Monk!

November 1, 2018

While most readers are likely familiar with at least the name Thelonious Monk (1917{amp}ndash;82), if not his music and biography, few have probably heard of Baroness Kathleen Annie Pannonica de Koenigswarter (1913{amp}ndash;88), scion of the Rothschild family and fortune and loyal patron of the arts. This new dual biography by writer/illustrator Daoudi (Tripoli) aims to correct that. It opens in 1982, with the aging, ailing Monk several years into self-imposed exile in Pannonica's home, before flashing back to explore their first meeting in 1954 and the ensuing decades of enduring friendship. Daoudi's brilliant illustrations capably present the pristine, sprawling estates of Pannonica's youth on one page and the crackling energy and claustrophobic intensity of New York jazz clubs on the next, especially shining in scenes depicting Monk on stage, forever caught between expressions of joyous inspiration and madness. VERDICT Exploring issues of class, race, and social status, Daoudi thankfully avoids a trite moral about music transcending cultural divisions and instead focuses on two extraordinary individuals and the bond between them.{amp}mdash;TB

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The hiss of cymbals. The vibration of a trumpet. The clickety clack of piano keys. Teens will hear music the moment they begin this graphic novel on jazz great Thelonious Monk and his friendship with writer and jazz patron Pannonica de Koenigswarter, a Rothschild heiress who chafed at the restrictions placed on her by her family and society. Daoudi covers Monk's struggles with mental illness and his shattering of barriers for musicians of color. More than anything else, though, the artist's skill and passion shine here. The panel layout forces readers to stay focused, and the artwork is beautiful, with colors that are somehow at once vibrant and muted. The author's choice of words is careful, immersing readers in Monk's life and times. VERDICT A thorough and superb biography, for most nonfiction collections.-Mariela Siegert, Westfield Middle School, Bloomingdale, IL

Starred review from October 15, 2018
Jazz maestro Thelonious Monk was not an easy man to get along with. Brilliant, demanding, and struggling with bipolar disorder, he often alienated those around him. But Pannonica Nica de Koenigswarter, born into the Rothschild family and a baroness by marriage, found in Monk a true kindred spirit, and their deep friendship, based on mutual respect and admiration, lasted until his death in 1982. This highly expressive graphic novel pays tribute to that frequently misunderstood friendship, the role the Baroness of Bebop played in New York's vibrant jazz scene in the 1950's and '60's, and how her patronage allowed Monk to focus exclusively on his art. Mirroring the music of its subject, Daoudi's loose, skittery artwork bursts with energy; the pen-and-ink drawings, black-and-white with expansive greenish gold tones, hold a vibrating tension in their lines. With the book's explosive figures, wailing horns, and fingers pounding keyboards, readers can almost hear the music pouring from its pages. Daoudi weaves conversations, memories, and dreamlike sequences together using a variety of panel sizes, perspectives, and visual shorthand to create a lively and exciting biography that is as dynamic and complex as its subjects. Captivating graphic nonfiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)