other side. And he also hears from conservative and liberal groups from all three religions/groups. I find that especially interesting as well as hopeful. It is also interesting to compare attitudes with Israel of those who Iive in Tel Aviv with those in Jerusalem.An interesting view of daily life in this area of the world is presented. For example, taxis will not travel in both sections of Jerusalem, which results in big inconvenience, especially during off hours. There are actually three sabbaths in the area between Christians, Jews and Muslims, so you have to know which store to go to when, as well as which group sells what and refuses to sell other items. One common sight is people walking down streets carrying rifles slung over their backs or pistols in their hands. Another weird experience is sitting on a beach during a much needed day off and knowing the jets flying over are on their way to bomb Palestinian areas, especially when you know and love both.
I am embarrassed to report my surprise at the large amount of international intervention and assistance offered in this area of the world. Once again, my ethnocentricity surprises me. The author himself is Canadian and I believe his home is France.
There is an incredible amount of information packed into this graphic novel and I highly recommend it. Also, once again I seem to have a deeper or more complete experience with the graphics included. You know that feeling when you look up from your reading and realize you are not actually in that place you are reading about? It is very strong for me with graphic books. I almost feel as if I toured the holy places and attended both NGO and embassy gatherings as well as those of locals. Five stars.
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LibraryThing member lilibrarian
A graphic depiction of the author's year stay on the West Bank while his wife worked with Doctors Without Borders. The author is Canadian, and it is his first exposure to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, as he tries to make sense of the place he is living in.
LibraryThing member LibraryGirl11
A fascinating graphic glimpse into the tangled web of life in Jerusalem, and the difficult political dance between the Israeli state and Palestine.
LibraryThing member questbird
A very nicely captured slice of life of a year in Jerusalem, with all the religious zealots, peculiar customs, fascinating sights and sad human stories that city contains. It is well-drawn and illuminated with washes of simple colour, and the occasional bright highlight for loud sounds or blood. It
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depicts an outsider's view of the 'Holy City' with gentle humour and some bewilderment. The author lived there for a year and became more than a tourist and less than an insider. The book reveals the complex, unbalanced and fragmented nature of Jewish/Palestinian society; showing injustice without taking sides. Show Less
LibraryThing member albertgoldfain
An outstanding memoir of Jerusalem life on the sidelines and in the thick of it from Delisle's unique vantage point. A very subjective and sometimes one-sided view of the conflict in Israel, but also a sincere and honest look at the complexity of life amidst settlements, walls, and checkpoints.
LibraryThing member -Eva-
A series of vignettes about the year the artist spent in Jerusalem while his wife worked in Gaza for Médecins Sans Frontières. Delisle clearly had no idea what to expect when he arrived in Israel and the reader gets to come along for each of his culture shocks - some funny, some scary, and some
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really sad. It's interesting how Delisle is purely an artist - at no point is he a participant in the events around him or learn from them, but the only thing on his mind at all times is to put an image of the current situation down on paper. It would have been interesting to see some growth in the character, but since Delisle is only in Israel because of his wife's job, it's probably only natural for him to stay inside his bubble. The drawings are very simple and the coloring subtle, but capture Delisle's view of everything around him in only a few well-chosen lines. Looking forward to checking out Delisle's story about his two-month visit to North Korea. Show Less
LibraryThing member cameling
Guy DeLisle's graphic memoir of his time in Jerusalem is illuminating and provides an unbiased look at lives of the Palestinians and Israelis in this troubled land. Living as an expatriate, his walks around the neighborhood and road trips across checkpoints illustrate the tense conditions people
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live under. Show Less
LibraryThing member stretch
In this graphic memoir Delisle chronicles what it’s like to live and work in East Jerusalem for a year, while his wife works for an NGO. What should have been a pretty straightforward travelogue became an illuminating if somewhat one-sided perspective of the everyday lives of Palestinians living
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on the fringe of Israel. The indignities, long waits, constant tension, and really the boredom that comes with living within East Jerusalem are well detailed with Delisle’s subtly simple black and white line drawings. Delisle clearly feels for the plight of the Palestinians. And while I can sympathize with Delisle’s views, the lack of an Israeli perspective, outside the settlements, strips away any nuance and begs the question how can Israelis reconcile the conditions of the Arab neighbors are forced to endure. I’m not saying his viewpoint is wrong necessarily but unlike his other memoirs Israel proper is a free and open country where a whole host of views and perspectives can be expressed. It would have been nice to get a counterpoint or two along with the stories of the Palestinians. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sullywriter
After living with his wife, who works for Doctors Without Borders and their two young children in Jerusalem, Delisle created this fascinating travelogue Jerusalem that looks at the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through the eyes of an outsider.
LibraryThing member klburnside
In Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City, Guy Delisle tells of the year he spent living in Jerusalem while his wife was stationed there with Doctors Without Borders. Delisle travels throughout Israel and Palestine, visiting many of the holy sites of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism as well as
It is nice to have an image of the region that is more than air strikes, suicide bombings, settlements, refugee camps, and partition walls. These things exist and they are complicated and often horrific. Delisle makes important and poignant observations about them, but he allows for the fact that there are other things going on in the region as well.
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other area landmarks. The book is full of his observations about the things he sees and events he witnesses. I love Delisle’s willingness to often portray himself as a confused outsider. There are some illustrations that just show him looking at something with a question mark above his head and other times he depicts events or scenes and seems to realize it is impossible to draw conclusions about such complicated issues. There are a lot of little mini-history and religion lessons, some sad moments, and a good dose of amusing stories as Deslile navigates his way through unfamiliar cultures.It is nice to have an image of the region that is more than air strikes, suicide bombings, settlements, refugee camps, and partition walls. These things exist and they are complicated and often horrific. Delisle makes important and poignant observations about them, but he allows for the fact that there are other things going on in the region as well.
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LibraryThing member aront
I've always enjoyed Guy Delisle's work. I love his drawing style, his wry, self-deprecating humor, and his keen insight into people, which he displays both in the storytelling and through drawing style. If, because of the political context, you are expecting another Joe Sacco style book (another
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great comic artist btw) then you will be disappointed. Delisle's strength in this, as his previous books, is precisely in that he doesn't pretend to have a deep understanding of the issues or to be an activist. He looks at everyone as a human being and portrays them as they present themselves. He has a keen and natural insight into people and places and with a few brush strokes of image and words, make people come alive and be their unique selves. Show Less
LibraryThing member Alliebadger
This book was really well done. He explores the complexities of Jerusalem in a way that is approachable and often even funny, all through his experiences sketching. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was a personal observation. I like that he spends most of the book experiencing Jerusalem,
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but sadly, the majority of Jewish people he interacts with in East Jerusalem are soldiers and settlers, neither of whom can present a friendly face. He doesn't really speak to many Israelis who also believe the situation is awful, just Palestinians and foreigners. I agree that it's awful, I just wanted to see more of the Israelis who agree represented in his travels too. Show Less
LibraryThing member Deesirings
This graphic novel format really lent itself well to showing and telling what life is like in Israel/Palestine. It seemed to really convey a feel for everyday life there.
Awards
Independent Publisher Book Awards (Gold — 2013)
Quill and Quire Book of the Year (Non-fiction — 2012)
Middle East Book Award (Winner — Youth Literature — 2012)
Language
Original publication date
2011