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Schulz and Peanuts
David Michaelis
#UB8092
Hardcover, 655 pages; 2007
$27.96
Much has been written about the characterization of Charles Schulz in David Michaelis's new biography: Schulz's family is upset, fans are disappointed. It's not so much that Schulz comes across as bad in any particular way, but rather as, well, unlikable—in stark contrast to the almost universal appeal of his characters. David Michaelis has written an immensely readable biography—a good thing in a book that's over 600 pages long. We get to know Schulz's parents, his friends, wives, lovers, and children. We see the development of his art and his characters. Excerpts from Peanuts are interspersed throughout the text, illustrating the strip's evolution over the years and its connection to what was happening in Schulz's life. The book is true to its title: it's a biography of both the man and the comic strip he created. It's also a focused portrait of the mid-to-late twentieth century: Michaelis makes clear how integral Peanuts was to the character of those decades.
(EE)
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