My Picture Diary

"Comics publisher Drawn & Quarterly has just reprinted My Picture Diary, a 1981 collection of simple illustrations and diary entries by the late Japanese artist Fujiwara Maki. Her drawings capture daily life with her young son, Shosuke, and her husband, acclaimed manga author Tsuge Yoshiharu. Although she bears the brunt of the housework and child rearing – with little help from her moody husband – the ever-resilient Maki finds joy where she can. In one scene, she throws a cookie party for Shosuke on a cold winter’s day; in another, she takes herself out to a movie. It’s a charming and at times heartbreaking read."