DNF. It’s been years since I couldn’t finish a book; I made it about halfway before I gave up. I thought it was extremely wordy and kind of preachy. But what bothered me the most was the complete disharmony between the text and the illustrations. There were many times when a complex idea could have been explained in the illustration and it wasn’t. I’m guessing a lot of the original text was kept (I haven’t read the original book). One of the appeals of turning a book into a graphic novel is cutting the text way down and filling it with drawings to illustrate the concepts. This book didn’t do the job.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Kind of a cool adult graphic novel told through Dan Rather's life.

To be honest, i don’t think I am the type of person who could ever sit down and read a standard Dan Rather book cover to cover. It’s not Dan, it’s me. I could listen to him all day long, and I love him on Twitter, but he does not usually write the type of books that keep me interested. That is until his work What Unites us was give the graphic novel treatment. Hats off to the illustrators because they did an amazing job. It was almost like watching Dan on TV telling his tales. This book was approachable, thought out and extremely well done. Every library should have a copy for the civics lessons many kids are not learning in school.

I am a huge fan of the World Citizen Comics series thus far, and I was eager to read this third volume. I will admit, other than watching Dan Rather on the news, I know very little about him, so I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy his book - but I think it fits perfectly with the rest of the series, and I appreciate the anecdotes about his life, and how they fit in with the modern political climate.

I especially loves the red and blue panels that continue throughout - even when not specifically talking about GOP vs Democrats, that shift between red vs blue in each panel (or sometimes over several panels), keeps the theme going, and gives it a more cohesive look... Plus, just seems to add a little something, which I appreciate.

I haven't yet read Dan Rather's book "What Unites Us," but this graphic novel version makes me want to read it. In this condensed version, Rather touches on many subjects we are currently grappling with, such as political division, voter suppression, immigration, and more, with a nostalgic eye toward the past feelings of the greatness of our country, and a sober look at our faults. The simple art (it's not flashy- no dynamic action scenes here) goes well with the text, I think, illustrating it in a quiet but effective way.
In looking at other people's reviews for this book, some felt Rather's tone was preachy; I did not. The tone feels conversational to me, that of a storyteller, and feels hopeful. Some reviewers found a left-leaning bias, but it seemed pretty balanced to me- he called out Democrats as well as Republicans, and acknowledged good, decent acts along with not-so-good, downright reprehensible things politicians have done over the years, some of them being the same people (looking at you, Reagan).
I quite enjoyed this graphic novel, and as I said before, it made me interested in reading the book that it's based on. We need to take a look at our country, see what is not working, and fix it. Acknowledge our mistakes, and work toward a better future. Maybe Mr. Rather can inspire us to do so.

#WhatUnitesUsTheGraphicNovel #NetGalley

What Unites Us is a timely polemic from the veteran journalist. Dan Rather is as always highly eloquent and these graphic essays do a superb job of articulating his arguments about the values that he believes binds the citizens of the United States together. Often using moments from his life and career to demonstrate the point that he is making the essays touch on democracy, equality, and the environment. Rather is blunt about the challenges facing America and is clear about the fact that he does not have all the answers.

The novel often harkens back to a past imperfect with both a sweet sentimentality and a willingness to reassess often scathingly at the way things were.

Foley’s palette uses a mixture of blues and reds. He mixes these hues innovatively to punctuate a particular image or to evoke iconic moments like Obama’s hope posters. Which I think is apt as hope for a better future is something that permeates through much of Rather’s writing. He is keen on demonstrating how much progress has been made and that we should see this as an example of the progress we can make in the future. Foley does some clever stuff here, there is a lot of text in the book but it never overshadows the gorgeous illustrations.

The images that really remained with me were the sections about Martin Luther King and his criticism and praise of journalism's role in the Iraq war.

Having not read the prose it’s difficult for me to gauge how faithful this adaptation is. However, on its own merits, this is a graphic novel well worth reading regardless of where you stand politically. Folley breathes new life into Ratner’s words which is a splendid achievement.

This is my second book from the World Citizen Comics and I find that they do great work translating nonfiction books into graphic novels. I had read and loved Dan Rather's What Unites Us and was pleased with the marriage of the original text and these illustrations.

