Y: The Last Man is So Awesome

I read a lot of graphic novels, but I still haven't come across a series that sucked me in as fully and completely as Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan (well, maybe Locke & Key by Joe Hill). I read the series a few years ago. I started by checking out the first volume, brought it home, and was desperate for another volume after devouring the first in about 45 minutes. The next day I checked out every volume in the series, brought them home, and read as many as I could until sleep just couldn't be avoided. It went on like this for a few days until I finished reading the entire series and I had absolutely no idea what to do with myself.

Y: The Last Man begins with a "plague" that has wiped out all males from the face of the planet. Every mammal with a Y chromosome is dead. Turns out only one man managed to live, Yorick Brown. The series goes on to follow Yorick (or, Y) through this world Vaughan has created and Pia Guerra has expertly drawn. What does happen when all of the men are dead? How does life continue? Why did Y live through all of this, but no other male? Is there a cure? All of these questions and more are pursued as we follow Y through an intense adventure to find his girlfriend and, in the meantime, save humanity. Vaughan was a writer on the TV show "Lost", so he knows how to hook you and keep you coming back for more.

I write about Y today because I'm going to re-read it. The deluxe editions have all come out and I checked them out from the library and hope to get lost in it again. I love the feeling I describe at the beginning of this post. Becoming obsessed with a book or series so completely that you just can't think of anything else until you've finished reading is one of the reasons I read. Of course, not every book or series gives me that feeling, but it's definitely something I seek out. Recently I went through a number of books I just couldn't really get into, so maybe that's why I've turned to this series again. What books out there give you that Y feeling??

BOOKS

1,000 Comic Books You Must Read

Best Books For Children: Preschool Through Grade 6

Book Lust: Recommended Reading For Every Mood, Moment, and Reason
Nancy Pearl, librarian extraordinairre, is the woman to turn to if you're looking for a great book.

Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft (this is volume 1)
Joe Hill, Stephen King's son, writes this series and it is super-addicting! About a family that experiences a horrible tragedy and is forced to relocate to a family home that has many secrets. All of the best horror elements in one series and much of it a spin on the classic tales by H.P. Lovecraft. The Graphic Novels Book Club is meeting to discuss it on November 16th!

Now Read This III: A Guide to Mainstream Fiction
Also, from Nancy Pearl

Read This Next: 500 of the Best Books You'll Ever Read

Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads

Y: The Last Man, Book One (deluxe edition)
You can either opt for the trade paperbacks (10 volumes) or the deluxe edtions (5 volumes). Type "y last man" into the FindIt search box, select title, and you'll pull up all of the Y titles.

LIBRARY SERVICES

Facebook RA (Readers' Advisory)
On the Austin Public Library Facebook page each month we provide recommendations to anyone that comments back to us listing three titles they've read and enjoyed. Look for our comment on the 2nd Tuesday of each month and reply back to us for a quick reply with a few titles you might like.

Personal Picks
We've advertised the service before here, but it doesn't hurt to remind everyone that, if you answer a few questions for us, we can provide you with tailored recommendations based on your reading interests. We just may be able to connect you with a book you just can't put down...