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361st out of 1,500 books
—
3,022 voters
Clumsy (The Girlfriend Trilogy #1)
by
Jeffrey Brown (Goodreads Author)
Clumsy is Jeffrey Brown's debut work Clumsy is the bittersweet story of a year long, long distance relationship, told through snippets of everyday life, drawn in a simple and elegantly awkward style that heightens the emotional impact and leaves you reminiscing about your own past love affairs. Oh, and it also has a lot of sex.
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
April 21st 2003
by Top Shelf Productions
(first published 2002)
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This book should come with the warning: Read this only if you have a lover and he/she is lying beside you (preferably holding you) or else you will feel like a tragic loser whose heart has just broken (again).
Jeffrey Brown's crude artistic style is certainly an acquired taste, and many may not get past his drawings. However, those willing to delve into his comics will find that his style coincides nicely with the intensely personal nature of his stories. Brown, in both his art and his writing, not only brings himself to a level at which the reader can relate to him (or even, perhaps, look down on him), but uses his unique storytelling style to offer what seems like a completely honest and exposed acc...more
lo lessi qualche tempo fa e mi commosse profondamente, tanto da darmi il nickname. è tenerissimo, divertente. disegni da bimbetto, ma che raccontano una storia d'amore con una profondità e un'immediatezza rare.
ieri una mia grande amica me lo ha finalmente regalato e ora posso esporlo con orgoglio in libreria e rileggerlo con gioia.
DOVETE LEGGERLO E AVERLO TUTTI, senza scuse: che voi siate innamorati o solo romantici, che siate tremendamente tristi per una storia appena finita o da tempo disillus...more
ieri una mia grande amica me lo ha finalmente regalato e ora posso esporlo con orgoglio in libreria e rileggerlo con gioia.
DOVETE LEGGERLO E AVERLO TUTTI, senza scuse: che voi siate innamorati o solo romantici, che siate tremendamente tristi per una storia appena finita o da tempo disillus...more
I wasn't sure I was completely sold on Jeffrey Brown or this book until the ending, which reduced me to tears and completely won me over. I do think the last 15-20 pages was so skillfully arranged and calculated to be heartbreaking that Brown should win some kind of award for being even more intentionally depressing than Chris Ware---seriously, I could really begin to see the art to what he does there.
Like John Porcellino, who I've also recently read, Brown draws in a crude, simplistic style and...more
Like John Porcellino, who I've also recently read, Brown draws in a crude, simplistic style and...more
Jeffrey Brown’s Clumsy is a rare treat. This book is a good read for anyone who has been in a romantic relationship, especially a long-distance one. Even Brown dedicated his book “for everyone who has ever loved and lost." Jeffrey, first living in Michigan and then in Chicago, and Theresa, living in Florida, meet through mutual friends and develop a year-long relationship.
An autobiography, Clumsy reads in short stories (no more than 4 pages) about the meeting of Jeffrey and his now ex-girlfrien...more
An autobiography, Clumsy reads in short stories (no more than 4 pages) about the meeting of Jeffrey and his now ex-girlfrien...more
I usually like Jeffrey Brown's books, but I found this one to be rather uninspiring. The relationship described in the book seems quite terrible. I suppose there is something to be said for it as an expression of the artist's experience, but it seemed rather sad and pathetic, and not in the way that "makes you think". The characters seem very two dimensional, even though it's actually autobiographical.
I suppose that might say something about the relationship and the people involved in it though...more
I suppose that might say something about the relationship and the people involved in it though...more
While wandering stores covered with graphic novels with friends searching for some obscure japanese edition, I always stumbled upon jeffrey Brown's work. In an attempt to stretch the box I read in, I grabbed it and I love it! sad, real, emotional relationship slices of life-those tiny moments that make up a life with someone you love, good or bad.
I'm reluctant to cast too much criticism on this book because its backbone is based on, not only the flawed nature of its characters, but the flawed content of the book itself. I realize that Brown intended to capture his life in a raw light, and he did so admirably. It is absolutely correct that the unpoetic composition makes one consider their own life in very poetic terms, reflecting on the past dreamily and remembering past loved ones. There lies its greatest asset, and I have much respect f...more
The story is kind of sweet and kind of awkward.. I liked it, but it just went too fast and -while at times very touching- lacked the profound melancholy of, say, Jimmy Corrigan.