Dan Rather has always been an fascinating figure for me. What enthralled me about this graphic memoir: its length, it's content and its inclusion of Dan Rather within its pages.
Length: This graphic novel was substantial. Usually I can knock out a graphic novel in one happy sitting, but this one took me several days of reading/sometimes rereading to digest. The structure was unique too. It flowed between graphic representations of the essays Rather has written and his own his/history he lived through. Some sections had one word titles to connect them, others were connected by emotions. Regardless, this is not a one sitting graphic novel. It requires a few sittings to read and ponder its words.
Content: Dan Rather certainly has lived through revolutionary times. I thought it was beautiful to watch him grow up alongside progress in the United States. Rather seemed to be at all the major historic events and connected to all the major players. This is to be expected as a renown journalist, but it was still neat to see history unfold along side Rather's major life events. I feel like I watched Rather grow up in the context of history.
Dan Rather had almost a cameo role in his own graphic novel. The newcaster can be found wandering the pages of his own story. I found this to be unique and inspired. Rather would inject himself at points of major reflection in his life and in his story. So we saw the character of Dan Rather and the older/wiser Dan Rather commenting on his own actions and the actions he witnessed in history. I haven't seen that done before outside of comics, so I appreciated its effect on the novel.
Overall, this graphic novel comments on American values, history and even contains Rather's views on America's future.

Dan Rather's original prose book, What Unites Us, is a collection of essays, musings and observations with lots of autobiographical details, about American history and political climate. This graphic novel adapts many of the essays from the prose version. The historical events are not told in any sort of chronological order. Instead, Rather uses his perspective on key historical moments to illustrate bigger ideologies; things like "courage", or "patriotism." Rather attempts to explain what is special about America, what brings us together as a nation, but also what has worked to separate us, especially partisan bickering and political turmoil.

There is a lot of text in this book. Not having read the original prose book, I'm not entirely sure how much was edited from the original essays, if anything. There may be fewer chapters or ideologies discussed, but this adaptation strives to include much of the original work, and that can be overwhelming at times. The book is also quite long, so this is definitely more suited to readers with some stamina. Rather presents his views in a factual manner, but his left-leaning bias is present in many of the retellings of the past, especially when it comes to Republican lawmakers. The bias is subtle, but important to note. Taking these things into account, this was a fascinating examination of American history from World War II to present. Having limited education on post-Vietnam America, I always appreciate anything that can offer perspective on American History from 1970s-present. Rather was a trusted name in news media for so long, and this gave him access to some of the most important events of our history. His perspective and retelling of American history is interesting and thorough. Rather has some really poignant lessons for us all about what it means to be an American.

The color palette is exclusively red, white, blue, and black, right up until the last two pages, where Rather walks away across an American Flag into a purple "sunset". Instead of clashing as Red and Blue tend to do often, Foley expertly mixes the two in some really beautiful ways.

For the age rating for this title, I have chosen upper high school grades, not because there is any content within the pages that would be too graphic for younger audiences, but that I think the concepts in this book are more elevated and would partner well with a US History or Government class in the ways it discusses American History and the American Experience.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 11-12

This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley. This graphic novel will be on sale March 9, 2021.

The decision to issue this graphic novel version of Dan Rather’s like-titled essay collection was a good one, I think. Mr. Rather’s steady and balanced voice provides a worthwhile viewpoint in a reading format accessible to a younger age group and demographic.

I previously read the essay text version, and I find this format a worthy companion text.

I requested a free ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of the book.

What Unites Us is a much quicker read than previous entries into the World Citizen Comics series. Most of that is because it reads like a conversation with Dan Rather as opposed to an informational book, even though it is still packed with information. I really enjoyed the use of a simple black, white, red, and blue palette throughout. It was used quite nicely to show differences between political parties. While I didn't agree with everything Rather says in the book, it is an excellent addition to any library collection!

Compared to the essay version of What Unites Us, the version's illustrations help readers visualize what Rather writes about. However, the images sometimes didn't fully convey what I remember in the full version of What Unites Us, and they sometimes distracted from Rather's message. Overall, this is a good introduction to What Unites Us for people who are not sure they want to read a series of essays.

Title: What Unites Us
Author: Dan Rather
Genre: Memoir, Graphic Novel
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 3/9/2021

What Unites Us is a graphic novel adaptation of Dan Rather’s memoir. Rather is a journalist who began his career in the early 1960s and covered the Civil Rights Era, the Vietnam War, the AIDS crisis, the Iraq War as well as many more important events in modern history. The focus of his memoir is to discuss his life experience in relation to what he believes unites us. This is a bit of a spin on the traditional focus on what is dividing us. The graphic novel also covers many values that Dan Rather believes are shared regardless of a political party such as love of innovation. He also identifies characteristics he believes are key to our identity such as audacity. The graphic novel concludes with an afterword written after the 2020 US election.

