In his graphic novel, Market Day (Drawn & Quarterly), James Sturm illustrates a day in the life of Mendleman, a rug weaver who struggles to sell his quality wares in a marketplace that no longer needs such handcrafted goods. Set in an early 20th century eastern European shtetl, the story of Mendleman’s uncertain fate, with a pregnant wife waiting at home, resonates in our angst-ridden times of economic downturn and deprivation. Sturm is the author of The Golem’s Mighty Swing and edits a series of graphic novels about the lives of famous Americans. — M.S.