1 like · like · see review
this book seemed very relatable to me, like not only is it a kind of normal portrayal of an entire relationship but a lot of the details included things i thought were actually particular to my relationship now. when i found these places i would stop reading, turn the book around and into my boyfriend's face, and tap the panel i wanted him to read. this is either really annoying or endearing. unlike in clumsy, my boyfriend is still my boyfriend so i think he found it endearing. also it seemed re...more
Perhaps the most famous work by Jeffrey Brown, it is a great glimpse of the life and romantic troubles of Brown. He captures humanity in a tenderness that reeks of truth and hilarity. To be a good autobiographical author you have to be willing to share your own mistakes, ugliness and flaws which Brown bravely does for his readers. He is not afraid to draw himself in a very unflattering manner, with a large gut and massive chest hair. His style of art is very charming,like the big grin on his car...more
Ugh. After having to endure 15 months apart from my boyfriend, I don't wish long-distance relationships on anyone. With that said, Jeffrey Brown captures the essence of a long-distance relationship PERFECTLY. Between the brief weekend visits back and forth, holidays and time-off orchestrated around each others schedules, and Sunday afternoons spent sulking by the phone, L.D.R.'s are expensive at best, emotionally draining at worst. They are also what make books like "Clumsy" so beautiful and tou...more
Yet more evidence that I have a heart of stone. The drawings are supposed to be movingly naive, but in fact they're just crap.
This book is made up of snapshots of a relationship in non-chronological order. At times sweet, at times petty, at times tragic, it really is engrossing in its mundane-ness. While jumping around in time, you can get lost in the emotions of intense passion. At times it felt disjointed or repetitive, but by the end the complexity and forethought of giving us moments here and there was revealed. It really does have a fantastic ending. It is worth it to get through all the pages where Jeff comes off...more
I like that Mr. Brown made something out of what would otherwise be a painful memory. I like that the comics medium is so readable that a story that would seem indulgent or dull keeps you going through hundreds of pages. The only thing I don't like is that he is not clear about what happened to them. Why did they break up. I got the feeling that this was too soon for him to talk about at the time. He focuses on the sex acts but not the matter behind their relationship. (Also, I don't think I hav...more
Not my usual cup of tea when it comes to graphic novels: I tend to like my art more representational and less impressionistic. Still, there is a charm that comes from such on-purpose-unsophisticated linework--a sense of truth being told without artifice. I wasn't drawn into the story in a powerful way until the last 20 pages, but that's what made the entire rest of the novel click into place; the effect was quite powerful because of that masterful turn. I'm really glad I took a chance on this bo...more
Apr 26, 2009
Max Maxwell
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Emo kids
Recommended to Max by:
Picked it up after reading McSweeney's #13
Shelves:
graphic-novels,
read-it-in-2007
As a short digression before reviewing, I once lent this thing to a singer in a folk band around Fredericton, didn't get it back, and then had to buy it back when I found it in a used bookstore. Boo-urns, as they say, to pawning books that aren't your own!
Anyway, reading Clumsy is interesting if you read it before Brown's other work, because you're just blown away by how relatable the characters are, and then you go and read the book's sequels Unlikely and aeiou and the books after those, and...more
Anyway, reading Clumsy is interesting if you read it before Brown's other work, because you're just blown away by how relatable the characters are, and then you go and read the book's sequels Unlikely and aeiou and the books after those, and...more
When a work as reaching and compelling as Jeffrey Brown's Clumsy appears, it cannot but force the skeptics to re-think their instinctive criticism and second-guess what they think they know. Through an artistically sound vision and intricate storytelling, it's hard to not consider "the funnies" as a legitimate medium where the combination of picture and word can come together to elevate.
Through a fragmented narrative, Brown's autobiographical love story is told through a series of chronologicall...more
Through a fragmented narrative, Brown's autobiographical love story is told through a series of chronologicall...more
Jul 19, 2007
Anne
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who like the art of comics but not the violence.
Shelves:
graphicnovels
10$. It looks like a small paperback novel with an attractive cover. From the first page you see the black lines and stark-white paper make a bold impression. His book is the story of a young man who has loved and lost. Simple and clear he brakes down the story in to scenes and jumbles them up so the reader must paste together the emotions. It is a little bit of a challenge in the beginning to keep the order correct, but after a while it all starts rolling much more smoothly.
Violence Factor: No...more
Violence Factor: No...more
I usually don't enjoy the unedgey "raw" look of graphic novels with crappy illustrations, but in this it works great. It was the author's cathartic effort after breaking up with his long distance girlfriend and he shows all those beatiful for better or worse moments you have when in love. It's about vulnerability not perfection. This was a really fun read and something I think a lot of people can identify with if they can be honest with themselves about how tough beign in love can be.
What started out as really cute turned into a nightmarishly whiny and complainy bitch-fest! Yes, even I could sympathize or even see myself in some of the stories herein (granted it was a much younger me that was so needy and worrisome); and yet, even I was never as bad as Brown seems to have been. And Theresa, his girlfriend through the book, isn't without blame herself - putting up with his shit and also adding a bit of her own selfishness from time to time. Such is life, I suppose.
