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A Career in Books: A Novel about Friends, Money, and the Occasional Duck Bun
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Graphic Novels & Comics (2022)A Career in Books is a graphic novel for everyone who's wanted to work with books and had no idea what it entailed. It's for those who were taken aback by that first paycheck. It's for those who wanted a literary career even in the face of systemic racism, who dealt with the unique challenges of coming from an immigrant family, and whose group chat is their lifeline.
Shirin, Nina, and Silvia have just gotten their first jobs in publishing, at a University Press, a traditional publisher, and a trust-fund kid's indie publisher, respectively. And it's... great? ¯_(ツ)_/¯ They know they're paying their dues and the challenges they meet (Shirin's boss just assumes she knows Cantonese; Nina cannot get promoted by sheer force of will; and Silvia has to deal with daily microaggressions) are just part of "a career in books." When they meet their elderly neighbor, Veronica Vo, and discover she's a Booker Prize winner dubbed the "Tampax Tolstoy" by the press, each woman finds a thread of inspiration from Veronica's life to carry on her own path. And the result is full of twists and revelations that surprise not only the reader but the women themselves.
Charming, wry, and with fantastic black-and-white illustrations, A Career in Books is a modern ode to Rona Jaffe's The Best of Everything, and perfect for fans of Good Talk, Younger, and The Bold Type, as readers chart the paths of three Asian-American women trying to break through the world of books with hilarious, incisive, and heartbreaking results.
Shirin, Nina, and Silvia have just gotten their first jobs in publishing, at a University Press, a traditional publisher, and a trust-fund kid's indie publisher, respectively. And it's... great? ¯_(ツ)_/¯ They know they're paying their dues and the challenges they meet (Shirin's boss just assumes she knows Cantonese; Nina cannot get promoted by sheer force of will; and Silvia has to deal with daily microaggressions) are just part of "a career in books." When they meet their elderly neighbor, Veronica Vo, and discover she's a Booker Prize winner dubbed the "Tampax Tolstoy" by the press, each woman finds a thread of inspiration from Veronica's life to carry on her own path. And the result is full of twists and revelations that surprise not only the reader but the women themselves.
Charming, wry, and with fantastic black-and-white illustrations, A Career in Books is a modern ode to Rona Jaffe's The Best of Everything, and perfect for fans of Good Talk, Younger, and The Bold Type, as readers chart the paths of three Asian-American women trying to break through the world of books with hilarious, incisive, and heartbreaking results.
270 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 2022
47 people are currently reading
11373 people want to read
About the author
Kate Gavino
3 books40 followersKate Gavino is a writer and illustrator. She is the creator of the website, Last Night's Reading, which was compiled into a published collection by Penguin Books in 2015. Her work has been featured in the New Yorker online, the Believer, BuzzFeed, Oprah.com, and more. She was named one of Brooklyn Magazine's 30 Under 30. Her second book, Sanpaku, was published by BOOM! Studios in 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
July 16, 2022
Thanks to Plume Books for my ARC of “A Career in Books” by Kate Gavino for an honest review. 📚 💕
Do NOT sit down to read this fantastic book thinking you’re going to be able to put it down because before you know it, you’re hopelessly addicted to the goings-on of Nina, Silvia and Shirin. Author Kate Gavino delivers a beautiful yet raucous graphic novel that never stops gripping you as it slides from one adventure to the next. The subtitle “A novel about friends, money, and the occasional duck bun” only hints at all the fun you’re about to swim in with these down home girls as they live in the Big Apple and meet all kinds of international and local (and sometimes famous) characters. A definite summer 2022 MUST READ. Absolutely take this book to the beach or your secret cabin in the woods so everyone leaves you alone so you can cuddle up with this book and literally laugh out loud like you deserve.
Do NOT sit down to read this fantastic book thinking you’re going to be able to put it down because before you know it, you’re hopelessly addicted to the goings-on of Nina, Silvia and Shirin. Author Kate Gavino delivers a beautiful yet raucous graphic novel that never stops gripping you as it slides from one adventure to the next. The subtitle “A novel about friends, money, and the occasional duck bun” only hints at all the fun you’re about to swim in with these down home girls as they live in the Big Apple and meet all kinds of international and local (and sometimes famous) characters. A definite summer 2022 MUST READ. Absolutely take this book to the beach or your secret cabin in the woods so everyone leaves you alone so you can cuddle up with this book and literally laugh out loud like you deserve.
