[.ca] My War with Brian (ISBN 1561632155)

okay but I was disappointed:
I was thrilled when I heard about this book. Being bullied in junior high I was looking forward to reading this book. But it was trying too hard. Besides the character has some friends. He really has nothing to whine about.

brilliant:
I've always been a fan of Rall's cartoons, both as an activist, and as a quasi-cartoonist myself... Unfortunately, I was too easily able to relate to Rall's situation in high school... This book is a must for PARENTS who maybe can't relate to what some kids are going through at the hands of privileged bullies.

You may be horrified that you're laughing:
This is both a tragic and a funny story. Ted's hellish grade school experiences produced scars that most of us have shadows of. Ted Rall mixes a strange hard mean exterior with a desire to point out sadness and occasional touching human contact that belies his detachment. Okay, well, some of his detachment. Anyhow, his art is interesting and the story is fascinating. My only complaint would be that it's a fairly expensive short story, but that's how all these cartoonists get so rich...

Revenge of the Cartoonist: Ted Rall explained:
Although Ted Rall "draws like he's using a Sharpie stuck in his armpit," I still have to admit his graphic novel is still very interesting despite the amateurish illustrations. Rall's recollections of his encounters with the Brian ring true to me. High school bullies can attack without rhyme or reason. They may be provoked by the appearance alone of their target. Their abuse can go on for as long as the bully cares to indulge his hatred - or until he learns their are costs to his actions. My War With Brian is an interesting novel for creating discussion on bullies; but I wouldn't recommend any of Rall's methods - though I suspect much of Rall's "revenge" isn't as sweet as he would like it to be. Off topic: having seen and read Ted Rall's political cartoons and books, I am compelled to say that if the adult Rall is anything like the boy Rall, then maybe Brian did have a reason for his actions. The ugliness of Rall's personality as expressed in his cartoons, tv appearances, and books is disgusting. So much so, that if I could go back in time, I might hold Brian's jacket while he pummelled Rall - and I fought bullies! Rall states that Brian "made me what I am today" so in that sense, if you want to know who made the monster that Ted Rall is today - and I've rarely met an uglier one - read My War With Brian. Maybe Rall was paying in advance for the "sins" of his adult life. Read the book.

Great book on bullying:
What if a school bully COULDN'T be avoided, and COULDN'T be stopped with adult intervention, although he was regularly severely beating you? This happened to young Ted Rall, who took the logical next step and tried to murder his tormenter. Follow the bizarre but true story in this captivating book. While this book is valuable for the story itself, it would be especially helpful for parents wishing to understand the world of adolescents, and for adolescents to understand the world of bullying -- perhaps a springboard for discussion with parents. There are definitely mature themes in this book, so don't just hand it to a young child. To follow up on Ted Rall today, check out his opinion columns in Yahoo News Op/Ed, and his fascinating books such as _To Afghanistan and Back: A Graphic Travelogue_.