Nicole Georges' memoir in comic strip format is sweetly endearing. In
Calling Dr. Laura, Georges portrays her younger lesbian self in search of the truth about her father -- a man who had supposedly died when she was a baby. Along the way, she negotiates relationship minefields with her unpredictable mother and her surly girlfriend.
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Georges' blended lesbian household includes an assortment of chickens
(kept outdoors, unless injured) and five dogs (sharing the bed here). |
I learned new words from the cover of the book: 'zinester' (someone who creates zines), 'Portlandy' (of Portland) and 'femme gay' (a lesbian femme). These words aren't in the text, by the way. They are used by others to describe Georges, a lovable and multi-talented artist with retro sensibilities.
Fans of poultry will appreciate the details in the panels that include chickens. I smiled to see a speech balloon containing a small heart and an exclamation point: a chicken's response to being fed.
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Interior scenes give a lovely sense of Georges' home.
Lots of black ink in the illustrations helps to set apart the later time frame from the earlier one. |
Georges describes the time she used baked goods to lure a romantic interest into her home. "Chocolate peanut butter cups were a really popular item during this time, as they were the only fail-proof recipe in the vegan cookbook my Portland friends all owned. The book was from Canada, and had somehow gone awry in the conversion from metric. As a result, 'cookie bars' were hockey pucks, and brownies like biscuits. The peanut butter cups were a stroke of luck, delicious and unscathed." (The cookbook isn't named, but my guess is that it's likely
How It All Vegan, by the tattooed, vintage-attired Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer.)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWVjKWrR3L8eS0DDYnqRA2WN1mqFJfRD7weysjG8dOJtqLWb2yXji1UnF0C49-yxay-QXfM4uBATsgKa1jcg7PPBqgMLVVpulGLro8RnONzSsKwmtwwJLG6OQJaeCJOr5hAqJv85rIBg/s320/nicole+george's+sister+comes+out+in+calling+dr+laura.jpg) |
Flashbacks to Georges' childhood are done in a different, less realistic style with lots of white.
Nicole's much older sister is also a lesbian. |
Georges' sister Liz did not have a good experience coming out to their mother. "'The verbal beating of my life,' as Liz recalls it. Liz and Mom stopped speaking shortly thereafter. I didn't imagine my coming out would go any better, and so... I didn't tell my mom." Secrets always make life difficult, however, and Georges eventually figures out how to deal with them.
Calling Dr. Laura is a heartfelt, funny and charming memoir.
Readalikes:
Fun Home (Alison Bechdel);
Likewise (Ariel Schrag);
The Floundering Time (Katy Weselcouch);
The Imposter's Daughter (Laurie Sandell); and
Drinking at the Movies (Julia Wertz).
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