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Snowbird
Snowbird is a powerful and immersive graphic novel about navigating the punk/activist art scene, reacting to environmental and personal devastation, racial inequality in New Orleans, and staying alive. The original "Snowbird, Book One" has been out of print since 2014. Silver Sprocket is ecstatic to now present the completed graphic novel. Content Warning: This book contains material that some might find disturbing including a reference to sexual assault, mental health struggles, and suicidal thoughts.
148 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 7, 2025
huh. this is something.
this graphic memoir consists of book one and book two, written five years apart, as wilson was unpacking a lot of heavy shit in the interim.
book one is about summer 2010 in new orleans. wilson is miserable - experiencing that type of wallowing heartbreak where you sink so deep into your own feelings that you are unable to support others or see beyond yourself. they struggle with mental health and suicidal ideation, while also grappling with activist burnout, white guilt, being complicit in gentrification, the horror of the BP oil spill, and the abject privilege of being a snowbird and leaving your community behind when it's most vulnerable.
it's a bit of a mess. but then book two comes along, and it consists of 32 year old wilson having a conversation with 27 year old wilson. they are deeply critical of their own work, and force their younger self to make themselves accountable for their missteps.
i admire wilson and the grace with which they apologize. but i was confused because while i saw their narcissistic attitude in book one, i didn't realize that book two was originally intended to be about a community tragedy that resulted in the deaths of several young people. so, yeah, writing a self-centered account of that event would have been an inappropriate way for them to process, and i'm glad they never wrote that version of book two. but for the reader, the final result is an odd experience. an explanatory introduction would have been helpful - especially since in book two wilson says maybe book one can help people to recognize and work out their own shit.
it includes list of ways for white people to confront our own internalized bigotry, which is appreciated. i can't recommend this book, but i commend wilson's sincerity, and i hope more of their work will be published in the future.
this graphic memoir consists of book one and book two, written five years apart, as wilson was unpacking a lot of heavy shit in the interim.
book one is about summer 2010 in new orleans. wilson is miserable - experiencing that type of wallowing heartbreak where you sink so deep into your own feelings that you are unable to support others or see beyond yourself. they struggle with mental health and suicidal ideation, while also grappling with activist burnout, white guilt, being complicit in gentrification, the horror of the BP oil spill, and the abject privilege of being a snowbird and leaving your community behind when it's most vulnerable.
it's a bit of a mess. but then book two comes along, and it consists of 32 year old wilson having a conversation with 27 year old wilson. they are deeply critical of their own work, and force their younger self to make themselves accountable for their missteps.
i admire wilson and the grace with which they apologize. but i was confused because while i saw their narcissistic attitude in book one, i didn't realize that book two was originally intended to be about a community tragedy that resulted in the deaths of several young people. so, yeah, writing a self-centered account of that event would have been an inappropriate way for them to process, and i'm glad they never wrote that version of book two. but for the reader, the final result is an odd experience. an explanatory introduction would have been helpful - especially since in book two wilson says maybe book one can help people to recognize and work out their own shit.
it includes list of ways for white people to confront our own internalized bigotry, which is appreciated. i can't recommend this book, but i commend wilson's sincerity, and i hope more of their work will be published in the future.
January 25, 2021
This is an interesting and experimental book. The author wrote the first half of it in her late 20s after a hard breakup, burnout from activist work, wallowing in feelings of guilt about her part in the gentrification of New Orleans, and enraged over the recent Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill. She published the first half, intending to write the second half about a tragedy in her community which cost nine lives- though she didn't personally know any of those who passed away. Five years later the author wrote an alternate second half in which she speaks to her younger self about the depths of her own depression, white guilt, and the fact she doesn't really have the right to finish the book as initially planned. In other hands, this might feel like a cop-out, but I thought it was a compassionate way to honor the creative efforts of one's younger self, while also recognizing the flaws of the work, and the way that the world (and the author) changed over time.
April 12, 2021
I think this graphic memoir may be useful to anyone whose life is just falling apart. This a two part book, one that came out in 2013, and the sort of book two that came out five years later. She's a mess, and the book is a mess, all over the place, but it has some things to offer, as I suggested. It's about a woman who is an anarchist/environmental activist cartoonist aware that the world is going down in flames as her own life is going down in flames. She's had a relationship end, she's clinically depressed, even at times suicidal, and is manically weeping a lot of the time in the book. She's also for a number of years on environmental activist tours, spending her winters in Florida and summers in Vermont (thus the title).