September 12, 2022
My wife had just finished reading this and I decided that I'd give it a go before we returned it to the library. My first impression - about 30 pages in - was that it was fluff depicting three early 20's airheads who were just hired at their first jobs in the publishing world. I was ready to stop reading (and looking - this is a graphic novel, after all), but I kept on and things got better.
The young women in question turned out not to be airheads, They were just young people trying to figure things out and find their way in the world. Along the way, they adopted a 92 year old woman writer and she, in turn, adopted them and both sides learned and experienced new aspects of life.
There were any number of charming moments in this book. Just as importantly, there were many slang terms which I, being an old guy, had little sense of what they meant and had to Google. In a sense, I learned something from all of that, except, being an old guy, I'll never use those expressions. And, since this novel is set in 2011-12, they're no doubt out of date by now.
Incidentally, the older novelist is said to have won the Booker Prize years before. That doesn't seem possible, because she's Vietnamese-American and I believe that Americans weren't considered for the Booker Prize until 2014. That didn't bother me all that much because this is fiction and fiction can be whatever the author and readers want it to be.
What did bother me is the the three young women protagonists are shown reading books on the front cover. Inside, none of them read much of anything, with the exception of the Booker Prize winner's novels. That bothered me a lot.
In the end, it's a charming and entertaining book, worth a 3 1/2 star rating from me. I'll give it 4. The three young women were generous in their friendship with each other and with the older writer, so I guess I can be generous with my rating for their book.
The young women in question turned out not to be airheads, They were just young people trying to figure things out and find their way in the world. Along the way, they adopted a 92 year old woman writer and she, in turn, adopted them and both sides learned and experienced new aspects of life.
There were any number of charming moments in this book. Just as importantly, there were many slang terms which I, being an old guy, had little sense of what they meant and had to Google. In a sense, I learned something from all of that, except, being an old guy, I'll never use those expressions. And, since this novel is set in 2011-12, they're no doubt out of date by now.
Incidentally, the older novelist is said to have won the Booker Prize years before. That doesn't seem possible, because she's Vietnamese-American and I believe that Americans weren't considered for the Booker Prize until 2014. That didn't bother me all that much because this is fiction and fiction can be whatever the author and readers want it to be.
What did bother me is the the three young women protagonists are shown reading books on the front cover. Inside, none of them read much of anything, with the exception of the Booker Prize winner's novels. That bothered me a lot.
In the end, it's a charming and entertaining book, worth a 3 1/2 star rating from me. I'll give it 4. The three young women were generous in their friendship with each other and with the older writer, so I guess I can be generous with my rating for their book.
December 15, 2022
I average about one graphic novel a year, because I am REALLY not into mixing words and pictures. I have a very hard time taking in info that way. So, my antipathy towards the format gives you an idea of just how much I liked the story.
It's nothing groundbreaking. No wheels are reinvented. It's less a coming of age story than a coming of adulthood story of three young Asian-American women. They're best friends and roommates, all beginning entry-level jobs in publishing. Early in the novel they make the acquaintance of their downstairs neighbor, a nonagenarian with an extraordinary background, who becomes important to each of them.
Being so inexperienced with graphic novels, it's hard for me to articulate what I liked so much about the book. I mean, the most obvious thing is the very well-drawn characters --which I mean metaphorically, but also literally, too, I guess. And I really liked that they were all Asian-American women, talking amongst themselves, as it were. I felt like a fly on the wall, hearing what they really thought of the "well-intentioned white women" with whom they had to contend. And, of course, I loved the setting in the publishing world!
The pictures. There were so many details to take in. Where are your eyes supposed to go? This is not a criticism of the work, it's a criticism of my brain. The pictures were good, but just imagine how awesome it might have been with just words! Personal biases aside, I honestly can't imagine this story without the illustrations. It would have been a completely different work. I guess it's good to stretch my boundaries on rare occasions for extremely bookish books. At least, this time it was.