1 like · like · see review
I like what Brown was trying to do with this book. The art, while a little off-putting to me, pairs well with the intensely personal nature of the narrative. The whole book has the feel of one of the author's personal sketchbooks which was never meant to see the light of day.
However, it succeeds so much in this regard that it suffers. For instance, there was no exposition of what exactly was the problem with the relationship. Also, the protagonist is an insufferable, needy, whiny bitch.
However, it succeeds so much in this regard that it suffers. For instance, there was no exposition of what exactly was the problem with the relationship. Also, the protagonist is an insufferable, needy, whiny bitch.
I remember sitting down to read this, and the first thing that caught me was the art. I've never really been interested in such a simple style of graphic novel, but these pages hold magic. The art may not seem exciting at first, but read through Clumsy a couple of times and you'll see miniature details you may may have missed before. There's just something about it that touches the soul. A kind of "Hey! That happened to me!" feeling. Hope to read some more great stuff from Jeff.
Jeffrey Brown is adorable and has managed to make a job for himself that a lot of people probably wish they had. Or, perhaps, wished they could hire him to do for them. Rather than describe everyday moments in words in a journal, he draws them -- and what is captured is far better than the cliche or bland words that would be used to describe these minute moments. He manage to capture the moments of life that we all wish we could remember in tiny details forever, but that are lost so quickly. I c...more
This one was a bit tricky, I liked the structure it details a relationship from beginning to end (not a spoiler its on the secong page)in no particular order, very much like the film 500 days of summer.
However this is where it went wrong, in the film you care about the characters and by extension their relationship in this I just didn't like them. In particular Jeff just came across as too clingy. Then theres the drawing style which was very naive which suited the story but I just didn't get in...more
However this is where it went wrong, in the film you care about the characters and by extension their relationship in this I just didn't like them. In particular Jeff just came across as too clingy. Then theres the drawing style which was very naive which suited the story but I just didn't get in...more
Yes, it's ugly to look at. Yes, his lettering is atrocious. But after reading two pages you forget about that and realize just how truely amazing this freshman graphic novel by Jeffrey Brown is. You can't put it down once you open it. You don't want to finish it because of the inevitable. You'll find yourself saying outloud, "No! Why are you doing that?"
Buy it, Read it. Then buy more and give them to your friends as gifts. Just a great read.
Buy it, Read it. Then buy more and give them to your friends as gifts. Just a great read.
I saw this book in my library and turned to a page that I could relate to, so I decided to pick it up. Little did I know that the couple isn't easy to relate to, the story isn't that entertaining, and the couple seems a poor fit from the get-go. They both seem like a poor fit for the long distance relationship they enter into.
Ultimately, not a very good book, but a quick read.
Ultimately, not a very good book, but a quick read.
The story feels incredibly authentic and easy to relate to. However, his pared down style was just not my cup of tea. I prefer a little panel variety, some intensity in the images to evoke emotion, and some more details in the panels themselves to further the narrative. His drawings are crude, which I am not against, but just not what I generally enjoy. All in all, not a bad read though.
I read this in an hour, always a good start.
I enjoyed the vignettes, particularly the titles which often explained otherwise commonplace scenes. Much of this story depicted simple moments of a couple together in no apparent order; however, the ending was particularly striking. I loved the last three scenes. I think a good ending can save just about any rambling story, as shown here.
I enjoyed the vignettes, particularly the titles which often explained otherwise commonplace scenes. Much of this story depicted simple moments of a couple together in no apparent order; however, the ending was particularly striking. I loved the last three scenes. I think a good ending can save just about any rambling story, as shown here.
This will be Jeffrey Brown's first novel and it will stand as one my favorites. It's about a long distance relationship, its quirks and petpeeves drawn in a very frail and doomed one. But its all about accepting are partners as who they are . Jeff's wasn't afraid to show whose teresa is, from those times where it began upto it bitter end. jeff presented us a very real couple that could be us in our current relationship or are previous one. It could change us for what we are.
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Jeffrey Brown was born in 1975 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and grew up reading comic books with dreams of someday drawing them, only to abandon them and focus on becoming a 'fine artist.' While earning his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Brown abandoned painting and began drawing comics with his first autobiographical book 'Clumsy' in 2001. Since then he's drawn a dozen books fo...more
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“-Here's a pretty shell for you.
-Oh, thank you my baby.
-Look, here's another one!
-Thank you.
-Look at this pretty one!
-Thank you.
-Here's a REALLY pretty one.
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More quotes…
-Oh, thank you my baby.
-Look, here's another one!
-Thank you.
-Look at this pretty one!
-Thank you.
-Here's a REALLY pretty one.
-Um, thank you.
”
Jan 15, 2009 06:34am
Jan 15, 2009 06:54pm
Sep 10, 2012 02:36am