I couldn't make any progress in the book for weeks, but since I am a finisher I got to the places I fear few will, because the first half is so maddening (not so much empathy-producing, I am sorry to say, no, imo), which is the dialogues with herself, the second being an actual dialogue with her older self who is in a better place and actually makes a pretty cogent critique of the first book written by herself. But still, what does it add up to? That we sometimes fall apart and then things get better? Okay.
I thought this was a 1-1.5 star book for most of it, then liked her helping me make a critique of the first book and her younger self's story with me. It's not about being a snowbird, nor about the environment, nor gentrification, primarily; it's about those things and way way too many things. It's about herself, in a kind of mess, and in five years being in a better place.
I couldn't make any progress in the book for weeks, but since I am a finisher I got to the places I fear few will, because the first half is so maddening (not so much empathy-producing, I am sorry to say, no, imo), which is the dialogues with herself, the second being an actual dialogue with her older self who is in a better place and actually makes a pretty cogent critique of the first book written by herself. But still, what does it add up to? That we sometimes fall apart and then things get better? Okay.
I thought this was a 1-1.5 star book for most of it, then liked her helping me make a critique of the first book and her younger self's story with me. It's not about being a snowbird, nor about the environment, nor gentrification, primarily; it's about those things and way way too many things. It's about herself, in a kind of mess, and in five years being in a better place.
March 10, 2019
Heartfelt, but just too self indulgent to really land with impact.
February 24, 2019
The metaphor captured by the title of this graphic novel memoir is one I pondered a bit after the author discussed it: Being a snowbird means leaving a situation or place when things get hard and returning when things are easier. The author thinks this is horrible. She’s looking at it from the angle of injustice, of needing to stay to at least try to make things better — or to literally go to the hard places to help rather than staying in your comfy situation. I’m not entirely sold. For one, there’s just as much honor in leaving a bad situation if you have the means than staying in one. (Think of domestic violence or refugees fleeing war zones or government oppression.) And even with injustice, sometimes you can have a larger impact by staying in your bubble and helping those with your privileges better understand others. But, still, I get her point and it’s a worthwhile idea.
The rest of the book is all over the place as this young white woman tries to find her place (and herself) in a world where she’s painfully aware of her privilege but desperately wants to help. The books is broken into two parts. In the first, she travels the country speaking to college students about climate change and the Deepwater Horizon disaster, then gets burned out and holes up in New Orleans. This first part was the original version of the book, and now there’s a second part where her more enlightened and mentally healthy self of five years later points out all the insensitive things her younger self did in the first book — such as being self-obsessed, downplaying the actions of her friends of color, misrepresenting a couple of characters, and flitting from subject to subject. She’s pretty hard on herself, yet she really does seem more at peace now thanks in large part to two daily anti-depressants.
I have a soft spot for books (and songs) where white people twist themselves in knots with white guilt, and “Snowbird” is a good example of this niche genre. The only thing I wish is that she would've shown (rather than told) how her former activist self could’ve actually done all of the things she thinks she should've done. The real world is messy, and there’s a way to acknowledge and learn from your mistakes without beating yourself up. Self-flagellation just makes the daily struggle harder than it needs to be. So, two counters to the criticism: The artwork and panel design are really good, and a small, offhand gesture to a stuttering customer where she's a barista demonstrates her naturally kind heart and that she truly is a good person who makes the world a better place by her presence.
Bechdel test: A. Overall grade: B+
The rest of the book is all over the place as this young white woman tries to find her place (and herself) in a world where she’s painfully aware of her privilege but desperately wants to help. The books is broken into two parts. In the first, she travels the country speaking to college students about climate change and the Deepwater Horizon disaster, then gets burned out and holes up in New Orleans. This first part was the original version of the book, and now there’s a second part where her more enlightened and mentally healthy self of five years later points out all the insensitive things her younger self did in the first book — such as being self-obsessed, downplaying the actions of her friends of color, misrepresenting a couple of characters, and flitting from subject to subject. She’s pretty hard on herself, yet she really does seem more at peace now thanks in large part to two daily anti-depressants.
I have a soft spot for books (and songs) where white people twist themselves in knots with white guilt, and “Snowbird” is a good example of this niche genre. The only thing I wish is that she would've shown (rather than told) how her former activist self could’ve actually done all of the things she thinks she should've done. The real world is messy, and there’s a way to acknowledge and learn from your mistakes without beating yourself up. Self-flagellation just makes the daily struggle harder than it needs to be. So, two counters to the criticism: The artwork and panel design are really good, and a small, offhand gesture to a stuttering customer where she's a barista demonstrates her naturally kind heart and that she truly is a good person who makes the world a better place by her presence.
