I’m finally working through the books I’ve read but neglected to review, and this one comes in 11 months after. Anyone who follows Kate Beaton’s LiveJournal or her website will be glad to find her work put together in publication form. Filled with plenty of historical and literary references and figures, these comics will surely tickle your fancy. They are witty and funny, campy and coy, and can help you appear a little more knowledgeable! The illustrations are simple in black and white, giving it a rather droll appearance but are surprisingly apt to the scandalous anecdotes since it contrasts against the subject and fits in with the historical period of the content. Have a laugh, check this book or her online comic strips out.

A witty and hilarious journey through history and literary references, Hark! A Vagrant should be a companion to all History and English courses! Beaton’s observant and cheeky dialogue make for an entertaining twist to familiar stories we all grew up with. Ranging from different Sherlock scenarios to the French Revolution, the comics are, at times, shocking and funny all at once. Thankfully, Beaton includes commentary on some of the comics, as a bit of background or what kind of headspace she was in at the time. This provided a bit of insight to the comics that I weren’t too familiar with. Many of the Nancy Drew variety, Beaton tackles some several-paneled comic strip storytelling with what kind of hijinx Miss Drew was getting herself into in that particular book, solely based on the cover art. Hilarious and quite possibly one of my favourite series of comic strips in the entire book. Another notable laugh-out-loud one was about Canadians feeling Canadian on 3 occasions. Talented and hilarious, Beaton has a wry sense of humour that translates onto the page through her poignant and cheeky drawings. This, and other reviews can be found on my blog JustALilLost.com

This is a fun and funny "trip through history with an attitude". The author has created a series of comic strips that present her own slightly skewed perspective on history. It's funny and silly and quirky and it made me smile. It's a fast read and if it's a bit irreverant about historical happenings, it's really no more ridiculous than some of the actual historical events she pokes fun at.

I absolutely love this book. I can't recommend it enough. It is a must for any literary or history buff who enjoys a good laugh. Be warned,you might not want to read it in public because it is laugh out loud funny.