Reading order#
| # |
Title |
Published |
Author |
Buy on Amazon |
| 1 |
The Secret to Superhuman Strength |
2021 |
Alison Bechdel |
Buy |
The Secret to Superhuman Strength (2021) is Alison Bechdel’s third major graphic memoir. Rather than focusing on a single family relationship, this book traces her decades-long obsession with physical fitness, from childhood calisthenics to adult cycling, skiing, and yoga.
Each chapter pairs a fitness phase with a philosophical or literary figure, including Jack Kerouac, the Romantics, and various meditation teachers. Bechdel uses these connections to ask why she has always pushed her body so hard and what she has been looking for. The book is drawn in color, a departure from the black-and-white art of her earlier memoirs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books are in the Secret to Superhuman Strength series?
There are one books in the Secret to Superhuman Strength series, published in 2021.
What is the first book in the Secret to Superhuman Strength series?
The first book in the Secret to Superhuman Strength series is The Secret to Superhuman Strength, published in 2021.
How does The Secret to Superhuman Strength differ from Fun Home?
While Fun Home focused on family and identity, The Secret to Superhuman Strength (2021) uses Bechdel’s history with exercise and fitness as a framework to explore philosophy, aging, and the desire for self-transcendence. It covers decades of her life through different fitness obsessions, from running to yoga to cross-country skiing.