John Porcellino is one of my favorite cartoonists, and a kindred soul in many respects. I read this book in a couple of afternoons, while holed up in the only air-conditioned room in the house. I had previously read many of the stories collected here, but it was a different and more meaningful experience to read them straight through. This particular era of King-Cat (1996-2002) contains some of John's most poignant stories, as these issues were produced during a period of time when there was a lot of turmoil in his life. A real treat in this volume comes at the end, where John provides notes on some of the stories, as well as excerpts from his journals. This is a rare opportunity for readers to glimpse a few snatches of John's rich inner life outside the formal parameters of his published work, and to gain a bit of insight into where and how King-Cat stories originate. Highly recommended! ( )

Aptly named, Map of My Heart is a window into the life and essence of John Porcellino. At times I felt like I must be intruding, for him to share things so personal with me... yet I am stuck with the fact that most of the details are left unsaid and un-drawn. Each issue in this collection of self published zines is a mess of simply drawn comics detailing equally simple events, letters from readers that tell stories with no apparent poignancy, short notes from John and little lists of things that inspire him. I think the brilliance of this work is the lack of meaning, lesson and direction. It's not that it doesn't exist, it's that it becomes the reader's responsibly to supply those things. In a way that is always the case with anything we read, watch, or listen to... Map of My heart just is honest about that fact. ( )

What a sweet and honest book! I love the little breaks to discuss the woodchuck, pillbug etc. ( )

Última graphic novel do autor famoso pelos minicomics autobiográficos.