We met up at the Brooklyn Book Festival last fall, and Knisley told me about about her writing process and how she makes words and art come together in her books. Knisley’s robust and touching memoir about food and family makes a case for that popularity.

Next came Relish, which Alison Bechdel praised as drawings that “don’t just tell great stories, they’re a crystal-clear how-to guide to everything worth doing in the kitchen. Step aside, Joy of Cooking.” Knisley’s third graphic novel, due out this year, details her adolescent struggles and journey to find her place in the world.īoth graphic novels and periodical comics have enjoyed a bump in popularity in the last year, according to industry observers. Her first book, French Milk, which Slate called “keenly observed,” documents her experience living and eating with her mother in Paris. After college, she funneled her passions into several graphic novels that have garnered attention. The 28-year-old said she has always been drawn to multiple artistic pursuits – visual arts, sewing and, of course, writing. Her mother was a caterer and her father a foodie, so Knisley was born into a deep appreciation and fascination for food.

Knisley’s childhood was spent dashing in and out of kitchens, tasting fresh morels, tomatillos, shiokara (fermented squid guts) and briny oysters. Her latest work, Relish, tells the story of an upbringing immersed in the food industry and how that shaped her personal and professional life. Graphic novelist Lucy Knisley has food in her blood.

Relish graphic novel