Put The Book Back On The Shelf: A Belle And Sebastian Anthology [Paperback]

Image Comics (Author), Jamie S. Rich (Author), Marc Ellerby (Author), Jennifer De Guzman (Author), Brian Belew (Author), Mark Andrew Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2006

With their infectious brand of Scottish indie pop, Belle & Sebastian have been cult and critical favorites for years. The band's colorful lyrics and gorgeous, full bodied melodies have provided Image Comics with the inspiration for a new kind of comic anthology. With Put the Book Back on the Shelf, a stellar collection of independent comic creators and cartoonists put their own spins on a cross section of Belle & Sebastian's songs, crafting stories inspired by the band's music, drawn from the band's entire catalog.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics (March 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582406006
• ISBN-13: 978-1582406008
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Belle and Sebastian, how I love thee, April 8, 2006

By 

Lauren - See all my reviews

This review is from: Put The Book Back On The Shelf: A Belle And Sebastian Anthology (Paperback)

Reading this graphic novel is a uniquely trippy experience. As I read each story, I played the song that inspired the writer or the artist - and I couldn't tell if it was the music that made the story more vivid, or the story that made the music more real. It took me over two hours to finish reading the whole thing and it left me feeling very content and happy, like a good night's sleep after a long, exhausting day.

I can see why Put the Book Back on the Shelf might not be for all fans because some writers made quite a lot of unexpected interpretations. For instance, the strip for the song If She Wants Me has a really sad story, but I imagined the song as having something to do with two young friends playing in a grassy field. Another one of my favorite strips, We Rule the School, is about a kid who finds a ninja in his backpack. The song didn't fit the story too well but never mind - it was still so much fun to read.

In spite of whatever clashing interpretations there might be, Put the Book Back on the Shelf is a must for any Belle and Sebastian fan. Reading the anthology heightened my appreciation of their music, and made me fall in love with the songs I haven't listened to till tonight. I wouldn't recommend this book to those who are merely curious about the band, though. If a taste of their music is what you're looking for, I suggest you listen to these songs instead:

Waiting for the Moon to Rise
Funny Little Frog
Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
If She Wants Me
The Blues are Still Blue

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ease your feet in the sea, July 12, 2008

By 

Melinda S. Roth "total drawer" (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Put The Book Back On The Shelf: A Belle And Sebastian Anthology (Paperback)

I stumbled upon this in a small, haphazard bookstore. Being a huge B&S fan, I was elated. I had never heard of it before and just kind of picked it up, bought it, and quickly felt myself singing the songs in my head while reading along with the pages.

Like others have written, some passages don't fit with your exact interpretation of the song. Also, some of the comics could be in a style that isn't of your liking. But it is a really unique idea and a super unique find. Plus, I found that the song illustrated were mostly my absolute B&S songs ever.

Some of them are so beautiful and wistful and remind you of why you fell in love with B&S in the first place. Totally worth it.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Concept -- Obviously More Interesting to B&S Fans, October 15, 2006

By 

A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Put The Book Back On The Shelf: A Belle And Sebastian Anthology (Paperback)

This is a pretty interesting idea: build a comics anthology around the works of a musical group. I don't know how or why the Scottish indie band Belle & Sebastian became involved in the project (the book certainly doesn't say anything), but this collection of 24 original works (generally 5-10 pages each) is inspired by songs from their various albums. I have to admit while I more or less like B&S when I hear them in the background of parties or in people's cars, I've never been moved to buy anything by them and I couldn't name a single song of theirs. So, while I'm sure B&S fans will have plenty of fun arguing about the visual and narrative interpretation of the songs in this collection, the only basis I have to evaluate the anthology are the comics themselves. Unfortunately, this means I'm missing a rather crucial layer of understanding, but so be it.

In terms of pure story and art, my favorite piece was "Expectations", written by Christopher Butcher and inked by Kalman Andrasofskzy. In ten pages, they skillfully cover a young woman's passage from angry 9th-grade outsider to mature young writer. Another very good piece is Mark Smith and Paul Maybury's five-page "We Rule the School", about a little boy who discovers a little ninja in his backpack. Jennifer de Guzman's story and Brian Beluw's art for "Fancy Dress" combine for an interesting version of the dangers of not speaking one's feelings. Ian Carney and Jonathan Edwards combine for a clever take on office sexual tensions in "Step Into My Office, Baby!" with its weirdly Nixonian protagonist. And Steven Griffin's "If You Find Yourself Caught in Love" ends things on a nice up note, as a young man overcomes post-breakup depression and moves on with his life.

In addition to the above, there were several other pieces I liked simply for their artwork: Andi Watson's Jetsons/Spy vs. Spy pastel stylized '60s art in "I Could Be Dreaming", Brazilian artist Kako's wordless, slick and commercial"Dog on Wheels" (very different from the rest of the book with its "The Fast and the Furious" style), Mathew Armstrong's ink and watercolor "You Made Me Forget My Dreams" (reminiscent in some ways of Gorillaz), Charles Brownstein and Dave Crosland's very nice example of how drawing and collage can have vitality in "Beautiful", and John Heebink's semi-retro ink and limited palette in "Nice Day for a Sulk".

Anyway, it's an interesting concept, albeit one that B&S fans will get a lot more from than readers without a strong interest in the band and its music.