Ginseng Roots

Praise

“Returning to Craig’s roots in rural Wisconsin, Ginseng Roots is part systems exploration, part cultural history — but most uniquely, it is an exercise in journalistic listening as an act of devotion. Even as Craig painfully questions his upbringing and his own beliefs about work, he expresses a hope for healing and an ultimate acceptance of imperfection and grace.”
—Thi Bui, author of The Best We Could Do

“Craig Thompson’s sometimes aching reflection on his roots in the soil and culture of rural Wisconsin is also a tender love letter to ginseng and to the diverse, compelling, and often quirky people who struggle to make it grow. A sweeping story, gorgeously drawn and beautifully told — this is Craig Thompson’s masterpiece.”
—Joe Sacco, author of Palestine and Paying the Land

“Poignant and memorable . . . a spectacular and inspired graphic memoir that traces the many threads of a remarkable root.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“[Thompson’s] signature style . . . remains as affecting as ever, creating another painstakingly multilayered title to add to shelves everywhere, including (hopefully) again, in his parents’ home.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“As Thompson roves from the Wisconsin Ginseng Festival to a Korean wholesale auction and wild ginseng boutiques in China, his supple, brushy ink lines render the scenes in poignant detail. A feat of generous observation, this stands with Thompson’s very best work.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A visually rich, emotionally resonant work of true ambition and sophistication from one of the most sensitive storytellers currently working in any medium or genre.”
—Library Journal