Bechdel test: A. Overall grade: B+
April 21, 2019
Takes a sharp turn halfway through. Ultimately just a self-reflective journal of one young woman’s angst about the world’s ills and her role in them. But it’s personal, sincere, and well-drawn.
January 22, 2019
A wonderful self-reflective graphic memoir that I recommend to white people working towards anti-oppression and confronting problematic pasts. An honest book that remains complicated and difficult, like many of this work is.
November 1, 2024
I don't often give out one stars but Snowbird earned it. This is probably the most self-indulgent work I've read in a while, and what makes it worse is that the author comes soooo close to actually being self-aware. For example, she realizes her initial portrayal of someone was racist and unfair, and her response to that is to include her illustrated apology to him in the second half of the book and basically congratulate herself for it?
Look, I get it. Between part one and part two, the author grew as a person and realized that their original idea - to center the book on a tragedy that did not actually involve them - was self-centered, disrespectful, and inappropriate. But coming to that realization and then spending the second half of your book explaining that decision and essentially patting yourself on the back for it? What a wild creative choice. The finished product is a book that feels, well, kinda pointless and embarrassingly masturbatory. (Ex. you're still participating in gentrification even if you admit that you're participating in gentrification! you're not somehow different from all the other gentrifiers!)
To be frank, Snowbird is a great example of how some well-intentioned white activists still can't seem to help themselves from centering themselves. Yes, there's acknowledgment that she's part of "The Problem," but throughout the book, there's a mind-blowing inability, or maybe a refusal, to actually reckon with that fact instead of using her art and identity as an activist to distance herself from it.
There were other small things I didn't care for as well. The writer's depictions of the people around here were hollow and unflattering in a way that makes you wonder if she sees everyone as irrelevant background characters in her life. At times, the art was grotesque in a way that felt unnecessary and off-putting. I just didn't care for this one at all. (That being said, I did enjoy learning more about Deepwater Horizon. This book just very clearly did not know what it wanted to be.)
Look, I get it. Between part one and part two, the author grew as a person and realized that their original idea - to center the book on a tragedy that did not actually involve them - was self-centered, disrespectful, and inappropriate. But coming to that realization and then spending the second half of your book explaining that decision and essentially patting yourself on the back for it? What a wild creative choice. The finished product is a book that feels, well, kinda pointless and embarrassingly masturbatory. (Ex. you're still participating in gentrification even if you admit that you're participating in gentrification! you're not somehow different from all the other gentrifiers!)
To be frank, Snowbird is a great example of how some well-intentioned white activists still can't seem to help themselves from centering themselves. Yes, there's acknowledgment that she's part of "The Problem," but throughout the book, there's a mind-blowing inability, or maybe a refusal, to actually reckon with that fact instead of using her art and identity as an activist to distance herself from it.
There were other small things I didn't care for as well. The writer's depictions of the people around here were hollow and unflattering in a way that makes you wonder if she sees everyone as irrelevant background characters in her life. At times, the art was grotesque in a way that felt unnecessary and off-putting. I just didn't care for this one at all. (That being said, I did enjoy learning more about Deepwater Horizon. This book just very clearly did not know what it wanted to be.)
January 7, 2023
I really appreciated some parts of this—I also lived in New Orleans in 2010, albeit in a very different context from the author. I haven't seen many comics written about New Orleans, and her depictions brought back a lot of memories. She also reminded me of many of the complications of living there as a self-aware non-native white person: gentrification, the effects of the city's complex history, the privilege of being able to come and go at will, the complex specificity of Mardi Gras.
I was enjoying the autobiographical story as it rolled along in Part 1, including its occasional moments of navel-gazing self-indulgence-- these personal experiences are the reason that I am drawn to autobio and memoir comics in the first place. While it was an interesting choice to return to the old story in Part 2 through a more conceptual and self-critical lens, I found it much less engaging to read as a story--irritatingly self-aware and sanctimonious. To me it seemed like she was really criticizing her past self for minimal missteps, enacting her own personal political drama at the cost of the narrative. I wanted her to be gentler with her past self!
Nevertheless, this was great to read for the graphic memoir writer in me, as it introduced me to all sorts of new ways to portray internal struggles and transformations.
I was enjoying the autobiographical story as it rolled along in Part 1, including its occasional moments of navel-gazing self-indulgence-- these personal experiences are the reason that I am drawn to autobio and memoir comics in the first place. While it was an interesting choice to return to the old story in Part 2 through a more conceptual and self-critical lens, I found it much less engaging to read as a story--irritatingly self-aware and sanctimonious. To me it seemed like she was really criticizing her past self for minimal missteps, enacting her own personal political drama at the cost of the narrative. I wanted her to be gentler with her past self!
