Trashed was published in 2012. It is a funny graphic memoir of Derf Backderf's time working as a garbage man. Backderf shows us the culture of working with trash in a comedic way. He tells us how he felt coming into contact with wet garbage bags that leaked onto his clothes and shoes. This was usually something with maggots or human waste. Yuck! Sometimes it was a dead body and no, the bodies were not reported to the police. It only took Backderf a week to become blase about these working conditions. He also wrote about having nicknames for customers who had unique garbage. They were cutting remarks and I know I will make sure my garbage is tightly contained in bags and not too heavy for the garbage men to lift. I don't want to be called any names.

The novel was more than entertainment. We learn the parts of the garbage truck as well as some facts about recycling and landfills. The garbage collectors are, in general, pro-environment. It was interesting that the design of the garbage truck has not changed in a hundred years. You would think that modern science could improve the design.

Trashed was an enjoyable read with plenty of laughs. Check it out. ( )

A humorous, insightful contemporary history of refuse from the views of a small town trash collector. Contains information on the trash industry and shocking, because not publicized, methods of disposal and lack of recycling in the USA. Recommend for high school age and up, mature language.

Derf (John) Backderf has written a graphic novel about trash and its collection. It is a combination of personal experiences when he briefly collected trash (in 1980) and a fairly well researched compendium of facts about trash, recycling, landfill, and a problem that will likely never be solved. It is comic in parts and stone cold serious in others. Overall I liked it: 3.5 stars. ( )

a lot of good facts but debasing references to women and mulching not being "white man's work" left me uneasy. I know that there's a lot of sexism and racism in small towns. I live in one. It still felt like it was deemed "ok" to do that in this book but don't be a Nazi. I just get so sick of this crap. It's not ok and we need to be clear about that. the garbage facts were interesting and the art well done. the story is disjointed between fact and fiction. ( )

The illustrations are fantastic. The story gives a detailed perspective into the work (and home) lives of people doing garbage collection and other municipal work. Featuring a believable set of comic characters and lots of small moments. But ultimately not much of a story. ( )