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Carnet De Voyage (Travel Journal (Top Shelf))

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
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Before I purchased this book I expected it to be like his previous two graphic novels with an narrative storyline (Goodbye Chunky Rice, Blankets). Instead you get a diary collection of his journey in Europe as an artist. Though in the book he explains the purpose of his trip is to promote Blankets, and he did go through many interviews and photo shoots. But in this trip he brings the reader to a mature side of himself, whereas he shows his impression with other artists in Europe. With his skillful brushworks, Thompson is able to draw out little glimpses of culture and people of his visit. Overall I recommand this book to anyone that is interest in art or already an artist themselves. You'll find drawing in a sketchbook everyday is an illustration of your life, just like what Craig Thompson is able to share in this book.

Carnet de Voyage includes an introductory page in which Craig Thompson warns prospective readers that what follows really is a travel diary, not a follow-up to Blankets. If that's all you're expecting, you won't be disappointed. The book is beautifully and sensitively illustrated, and features a few genuinely touching moments. I particularly enjoyed the times when Thompson inserted a little cartoon companion into the narrative to comfort him when he was feeling alone and out of place. His accounts of culture shock in Morocco were also interesting and should open the eyes of anyone with excessively romantic views about the developing world.

Still, the book could have been better. Thompson hints at painful events and family problems at home without elaborating, and he also glosses over the Madrid train bombings in just a couple of pages. The book then ends abruptly when arthritis forces Thompson to cut back on his writing, and I think even he would agree that this aborted work isn't all he hoped it would be. But Carnet de Voyage certainly is still worth reading while you await Thompson's next real book. And you won't regret it if you allow this little travel diary to persuade you to plan a trip to Barcelona yourself.

Craig Thompson's epic 600 page graphic novel, BLANKETS is one of the most beautiful comics I've ever read. I was astounded at the breadth and depth of the book and wondered how someone in his mid twenties could have crafted such a massive achievement so early in his career.

With the publication of CARNET DE VOYAGE, I now understand a little bit more about Thompson's work habits... he is a nonstop drawing machine. But no... machine is wrong... there's nothing mechanical about his work. Art flows out of Thompson's brush pens with the organic fluidity of a true master. He may well be the greatest natural cartoonist of his generation... hell, even a handful of others.

CARNET DE VOYAGE wasn't even supposed to be a book. While traveling through France, Barcelona, the Alps and Morocco last Spring to promote BLANKETS, Thompson's omnipresent sketchbook suddenly became his next project. In his introduction, the typically self-effacing artist dismisses it as "a rather self-indulgent side project."

Yes, there's lots of self-indulgence, but no more than any other writer or artist's work is self indulgent. Smarting from a recent breakup, suffering from crippling rheumatoid arthritis exacerbated by nonstop signings, sketches and portraits of locals (many of whom demand money for the privilege of being models), Thompson's travelogue is filled with the kind of subjective experience that's only interesting to others if it's told well.

And in CARNET DE VOYAGE, it's told beautifully. Mixing his two styles, the cartoony whimsy of GOODBYE, CHUNKY RICE with the more naturalistic impressionism of BLANKETS, Thompson allows us to experience everything he does: The homesickness, the culture shock, the thrill of the new and the comfort of other people. His passion for beauty, be it architectural, arboreal, feline, culinary or (often) feminine is all delineated with an artistic embellishment that's more effective than any photograph could be.

That's the power of comics; They can be (in the right hands) surreal and realistic at the same time. Thompson is as much a master of capturing the empirical world as he is conveying his inner demons (and he's got a lot of `em... this boy is one tortured, sensitive artiste). He may dismiss CARNET DE VOYAGE as "not (his) next book," but it's the richest, most rewarding graphic novel I've read since... well, since BLANKETS.

This is another wonderful Craig Thompson creation, beautifully executed and divinely imaginative travelogue of his trip around Morrocco, Spain, Paris etc for a book tour and to research his new comic.

As he suggests early in the work, this is not a follow on from his comics. It is not even like his glorious comics, but more like the gorgeous illustrated travelogues of Dan Price and Danny Gregory.

His drawings are just so detailed and fine, it is little wonder he suffers from debilitating joint problems. Everything he draws has little florishes, and I particularly thought some drawings of Gaudi's work in Barcelona were marvellous. His voice is kind and gentle, softly grateful and charming. At times it strikes me as too 'American', but he is conscious of the reputation of American travellers, and this does not really hinder the work. However, I did find his focus on women a little too repetitive for my liking.