Nevertheless, this was great to read for the graphic memoir writer in me, as it introduced me to all sorts of new ways to portray internal struggles and transformations.
November 7, 2018
**The collection I read is not the one advertised but it a complete version of Snowbird which was released today (Nov 17th, 2018).**
It's difficult to pull off a memoir about personal trauma and the horrible politics of our times (no, not the current White House crew...just the corporate culture of the 21st century) without coming off as melodramatic and whiny, even when there is a lot to be melodramatic and whiny about.
I don't know quite how Erin K Wilson managed to find the perfect balance of Up To The Brim instead of Over The Top, but while there is nothing understated about her experiences, I never felt that her book was anything more or less than honest.
Her balance of cartoon and realism really worked for me, and the way she frames her scenes should be taught in cartooning classes. The action or inaction she was conveying always felt like it was precisely the right distance from "the camera".
I recommend this for anyone looking for a graphic memoir.
It's difficult to pull off a memoir about personal trauma and the horrible politics of our times (no, not the current White House crew...just the corporate culture of the 21st century) without coming off as melodramatic and whiny, even when there is a lot to be melodramatic and whiny about.
I don't know quite how Erin K Wilson managed to find the perfect balance of Up To The Brim instead of Over The Top, but while there is nothing understated about her experiences, I never felt that her book was anything more or less than honest.
Her balance of cartoon and realism really worked for me, and the way she frames her scenes should be taught in cartooning classes. The action or inaction she was conveying always felt like it was precisely the right distance from "the camera".
I recommend this for anyone looking for a graphic memoir.
April 3, 2024
Giving this 5 stars for Wilson's jaw dropping visual metaphors through out. The narrative changes dramatically toward the end, but stick with it and read every last word. There are reasons.
Speaks to the turmoil of our twenties and our times. I just reread my journals from ages 19-23, and I hope Wilson is proud of having made this amazing book. This book helps me forgive myself for having been young and unable to find the help I needed.
I'd put Snowbirds on a must read list for anyone studying or working on graphic memoir.
Speaks to the turmoil of our twenties and our times. I just reread my journals from ages 19-23, and I hope Wilson is proud of having made this amazing book. This book helps me forgive myself for having been young and unable to find the help I needed.
I'd put Snowbirds on a must read list for anyone studying or working on graphic memoir.
April 28, 2021
The author is clearly a talented graphic artist and each panel was a pleasure to take in. And while it was spelled out why it needed to be done, it didn't make it any less jaring to witness the second half's almost total rejection of the first half.
July 26, 2023
In a rare instance of me breaking mathematical rules, this is a 3.5 rounded down. It's not a 4, plain and simple; it's a 3.5. Too all over the place, which there author does acknowledge, but that still doesn't change it. There are positive things here, but overall is an unbalanced work.
December 14, 2023
The covers are the best part. While I enjoyed the style, the recounting of a dissatisfaction with a life one has chosen is privileged (in a way that I have lived, so therefore didn't gain/learn much).
April 17, 2024
the second half is interesting, but still feels a little too self indulgent and more like a diary entry than a published book
December 16, 2024
I liked the artwork but that was about it.
The protagonist is genuinely one of the most unlikable characters I’ve encountered in ages. She’s completely self-obsessed, miserable, and mentally ill.
She tries to do activism work, but focuses on all of the negativity as a further practice in self-obsession, instead of doing anything actually actionable to help the issue at hand. She feels “guilty for being white”, while having no POC friends or community, and then trying to publicly save her image after publishing weirdly racist characatures. She comes back as her older, supposedly wiser self, only to chastise her younger self— and inadvertently displaying that she’s still the same self-obsessed, selfish, negative person to begin with. There’s no concern for others, no generosity or interest in others, and zero gratitude for her life. I genuinely haven’t encountered such a miserable, selfish, mentally-ill publication in ages. She’s just totally negative and a huge energy drain
The protagonist is genuinely one of the most unlikable characters I’ve encountered in ages. She’s completely self-obsessed, miserable, and mentally ill.
She tries to do activism work, but focuses on all of the negativity as a further practice in self-obsession, instead of doing anything actually actionable to help the issue at hand. She feels “guilty for being white”, while having no POC friends or community, and then trying to publicly save her image after publishing weirdly racist characatures. She comes back as her older, supposedly wiser self, only to chastise her younger self— and inadvertently displaying that she’s still the same self-obsessed, selfish, negative person to begin with. There’s no concern for others, no generosity or interest in others, and zero gratitude for her life. I genuinely haven’t encountered such a miserable, selfish, mentally-ill publication in ages. She’s just totally negative and a huge energy drain
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews