Scenes From a Marriage: The Rise and Fall of a 30-Year Relationship

From Michael Rabagliati's Semi-Autobiographical Graphic Novel Paul at Home

Michael Rabagliati November 17, 2020

Paul at Home is Michel Rabagliati’s most personal book yet, exploring aging, alienation, and how our roles as parents and children change over a lifetime. This excerpt shows Paul after a visit with his ailing mother, returning to to his empty home, which has been left bare after a life-altering divorce.

Characterized by both a deep insight and a willingness to poke fun at life’s shortcomings (as well as life’s aggressive neighbors), Paul at Home is a playful and poetic rumination on loss and the sometimes unsettling changes that come with middle age.

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From Paul at Home. Copyright Michel Rabagliati, translation copyright Helge Dascher. Images courtesy Drawn & Quarterly.

Michael Rabagliati

Michel Rabagliati was born in 1961 in Montreal. Since 1999, he has become a key figure in Quebec and beyond for his graphic novels starring the titular character Paul against the backdrop of Montreal. His sixth book in the series, Paul à Québec, earned the Prix du Public at the Angoulême International Comics Festival and was also made into a feature film. Translated into six languages, Rabagliati’s comics have won two Doug Wright Awards for Best Book and a Harvey Award. In 2017, Rabagliati was made a Compagnon des arts et des lettres du Québec, a distinction awarded in recognition of his contributions to the vitality and influence of Quebec culture.