I suppose this was where I was most disappointed with the work. While the trip seemed to be about pinning for a faraway love, he ended up sleeping with a random stranger at the end, which to me, seemed to undermind his whole purpose. It is not my place to criticise, it just confused things somewhat for me as a reader and responder, regardless of the fact that this is a personal account and I wondered to myself what he came away with at the end of this adventure.

And as another reviewer has suggested, it does end quite randomly, and is quite short. I would have liked to seen what followed.

However, the pictures potentially have hours of observation, with their detailed beauty. Irrespective of any perceived flaws, it is worthwhile and fascinating.

I liked the honesty of Thompson's travel journal. He does not gloss over the difficult bits of travel-the fatigue, the stomach upsets, loneliness. I also admire how he did not gloss over his own personal faults. The graphics help to immerse the reader in his experiences-sometimes they did feel claustrophobic other times they were more exhuberant. Recommended to anyone interested in travel and anyone interested in the world of comics and graphic novels.

With "Blankets", Craig Thompson established what I think will remain as a landmark in the book/comics/cartoon world. With this one, I expected basically just a sketchbook filled with random drawings and what not.

The truth is that the book was a lot more continuous than I expected, and it does read like a story. The best of this is that originally this notebook wasn't supposed to ever see print, it was Craig's private sketchbook, but as it grew, people expressed interest and suggested that he publish it. And thank God that he did!

"Carnet de Voyage" is a fascinating book. It's more raw than "Good-bye, Chunky Rice" and different from "Blankets", but in its very own genre, it definitely achieves something memorable. And the intensity of the emotion is as strong as ever. I found myself laughing here, and being very concerned about Craig there. Indeed, I don't think I was ever made to care so much about someone I never met before Craig Thompson. The man is simply saintly in that sense. He is a mix of gracious humility and honesty, and his truth-like art is just mind-blowing.

So what will you find in there? The telling of his travels through France, Morocco, Spain, Switzerland, and the Alps. Thompson's artistic vision shows through that book and one can sort of get an idea of how he functions. And one certainly gets to see how tortured poor Craig really is. That unpretentious notebook will make you feel closer to him, because he is so genuine in his art, doesn't hide his life from his work, and as a result, you get a window to his soul.

and it doesn't pretend to be, but I found it very worthwhile. I like CHUNKY RICE and I think BLANKETS is one of the great American novels, graphic or otherwise. I felt I needed a Thompson fix, and hoped this would help while I wait for the Next Book. Thinking it would be bedside reading, a few pages at a time, I read it in one sitting. His voice is as true as ever and his art is wonderful. You will meet many interesting people and suffer through his mishaps with him. It was just what I had hoped it would be, a good solid Craig Thompson fix.

well expressed impressions. if you wonder how it is like to travel and pick up something without a camera ý suggest this book

Craig Thompson is fantastic. If you like his work, you'll love this collection of musings, sketches, and stories of life on the road in Europe and Morocco. This book provides insight into Thompson's inner life, what drives him, and what he yearns for. Side by side this there are sketches that are so accurate and evocative that I felt like I was back in Morocco myself. Thompson experiences all the highs and lows of travel on his trip and very openly shares them all. For anyone who's traveled alone, but wished for company this book will ring true. But, Thompson also shares with the reader the exhilaration of new places and new people that can be found out in the world. A fantastic quick read and visual journey.

i actually enjoyed this more than his other 2 books. "carnet de voyage" apparently means "travel journal" and is an artists' tradition of putting together a casual sketchbook. in this instance the book recounts thompson's travels through france, morroco, and then spain. at first the daily mundanity of travel depicted in the book put me off a bit, and the artwork, mostly portraits, landscapes, and crowded city/market scenes, grew repetitive, but after i finished i found myself flipping back through it ... repeatedly. yes, the "plot" is about as interesting as any of your or your friends' travels with as many stories of traveler's hardships, but thompson's desire, as a lone traveler, to connect with the people he meets, his battle with homesickness, his self-mocking at his self-pity, and the relationships he forms ring true, and his genius is really brought out in his drawings, particularly when they happily stray from the real-to-life sketches. as an added bonus the book includes some sketches from artist friends he encounters on his travels, including a portrait of the artist by mike allred (the genius behind madman and my personal hero because of his work on x-statix).