What I loved:
•I loved Rather’s explanation of the difference between patriotism and nationalism and it deeply resonated with me. I’m often deeply critical of our country but because I want us to improve and right our wrongs. “It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with “nationalism.” As I define it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in a position of moral and cultural supremacy over others. Patriotism, while deeply personal, is a dialogue with your fellow citizens, and a larger world, about not only what you love about your country but also how it can be improved.”
•I loved his discussion of the importance of dissent.
•I really appreciated his humility about what he wishes he would have done differently as a journalist particularly around the AIDS crisis and the Iraq War.
•The color palette for this graphic novel is red, white, and blue. It is done in such a visually striking way. You would think it would be corny, but it works well.
•The illustrations embody the voice of the graphic novel. They just “fit.”

What I did not like:
•I felt like the graphic novel was trying to capture everything in the memoir. I would have liked it to focus on one part of the memoir and do it in more depth throughout the novels.
•Rather discusses the subjugation of Native Americans several times but never delves into it. I would have liked more thoughtful coverage of that like some of the other important issues.
•While he offers a great amount of humility about the Iraq War, he does not really delve beyond a surface level into what journalists got wrong and what the consequences were.
•At times, I felt like the graphic novel was very text-heavy and could have relied more on the illustrations to communicate the message.

Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel. Dan Rather introduces an interesting framework at looking at what we have in common instead of what divides us as well as a compelling exploration of patriotism and dissent.

ARC provided to me by First Second Books, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.

#WhatUnitesUsTheGraphicNovel #NetGalley

Dan Rather’s essays have a lot of important and valuable ideas, but I am not sure this is the best vehicle for them. The illustrations add something to them, absolutely, but they also cause the essays to stretch out in a way that made me struggle to stick with it, no matter how interesting Rather’s insights were.

What Unites Us, A Graphic Novel written by Dan Rather, Elliott Kirschner, illustrated by Tim Foley

PUB DATE: March 9, 2021

This is the stunning graphic novel adaptation of "What Unites Us”, is a collection of essays by legendary news anchor Dan Rather. Rather explores what it means to be a true patriot and provides the basic facets that unites us as a country. The graphics are simple yet just perfect to paint the picture of history for readers.

First & foremost, what is patriotism? Don’t confuse it with nationalism. “Patriotism is rooted in humility. Nationalism is rooted in arrogance.” Rather explains patriotism is a dialogue with your fellow citizens about what you love about your country but also how it can be improved. It is important we are must break down the problems of society, the government and be active instead of passive in our citizenry.
He goes through the United States History and mentions Abraham Lincoln, MLK Jr’s speeches, as well as some hard-hitting times that America has gone through & sometimes because due to your own arrogance such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, Challenger Explosion (shuttle), JFK & MLK Jr.’s assassinations as well as inspiring events in history.

This would be a great graphic novel for a middle grader/young adult and someone like me! I love a quick lesson in civics. In the end, I felt encouraged to continue to be less passive, more active and most importantly the power of the vote. We must work against gerrymandering as it undercuts and silences voters.

“Patriotism would require standing up to what I had seen – not standing alongside it in silence”.

Inspiring. An easy read in the sense that it’s visually pleasing and Mr. Rather’s voice is accessible. I feel hope having read this book.

Also, I love that it’s a graphic novel, which makes this sort of commentary on the recent political environment more accessible beyond its potentially dry print format.

Thank to to NetGallety and First Second for this ARC in return for an honest review. As a librarian, I would purchase this for American MS/HS classrooms and libraries.

I enjoy graphic novel adaptations of non-fiction books because, at best, it summarizes the main points of the book, often making it more accessible and entertaining. Unfortunately, that is not the case with "What Unites Us." Since I have not read the source material, I don't know if I would enjoy it more. Based on my experience reading this, I am hesitant to begin the original.
This adaptation was difficult to read. Even though it hit on many historical moments, I found it very boring. I didn't find the author relatable, and while I agreed with some of the points the author made, he didn't make many unique arguments. His points have been made before and in a way that is more enjoyable to digest.
I am sure there is an audience for this book. I recommend it to fans of the author and people that have been meaning to read the original.

Will DEFINITELY be purchasing for my library!
Thank you so much, NetGalley and publisher, for this excellent review copy! I have liked others in this series but this one is the best. It might actually have helped fill in some of the disappointment and disillusionment I felt after the terrible events of Jan 6 2021. This is a stellar example of good content and good visual presentation and I am just delighted with it. I don't even know how many times I teared up, and I too want to take back the word "patriotism." Highly recommended.

Dan Rather has created a brilliant novel that is accessible to all ages. The graphic novel story intertwines his plea for civic action with memories of his childhood that drive home the need to participate in democracy. He defines faults in our systems and how a democracy needs its citizens to dissent in order for positive change to occur. He addresses times in history where the media (and himself) did not do their part and the downfalls that occurred afterwards. This is a lesson in what it means to be an American, while embracing the faults and dissenting for change.

**I received an ARC from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read the actual book but the graphic novel was really good. It's an interesting read.