Who knew you could learn some History while reading comics. In Kate Beaton’s Hark! A Vagrant, that’s exactly what you experience. Sure, you’re thinking, learning while reading comics? I think I’ll skip this one. But trust me when I tell you that this book will have you laughing out loud. Beaton leaves no moment of History untouched with her witty comic strips; which range from history to literature to just plain random and hilarious observations. For example did you ever wonder how to spot a wise owl? Well obviously it’s the one with a beard.
I’ll admit though, there were moments were I had no idea who she was referring to in certain comics, but a quick browse through Wikipedia and I knew exactly who that person was and look at that, I learned something new. Sneaky Beaton! The author also adds some commentary to explain why she created certain comics, and at times a little brief description of the historical person she is referring to in her comic.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading comics, but also those who enjoy their history with a side of humor.
To get a taste of what’s in the book, you can visit Beaton’s website where she posts comics frequently.