It's nothing groundbreaking. No wheels are reinvented. It's less a coming of age story than a coming of adulthood story of three young Asian-American women. They're best friends and roommates, all beginning entry-level jobs in publishing. Early in the novel they make the acquaintance of their downstairs neighbor, a nonagenarian with an extraordinary background, who becomes important to each of them.
Being so inexperienced with graphic novels, it's hard for me to articulate what I liked so much about the book. I mean, the most obvious thing is the very well-drawn characters --which I mean metaphorically, but also literally, too, I guess. And I really liked that they were all Asian-American women, talking amongst themselves, as it were. I felt like a fly on the wall, hearing what they really thought of the "well-intentioned white women" with whom they had to contend. And, of course, I loved the setting in the publishing world!
The pictures. There were so many details to take in. Where are your eyes supposed to go? This is not a criticism of the work, it's a criticism of my brain. The pictures were good, but just imagine how awesome it might have been with just words! Personal biases aside, I honestly can't imagine this story without the illustrations. It would have been a completely different work. I guess it's good to stretch my boundaries on rare occasions for extremely bookish books. At least, this time it was.
November 26, 2022
4.5⭐️
An absolute delight that I devoured all in one afternoon!
I love how this book reads like a graphic memoir because everything portrayed here is so incredibly realistic, whether it's the lively cast and their experiences or the bustling backdrop. But you are telling me that Veronica Vo and her literary works are not real??? 😭😭😭
This is a wonderful slice-of-life story that follows 3 friends as they navigate life in NYC and a budding literary career. I adored their friendship with one another and Veronica, as well as all four women's strength and pursuit of their dreams in spite of numerous obstacles.
Not only has the author painted an immersive world that I completely lost myself in, she also explores very relatable themes such as mental health and racism while sharing a fascinating look into the publishing industry. The humor is on point too!
I think the white-and-black artwork works well but would still love to see this book in full color. It just seems fitting for such a vibrant read.
Thank you to Plume Books and Dutton Books for my beautiful hardcover!
An absolute delight that I devoured all in one afternoon!
I love how this book reads like a graphic memoir because everything portrayed here is so incredibly realistic, whether it's the lively cast and their experiences or the bustling backdrop. But you are telling me that Veronica Vo and her literary works are not real??? 😭😭😭
This is a wonderful slice-of-life story that follows 3 friends as they navigate life in NYC and a budding literary career. I adored their friendship with one another and Veronica, as well as all four women's strength and pursuit of their dreams in spite of numerous obstacles.
Not only has the author painted an immersive world that I completely lost myself in, she also explores very relatable themes such as mental health and racism while sharing a fascinating look into the publishing industry. The humor is on point too!
I think the white-and-black artwork works well but would still love to see this book in full color. It just seems fitting for such a vibrant read.
Thank you to Plume Books and Dutton Books for my beautiful hardcover!
October 17, 2022
Three besties, all young Asian-American women, navigate entry level publishing jobs, and a cramped apartment in Greenpoint. I loved the dialogue, the humor and the warmth and realness of their three-way friendship. I also enjoyed the references to an urban landscape I know quite well. The drawing style didn't quite work for me (big heads, almost always facing forwards, tiny bodies), but I got used to it, so I'm not complaining .
I gulped it down eagerly, and although I wasn't fully convinced by the nonagenarian character, briefly famous author Veronica Vo, who lives in the apartment downstairs*, I still feel an urge to abuse my goodreads librarian powers by creating fake goodreads entries for her books.
* Doing the math, she seems a little too old to have been been a young thing hanging out at the Limelight in the 70s, and also she's weirdly fluent in Millennial, saying things like "too many of us associate advocating for ourselves with being selfish"
I gulped it down eagerly, and although I wasn't fully convinced by the nonagenarian character, briefly famous author Veronica Vo, who lives in the apartment downstairs*, I still feel an urge to abuse my goodreads librarian powers by creating fake goodreads entries for her books.
* Doing the math, she seems a little too old to have been been a young thing hanging out at the Limelight in the 70s, and also she's weirdly fluent in Millennial, saying things like "too many of us associate advocating for ourselves with being selfish"
August 29, 2022
Three Asian American women in their twenties begin similar editorial assistant positions in the publishing industry at the same time, and we follow their progress for a year or two. It was a slow start and a dull middle, but I become invested in the characters by the end thanks to their ongoing interaction with a nonagenarian neighbor who is an award winning author whose books have fallen out of print.
It's like The Bold Type (anyone else see that show?) without the sex, fun or glamorous fashion.
It's very text heavy (but not enough to actually call itself a "novel" as it does on the cover -- it is a graphic novel) and the art barely ekes into the decent range. It took me several days of reluctant returns to get through it, but it was worthwhile despite all the drawbacks.
It's like The Bold Type (anyone else see that show?) without the sex, fun or glamorous fashion.
It's very text heavy (but not enough to actually call itself a "novel" as it does on the cover -- it is a graphic novel) and the art barely ekes into the decent range. It took me several days of reluctant returns to get through it, but it was worthwhile despite all the drawbacks.
October 23, 2022
This book is basically one big giant hug
October 27, 2022
TITLE: A Career in Books: A Novel about Friends, Money, and the Occasional Duck Bun
AUTHOR: Kate Gavino
PUB DATE: 08.02.2022 Now Available
A Career in Books is a graphic novel for everyone who's wanted to "work with books" and had NO idea what it entailed. It's for those who were taken aback by that first paycheck. It's for those who wanted a literary career even in the face of systemic racism, who dealt with the unique challenges of coming from an immigrant family, and whose group chat is their lifeline.
REVIEW:
As a reader, I only see the part of book publishing on the other end when everything is made nice and pretty - the finished side without being privy to the inner workings of the publishing world. However, I have always been intrigued by it. A CAREER IN BOOKS details in a black and white graphic novel, the lives of three Asian American women - Nina, Silvia and Shirin, who share an apartment in New York, and who are determined to break the mold - whether by force or fortune as they begin their careers. Great graphic illustration I enjoyed this one a lot!
AUTHOR: Kate Gavino
PUB DATE: 08.02.2022 Now Available
A Career in Books is a graphic novel for everyone who's wanted to "work with books" and had NO idea what it entailed. It's for those who were taken aback by that first paycheck. It's for those who wanted a literary career even in the face of systemic racism, who dealt with the unique challenges of coming from an immigrant family, and whose group chat is their lifeline.
REVIEW:
As a reader, I only see the part of book publishing on the other end when everything is made nice and pretty - the finished side without being privy to the inner workings of the publishing world. However, I have always been intrigued by it. A CAREER IN BOOKS details in a black and white graphic novel, the lives of three Asian American women - Nina, Silvia and Shirin, who share an apartment in New York, and who are determined to break the mold - whether by force or fortune as they begin their careers. Great graphic illustration I enjoyed this one a lot!
January 28, 2024
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
What a heartwarming graphic novel!
This tells the story of 3 Asian American friends who all get jobs working in publishing. It also details their friendship with their elderly neighbor who happens to be an author.
I absolutely loved the friendship dynamic between the 3 friends. It felt realistic and I liked how supportive they were of each another. Their friendship with their neighbor was also well done. I liked how she became a mentor to the girls and how the girls also helped her out.
As an Asian American (I’m Filipino), I loved seeing all the Asian representation. I loved that 2 out of the 3 friends (Shirin and Silvia) were Filipino. I always enjoy seeing Filipino culture in books. It makes my heart so happy.
This is a graphic novel that feels more like a newspaper comic than a typical graphic novel. It’s entirely in black and white and is heavier on text than what you would typically see in a graphic novel. I thought the format worked well. I didn’t mind it being more text heavy because sometimes more explanation was needed to convey what was happening.
Overall, I loved this glimpse into the world of publishing! I recommend this if you love books about books and books centering around female friendship.
What a heartwarming graphic novel!
This tells the story of 3 Asian American friends who all get jobs working in publishing. It also details their friendship with their elderly neighbor who happens to be an author.
I absolutely loved the friendship dynamic between the 3 friends. It felt realistic and I liked how supportive they were of each another. Their friendship with their neighbor was also well done. I liked how she became a mentor to the girls and how the girls also helped her out.
As an Asian American (I’m Filipino), I loved seeing all the Asian representation. I loved that 2 out of the 3 friends (Shirin and Silvia) were Filipino. I always enjoy seeing Filipino culture in books. It makes my heart so happy.
