Wash Day Diaries - BookWyrm

English language

Published May 31, 2022 by Chronicle Books LLC.

ISBN:: 978-1-7972-0545-8

(2 reviews)

Wash Day Diaries tells the story of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—through five connected short story comics that follow these young women through the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx.

The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters' everyday lives and how they care for each other.

Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith originally kickstarted their critically acclaimed, award-winning slice of life mini comic, Wash Day, inspired by Rowser's own wash day ritual and their shared desire to see more comics featuring the daily lived experiences of young Black women. Wash Day Diaries includes an updated, full color version of this original comic—which follows Kim, a 26-year-old …

Wash Day Diaries tells the story of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—through five connected short story comics that follow these young women through the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx.

The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters' everyday lives and how they care for each other.

Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith originally kickstarted their critically acclaimed, award-winning slice of life mini comic, Wash Day, inspired by Rowser's own wash day ritual and their shared desire to see more comics featuring the daily lived experiences of young Black women. Wash Day Diaries includes an updated, full color version of this original comic—which follows Kim, a 26-year-old woman living in the Bronx—as the book's first chapter and expands into a graphic novel with short stories about these vibrant and relatable new characters.

In expanding the story of Kim and her friends, the authors pay tribute to Black sisterhood through portraits of shared, yet deeply personal experiences of Black hair care. From self-care to spilling the tea at an hours-long salon appointment to healing family rifts, the stories are brought to life through beautifully drawn characters and different color palettes reflecting the mood in each story.

At times touching, quiet, triumphant, and laugh out loud funny, the stories of Wash Day Diaries pay a loving tribute to Black joy and the resilience of Black women.

2 editions

Tsundoku reviewed Wash Day Diaries by Robyn Smith

A good look at the lives of black women (centered around the experience of hair)

4 stars

Now if it wasn't obvious: I am NOT black. I am quite white. I may have untameable curly hair that at least a decade ago needed specialized hair stylists (my understanding at the time is that most if not all of hair school is taught on cutting pin-straight white hair). But other than needing to study how to care for my hair, I have it pretty easy. I do not need to devote as much time to good hair as these women need to. I just need to remember to No-poo and occasionally add hair lotion to my scalp.

This was a little too short for my liking, which is why I subtracted a star. It's absolutely worth reading, but things that (I at least felt) needed more time devoted to them, do not get that.

But the vignettes connect to a beautiful story of sisterhood and I recommend it …

Now if it wasn't obvious: I am NOT black. I am quite white. I may have untameable curly hair that at least a decade ago needed specialized hair stylists (my understanding at the time is that most if not all of hair school is taught on cutting pin-straight white hair). But other than needing to study how to care for my hair, I have it pretty easy. I do not need to devote as much time to good hair as these women need to. I just need to remember to No-poo and occasionally add hair lotion to my scalp.

This was a little too short for my liking, which is why I subtracted a star. It's absolutely worth reading, but things that (I at least felt) needed more time devoted to them, do not get that.

But the vignettes connect to a beautiful story of sisterhood and I recommend it whole heartedly

capypokoymal reviewed Wash Day Diaries by Robyn Smith

i am davene, but without ride-or-dies

5 stars

beside the sad title, this books is very good, although too short for its own sake (or mine at least). despite being a self-contained story with a very nice ending, i feel this characters deserves way more pages than what they've got.

davene and nisha stories in particulare are just two set-ups that never paid off (davene more than anyone). and it would be also nice to see a no-police-related response to the kim's stalker situation.

anyway, loved it, i will keep an eye out for more from these authors in the hope they will bring these stories with them. :)

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