Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

Bechdel, Alison. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. Print. ISBN 978-0-618-47794-4. Hardback. $19.95 USD.

Available Formats: Paperback, hardcover, eBook. 

Annotation: Author Alison Bechdel details her unique childhood and young adult life using the graphic novel format. After coming out as a lesbian to her parents,  Alison learns of the dark secrets they kept from her for years.

Book Review:
To say Alison Bechdel has a less than conventional childhood would be an understatement. Her father, Bruce Bechdel, is an English teacher, historic preservationist and funeral home director. As a result of her father's multi-occupational life, Alison is expected to care for a home that she equates to a museum and undertake responsibilities in the funeral home; or the “fun” home as she coined it. Alison’s mother Helen, also an English teacher, is an aspiring actress who has little time for her children due to her acting schedule and impending Masters thesis. These circumstances are certainly unusual. Yet there are deeper, abstruse elements to the Bechdels. Though suspect to the mysteries in her family as an adolescent, Alison finally learns of these profound revelations after she tells her parents she is a lesbian. From the disclosure of her own secret comes a chain of shocking facts and events that turn Alison’s world upside-down.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic puts a spin on the classic autobiography. Utilizing comic book style text and images, Bechdel recounts her childhood; specifically memories of her father. This format enables the book to stand out from other autobiographies. Throughout the text, Bechdel draws parallels between events in her life and well-known literature. For instance, Alison likens her father to famous characters in The Great Gatsby and Ulysses. Although these are clever comparisons for avid readers of classic novels, they may be too complex for the young adult population. Moreover, Bechdel utilizes lengthy, intricate words throughout the book. This vocabulary may be too difficult for adolescents.  Nevertheless, the book has several admirable qualities. Foremost, Alison is true to herself. She realizes who she is from a young age and is unapologetic about her lifestyle. Additionally, there are humorous and quirky aspects to the book, even though the family secrets are dark. Therefore, I would recommend this read for teenagers ages 16 and up, based on the complexity of the story and vocabulary. This book would be best suited for a young adult, or adult, collection within a public library. 

Awards and Honors:
ALA Stonewall Book Award- Israel Fishman Non-Fiction
Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work
GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book
Publishing Triangle Awards  

(Image courtesy of BCLS)

Hear author Alison Bechdel read an excerpt from the book in the video below!

Additional Author Information:

To visit the author's website click here!

Follow Alison Bechdel on Twitter  @AlisonBechdel.