This is a graphic novel that feels more like a newspaper comic than a typical graphic novel. It’s entirely in black and white and is heavier on text than what you would typically see in a graphic novel. I thought the format worked well. I didn’t mind it being more text heavy because sometimes more explanation was needed to convey what was happening.
Overall, I loved this glimpse into the world of publishing! I recommend this if you love books about books and books centering around female friendship.
December 28, 2023
Nina, Shirin, and Silvia met in a college writing class, bonded over being the only Asians, and became best friends for life. When they graduate, they move to New York together and seek the title promise. And while it's not necessarily what they were expecting or hoping for, interesting experiences are had by all.
This is an oddly-shaped book, so instead of carrying it around, I made it my bedtime reading, with the result that I spent about three weeks living with these young women. And I really enjoyed it!
This is pretty long compared to most of the graphic novels I read, with several plot threads running through it. The heroines deal with bad bosses, Asian pigeonholing, relationships, and mental health, and befriend a once-famous Vietnamese writer who is now in her 90's. And they do it with charm and humor that made every page of this book a delight to look at and read. I'm glad I picked this up.
October 15, 2022
4.5 star
Such a good graphic novel with a variety of female characters to admire.
Such a good graphic novel with a variety of female characters to admire.
October 4, 2022
Office jobs can be the worst, but friends and good books are forever.
October 2, 2022
This graphic novel was a treat! Centering on 3 young female New Yorkers working in publishing after college, it was a book that made me slow way down and actually experience the story. My eyes skim a lot when I read traditional print books but with graphic format I can’t do that. It’s all black and white which made my eyes work even harder. Again, a good lesson in slowing down and reading all the media on the page. Highly recommend to book lovers in general and graphic fans especially.
(Library book)
(Library book)
June 26, 2023
3.5 stars--As of this writing, I've never visited NYC, let alone lived or worked there, so a decent amount of the humor and references presented here went --whoosh!--right past me. That said, I ended up enjoying this funny, engaging graphic novel more than I thought I might. (Thankfully, I got some of the references, particularly to music and books, so I wasn't completely lost.)
I especially liked the storyline involving the mysterious, elderly author the main characters befriend. I'd like to see her get her own, separate graphic novel, honestly.
I especially liked the storyline involving the mysterious, elderly author the main characters befriend. I'd like to see her get her own, separate graphic novel, honestly.
February 29, 2024
This book found me at the perfect time as I start my first job as an editorial assistant. I'm also so glad I'm not having the same experience these girls did. Thank you Michael, for finding this at the library for meeeee
December 18, 2022
I often bounce off graphic novels with this much text on each page, but I'm glad I didn't. This is a lovely, warm story about three Asian American friends stepping into adulthood (and adopting a 92-year-old novelist as a friend/mentor along the way). Gavino really got me to slow down and settle into the lives of Nina, Silvia, and Shirin, to learn about and appreciate each of them as individuals and also as a wonderful friend trio. This was a great way to start winding down my reading for the year.
February 2, 2023
I loved this! Oftentimes books about people in their early 20s cause me stress because they are so broke and so poor at making decisions but this one centered not only the friendship of the three younger women but ALSO a friendship with a neighbor in her 90s.
There are tons of pop culture references to the early to mid-2000s and a solid description of the difference between Loft and Ann Taylor (Loft is for people who can't afford Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor is for people who can't afford J. Crew).
This made me love and miss (some of) my roommates from the years when I was at my first out of college jobs
There are tons of pop culture references to the early to mid-2000s and a solid description of the difference between Loft and Ann Taylor (Loft is for people who can't afford Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor is for people who can't afford J. Crew).
This made me love and miss (some of) my roommates from the years when I was at my first out of college jobs
August 16, 2022
I don't read many graphic novels (no idea why), but this one was great fun. It so wonderfully captures being in one's early twenties, when everything is either amazing or terrible, and even though you are still very much figuring things out, you are so in the dark about how much you still don't know about life (or yourself) that you somehow feel invincible and despite not having much money or much experience the one thing you do have is this infinite sense of optimism (which is only occasionally punctuated by bouts of nihilistic apathy and depression) that anything is possible and the world is your oyster. It's such a confusing time, when emotions are felt so keenly and acutely, and that is beautifully portrayed here.
I loved the buoyant depiction of female friendship (at times this trio reminded me of the protagonists in the television show The Bold Type, but less of an exercise in wish fulfillment and more grounded in the harsh realities that is the grind of working entry-level positions in NYC). I definitely saw myself in them—particularly Nina—and their fierce devotion to each other and their bookish obsessions resonated with me. I also loved the insights into what it's like being young Asian women figuring things out and trying to be successful in America. By the time I was finished with this book, I felt like I was saying goodbye to a group of friends (even if their youthful shenanigans did at times make me feel increasingly like an old crone since I'm about 15+ years removed from that time of my life...), which is probably one of the highest compliments I can give.
Not my usual fare, but I'm so glad I gave this one a go.
I loved the buoyant depiction of female friendship (at times this trio reminded me of the protagonists in the television show The Bold Type, but less of an exercise in wish fulfillment and more grounded in the harsh realities that is the grind of working entry-level positions in NYC). I definitely saw myself in them—particularly Nina—and their fierce devotion to each other and their bookish obsessions resonated with me. I also loved the insights into what it's like being young Asian women figuring things out and trying to be successful in America. By the time I was finished with this book, I felt like I was saying goodbye to a group of friends (even if their youthful shenanigans did at times make me feel increasingly like an old crone since I'm about 15+ years removed from that time of my life...), which is probably one of the highest compliments I can give.
Not my usual fare, but I'm so glad I gave this one a go.
July 17, 2023
the way the story was told was a bit on the nose, with every character and action and intention described, and while that made it feel simplistic/lacking craft i also loved hearing all of it articulated. it almost felt like i was reading a persona and their user journey lmao. but it was very relateable, interesting, funny, and i read it in like a day. i liked it! i think this is one of the pieces of fiction where restaurants/establishments are namedropped so frequently that it helps me understand the characters better/it feels like it was written for me (theyre in NYC), but also feels a little lazy/inaccessible for people who those names mean nothing? i did like the format of little vignettes in chronological order, thought it was cut up in a cute way and made sense. made me want to befriend/at least say hello to my neighbors (which i have not done, and i do not know a single one after 1.5 years here)
September 6, 2022
This book finally got there, but it took a while. I may have appreciated it more if my 20's were more like theirs when starting my career. I briefly thought about a career in publishing/editing and after reading this I'm glad I'm a librarian instead. Veronica is the BOMB - I want to be her.
Read Last Night's Reading instead ..
Read Last Night's Reading instead ..
July 22, 2024
A lot of relatability with starting out in a new career and trying to figure it all out. The diverse characters and experiences of the three main girls kept it refreshing. Great details in the illustrations!
July 30, 2024
Whenever I read a book set in New York City, I'm always grateful my life and career have never required me to live there, like the song "New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" by LCD Soundsystem, only without the love.
March 8, 2023
I really enjoyed the graphic novel A Career in Books written and illustrated by Kate Gavino. It's like Sex & the City, but make it with three 20-something Asian-American women who work in the publishing industry. The plot features Nina, Shirin, and Silvia as they work in their entry-level jobs and discover that reality is far from ideal, and that the NYC cost of living is brutal.
The focus is on their jobs, but readers also get glimpses into their friendships, romantic relationships, and families. My favorite aspect of the story was the relationship the women develop with their elderly, reclusive neighbor who was a Booker Prize winner in her youth.
This is an excellent title for anyone who's intrigued by the publishing industry and enjoys graphic novels or is 'graphic novel curious.' Reading this 288-page book felt like watching several episodes of a book-centered TV series.
The focus is on their jobs, but readers also get glimpses into their friendships, romantic relationships, and families. My favorite aspect of the story was the relationship the women develop with their elderly, reclusive neighbor who was a Booker Prize winner in her youth.
This is an excellent title for anyone who's intrigued by the publishing industry and enjoys graphic novels or is 'graphic novel curious.' Reading this 288-page book felt like watching several episodes of a book-centered TV series.
November 1, 2022
Slow moving but cute, obviously experienced, and immersive glance at the felt or real struggles of a trio of Asian women trying to make it in the world of publishing.
April 17, 2024
God this was awful, I didn't enjoy any of it. The only reason I finished it was because it was an inter-library loan, and I know how much those cost - and apparently it was "good" enough to be nominated for a choice award.
I think this author missed the point of "graphic" in graphic novel and just focused on the novel part. There were panels in this book that were just stuffed to the brim with text and it would happen every other page. There was so much telling and so much useless information that felt like the author was including because it made the characters seem "deep" but really added very little. We would getting little tidbits and references to in jokes that would appear once, to tell a mini story, and would never appear again in this 300 page graphic novel.
I walked away knowing nothing about these women, and hardly any of them were distinctive enough for me to know who was who. Furthermore the art style did no favour's to this book. A graphic novel doesn't not need to have gorgeous art to be good - there are plenty of them with great art and an awful story, and vice versa. But to have not good art and not a good story just made an awful combination.
I know the author writes for newspapers and does comics there and it really shows. I don't think I've ever disliked a graphic novel as much as I disliked this one. After this one and some of the other mediocre choices for the choice awards in graphic novels, I'm sort of glad goodreads got rid of that category if this is one of the 'best' graphic novels they could come up with for 2022.
Oh yeah, it really felt like this author couldn't keep her timeline straight, like sometimes things felt really old, and sometimes too new. It was supposed to take place in 2011-2012, but sometimes it felt ten years forward or ten years back.
I think this author missed the point of "graphic" in graphic novel and just focused on the novel part. There were panels in this book that were just stuffed to the brim with text and it would happen every other page. There was so much telling and so much useless information that felt like the author was including because it made the characters seem "deep" but really added very little. We would getting little tidbits and references to in jokes that would appear once, to tell a mini story, and would never appear again in this 300 page graphic novel.
I walked away knowing nothing about these women, and hardly any of them were distinctive enough for me to know who was who. Furthermore the art style did no favour's to this book. A graphic novel doesn't not need to have gorgeous art to be good - there are plenty of them with great art and an awful story, and vice versa. But to have not good art and not a good story just made an awful combination.
I know the author writes for newspapers and does comics there and it really shows. I don't think I've ever disliked a graphic novel as much as I disliked this one. After this one and some of the other mediocre choices for the choice awards in graphic novels, I'm sort of glad goodreads got rid of that category if this is one of the 'best' graphic novels they could come up with for 2022.
Oh yeah, it really felt like this author couldn't keep her timeline straight, like sometimes things felt really old, and sometimes too new. It was supposed to take place in 2011-2012, but sometimes it felt ten years forward or ten years back.
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June 23, 2024I really grew to love this book! It took me a while to appreciate the artwork, but I was definitely in for a story of female friendship and then a key female nonagenarian character showed up! As the story went on, I also realized I was pretty much the same age as the characters were at the time the book takes place, so all of the musical references were really enjoyable - I hadn't listened to the xx album in YEARS and pulled it up while reading. There kind of is a playlist mentioned throughout, but I'd love a more formal one too. Sometimes I get a little tired of reading endless stories about writing and/or publishing, but this felt like an exception to me. I was heartened to see all the references to Virginia Woolf, and the part about a character being blocked by Roxane Gay was *perfect*. I also spent a lot of time thinking about if cold brew was this popular this early. Also, I appreciate Parnassus Books in Nashville and their excellent graphic novel display, because I found this there in 2024 and noticed it'd been on my tbr since 2022. Thanks!
I wish Veronica Vo were real.
Overall, just a delight, and I'm planning to read the author's other works now.
I wish Veronica Vo were real.
Overall, just a delight, and I'm planning to read the author's other works now.
October 7, 2023
A Career in Books is a delightful comic about three besties—career-focused Nina, writer Silvia, and chaotic good Shirin—navigating the world of publishing while living in a shitty New York apartment and befriending a neighbor who just so happens to be a Booker Prize winner. It’s very slice-of-life-y and I loved it.
✨ From Enter the World of Publishing with These Books at Crooked Reads.
✨ From Enter the World of Publishing with These Books at Crooked Reads.
September 25, 2022
This book was a hilarious look at the friendship of three women working in publishing. It was exactly what I needed to read right now.
