8. Bluffton: My Summer with Buster Keaton. 2013. Candlewick Press. 240 pages. [Source: Library, 5 stars, graphic novel, historical fiction]
First sentence: Life in Muskegon, Michigan, was quiet. Ordinary.
Premise/plot: Bluffton is a graphic novel with a historical setting (1908-1910?). The
book focuses on the summer vacations of a young Buster Keaton. These
special summer days are told not from his point of view, however, but
from a local boy named Henry Harrison who absolutely idolizes the show
people.
Henry Harrison is thrilled when a troupe of vaudeville performers
settles down to summer near Muskegon, Michigan. There are boys his own
age among the troupe. One of these boys is Buster Keaton. Henry had not
heard of Buster before, but he becomes mesmerized by his new friend.
Buster? Well, he enjoys clowning around and making the local folk laugh
now and then, but, mainly he wants to play ball. He wants to play, have
fun, relax. He's shown as wanting to pack a whole summer into each and
every day. I got the impression that Henry didn't really see things
clearly; he saw what he wanted to see: the glamor, the wow.
The story of several summers (and winters) are told through art and
dialogue. An epilogue informs readers of Buster Keaton's transition from
stage to film.
My thoughts: I first read Bluffton in 2013 (and rated it three stars). At the time I had never seen a single silent movie. I was unfamiliar with the subject--vaudeville, silent movies, etc. It was "just" a book about boys playing baseball. Now that I've fallen deep, deep, deep, deep into all things Buster Keaton, I have a new appreciation for this fictional graphic novel. I do think most of my review stands true. I think I read it "right." However, I now have a stronger appreciation for the story.
For example, having no familiarity with "The Great Stone Face" I didn't really appreciate the illustrations. I didn't have a likeness to which to compare the illustrations. Now I do and this one works.
I would DEFINITELY recommend reading this one AND diving into Buster Keaton's films--short and feature. At the very, very, very least seek out compilations of Buster's work.
The movie I would recommend for pairing with this one is COLLEGE which has a sporty theme.
© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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