The Silence of Our Friends

A New York Times-bestselling graphic novel based on the true story of two familiesone white and one blackwho find common ground as the civil rights struggle heats up in Texas. This semi-autobiographical tale is set in 1967. A white family from a notoriously racist neighborhood in the suburbs and a black family from its poorest ward cross Houstons color line overcoming humiliation degradation and violence to win the freedom of five black college students unjustly charged with the murder of a policeman. The Silence of Our Friends follows events through the point of view of young Mark Long whose father is a reporter covering the story. Semi-fictionalized this story has its roots solidly in very real events. With art from the brilliant Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole) bringing the tale to heart-wrenching life The Silence of Our Friends is a new and important entry in the body of civil rights literature. Praise for The Silence of Our Friends: "An engrossing narrative about race in America while honestly dealing with a host of other real-world issues including familial relationships friendship dependency "other"-ness and perhaps most importantly the search for common ground." Publishers Weekly "A moving evocation of a tipping point in our countrys regrettable history of race relations Long and Demonakoss story flows perfectly in Eisner and Ignatz Award winner Powells graceful and vivid yet unpretty black-and-gray wash." Library Journal "Convincingly depicts the systemic racism blatant and subtle that suffused and corroded everything during the periodPopwells imagery amplifies the effects of the books multiple perspectivesthe overwhelmed kids-eye view of uneasy family dynamics and open Texas spaces the hyperkinetic chaos on campus the cropped literalism of TV newscasts." The New York Times "Powell uses a mixture of large and small panels along with a variety of frame compositions and points of view to give the book a cinematic realism. From this intimate vantage point racist incidents are shockingly ugly while happy domestic momentsas when the kids from both families belt out "Soul Man"are unself-consciously beautiful. The youthful protagonist and graphic-novel format will plunge readers into a time that can seem very distant. Ideal as a class read absorbing for solo readers." School Library Journal "Covering a time period of societal unrest from Viet Nam to the assassination of Martin Luther King Silence uses realistic black-and-white illustrations to convey a subject that is not black and white." VOYA