July 9, 2025
It warms my former publishing assistant little heart to know that young women are still trying to make their way in book publishing in New York the way I did in the 1990s. (I actually did make it a career for 18 years, which was an unexpected triumph.) Add A Career in Books to the canon of their experiences, which also includes the Whit Stillman movie Last Days of Disco (1998), Laurie Colwin's novel A Big Storm Knocked it Over (1993), Younger TV series (2015) based on a 2005 Pamela Redmond Satran novel of the same name, The Other Black Girl tv series (2023) based on Zakiya Dalila Harris novel of the same name, Vintage Contemporaries by Dan Kois (2023), Yellow Face by R. F. Kuang (2023), and many more. Unsurprisingly, publishing folk love to read and publish works about themselves.
Based on this graphic novel about Nina, Shirin, and Silvia, three young Asian-American women, the industry is employing a more racially and socioeconomically diverse workforce than they did back when Whit Stillman's characters protested their privilege by saying "Our allowances aren't that big."
These three friends from NYU take three different approaches to their careers: Nina is so determined to get ahead that she figures out who is being fired due to misuse of a company credit card and contacts their supervisor before the job can be posted to the competitive throng. Shirin goes into book publishing to follow her friends because she needs to make money somehow. A later character points out the obvious "there are better ways to do that." Silvia really wants to be a writer, not work in book publishing.
The trio meet their 92-year-old downstairs neighbor, Victoria Vo, an award-winning writer whose books are out of print, though she was in the vanguard of Asian-American women in book publishing and partied with Tom Wolfe and Eudora Welty. Their joint mission becomes getting her books back into print. A true book publishing quixotic quest.
Based on this graphic novel about Nina, Shirin, and Silvia, three young Asian-American women, the industry is employing a more racially and socioeconomically diverse workforce than they did back when Whit Stillman's characters protested their privilege by saying "Our allowances aren't that big."
These three friends from NYU take three different approaches to their careers: Nina is so determined to get ahead that she figures out who is being fired due to misuse of a company credit card and contacts their supervisor before the job can be posted to the competitive throng. Shirin goes into book publishing to follow her friends because she needs to make money somehow. A later character points out the obvious "there are better ways to do that." Silvia really wants to be a writer, not work in book publishing.
The trio meet their 92-year-old downstairs neighbor, Victoria Vo, an award-winning writer whose books are out of print, though she was in the vanguard of Asian-American women in book publishing and partied with Tom Wolfe and Eudora Welty. Their joint mission becomes getting her books back into print. A true book publishing quixotic quest.
August 9, 2022
I totally enjoyed A Career in Books, my first graphic novel in several years. This New York story about a trio of Asian American sisters in arms is smart, hilarious, and relevant for anyone who works to earn a living.
Nina, Shirin, and Silvia are all 20somethings living in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and pursuing careers in publishing. With varying degrees of commitment, ambition, and salary, these 3 young women face the disappointments and challenges of the industry. They have one another's backs in any situation, whether it's job stuff, boyfriend stuff, or family. I also love the little episodes of fantasy quittings and confrontations when it gets rough at work. I'm not the only one who does that!
I also like the way they don't mess around wasting time when they aren't content. They manage to strike a balance between going for what they want (even when they aren't really sure what that is), making the rent, and not putting up with what they can't take anymore. With 2 best friends each and a wise crone who's been there and done all that long before, it looks a little easier. They're all dealing with the high cost of living in the city and the low pay of working in publishing, so we're not talking trust fund kids here.
You don't have to be in your 20s to enjoy this book, but if you need a reality check about work, this is a great place to look. I wish I'd had some of this wisdom when I was new to the daily grind.
Nina, Shirin, and Silvia are all 20somethings living in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and pursuing careers in publishing. With varying degrees of commitment, ambition, and salary, these 3 young women face the disappointments and challenges of the industry. They have one another's backs in any situation, whether it's job stuff, boyfriend stuff, or family. I also love the little episodes of fantasy quittings and confrontations when it gets rough at work. I'm not the only one who does that!
I also like the way they don't mess around wasting time when they aren't content. They manage to strike a balance between going for what they want (even when they aren't really sure what that is), making the rent, and not putting up with what they can't take anymore. With 2 best friends each and a wise crone who's been there and done all that long before, it looks a little easier. They're all dealing with the high cost of living in the city and the low pay of working in publishing, so we're not talking trust fund kids here.
You don't have to be in your 20s to enjoy this book, but if you need a reality check about work, this is a great place to look. I wish I'd had some of this wisdom when I was new to the daily grind.
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