The AAUGH blog

*SEPTEMBER COMES EARLY!
*COUPONS! COUPONS!
*PEANUTS ART BOOK COVER
*NEW UPCOMING BOOK PAGE
*MUSEUM EDITION OF HAPPINESS
*INFO: IT’S A BIG WORLD, CB
*PEANUTS BOOK FIND: WHITE KNIGHT EDITIONS
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SEPTEMBER COMES EARLY!
All those Peanuts books that were due to start shipping in September have already started shipping! So if you’re one of those people who likes to wait until a book actually exists before you order it, now’s the time:
IT’S A BIG WORLD, CHARLIE BROWN — All the strips from 1997 reprinted in color: http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0345442709 IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN — a *new* adaptation of the classic Halloween TV special: http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?068984607X FRIENDS FOREVER, SNOOPY — a kids storybook http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0689845979 KICK THE FOOTBALL, CHARLIE BROWN — another kids storybook http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0689845944
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COUPONS! COUPONS!
These are coupons you can use when checking out…
they’re good for anything in the main AAUGH.com store (not the UK store, but dadgummit, no one seems to shop the UK store!) and for anything else you add to your shopping cart once you reach Amazon (except auction and zshop merchandise). Unfortunetely, I don’t know when these two expire:
Coupon code AMZNENTRW535 gets you $5 off a $35 purchase Coupon code DSCVRBACKSCH gets you $10 off a $65 purchase
For you bigger spenders, here’s a coupon that expires Sept 31: Coupon code AMZNAMEXBMVD gets you $15 off a $100 purchase
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PEANUTS ART BOOK COVER
If you want a look at the cover of the new Peanuts art book that I’ve been pushing so hard, you can find it on the right side of http://AAUGH.com
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NEW UPCOMING BOOK PAGE
With all the new Peanuts books that are on their way, I was losing track of them all. So I’ve added a new page to the shopping catalog, listing just the not-yet-released books, with links for those that can already be preordered. Check out: http://AAUGH.com/upcoming.htm
…for listings of a dozen future books!
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INFO: IT’S A BIG WORLD, CB
After posting the last newsletter, I realized that there was a major question about the new collection of 1997 strips that I hadn’t answered. After all, 1997 was the year that Schulz took some time off while newspapers ran reprints of earlier strips. Does the book include these strips? Yes it does! Every strip that ran in 1997 (plus two that ran in 1996) is in this book. You can recognize the reprinted-in-1997 strips because they include the year "97" in the handwritten date, and they have their original publication date on the copyright information strip.

To order this book, go to: http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0345442709
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MUSEUM EDITION OF HAPPINESS
(Time to talk about another book that I can’t offer through AAUGH.com — sigh!)

Some of the fine folks at the Peanuts Collector Club put together the authorized book 50 YEARS OF HAPPINESS: A TRIBUTE TO CHARLES M. SCHULZ. This hardcover volume has lots of interesting reference, trivia, and tributes.

The bad news is that the second printing is almost gone, and it will be the last printing of this book the PCC will do. The 4,000 copies they’ve printed are all they will put out.

The good news is that the book will be put back in print — the Charles M. Schulz museum is putting together their own edition of the book, with a new introduction. When the museum opens next spring, they’ll have 5,000 copies printed and ready to sell. But if you want the PCC edition, or you just don’t want to wait until spring, head on over to: http://www.peanutscollectorclub.com/50thbook.html There you will find an order form for the book. Don’t wait, because they really are almost out.

(The publisher and author profits from the PCC edition all go to Canine Companions for Independence, a charity that was a favorite of Sparky’s.)
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PEANUTS BOOK FIND: WHITE KNIGHT EDITIONS
I’m taking a break from my usual "Odd Peanuts book" section of the newsletter to talk about some books I just discovered, which I consider a particularly amazing find.

The best known British Peanuts books are the Coronet editions of the small paperbacks issued in the U.S. by Fawcett Crest. While those were being published, however, another British publisher tried their hand at Peanuts reprints. Knight Books put out two lines of reprints. Under the White Knight imprint, they did black and white strip collections, while the Colour Knight imprint was on their color collections. (Apparently, they released a color adaptation of the film A Boy Named Charlie Brown under their White Knight imprint, just to confuse matters.) I’ve had one of the four Colour Knight books for a while. It’s not particularly impressive.

Today I received the three White Knight books, which were published between 1969 and 1971 — and promptly shouted for joy. These books reprint strips from 1950-1952, 1955, 1956, and 1962. While I haven’t done careful checking, my immediate impression is that *many (most?) of these strips have never been reprinted in any U.S. book*! That’s right, these are a treasure trove of the "lost" strips, strips I’d never read before despite owning over 700 Peanuts books.

In a way it makes sense. Coronet probably had some exclusive U.K. rights to the material they were reprinting. To be able to offer books, Knight would have to find material that was not in the U.S. Fawcett editions — and much of the material from the early years had been skipped. (There seems to have been some cooperation between Knight and Coronet, as Knight lists the Coronet titles in the back of the books.)

The format of the books would qualify them for the odd Peanuts book department, I suppose. The front cover images aren’t taken from the strip, but rather taken from the A Boy Named Charlie Brown adaptation. They are roughly standard paperback size, but instead of being bound on the left, they’re bound on the top. Flip one open, and you then have to rotate it ninety degrees, since the pages are laid out horizontally. Each strip covers a two-page spread, with two panels per page.

I was lucky to get them, and extra-lucky to get the deal that I got. I won them in an online auction, paying less than $20 (postage included) for all three books PLUS six Coronet editions.

The titles are:
MEET THE PEANUTS GANG
DON’T TREAD ON CHARLIE BROWN
WHAT WERE YOU SAYING, CHARLIE BROWN?
If you ever see one of these, grab it and consider yourself lucky! (These were the first copies that I’ve seen for sale.) And for tips on hunting down Peanuts books online, check out http://AAUGH.com/guide/shopping.htm
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That’s the news for now. As usually, feel free to send me your questions, your comments, your complaints, and especially your EMAIL ADDRESS UPDATES! I lose some folks every newsletter. Send all these things to nat@aaugh.com
–Nat proprietor http://AAUGH.com

THIS IS AN OPT-IN NEWSLETTER. IF YOU WANT TO OPT OUT, JUST REPLY AND LET ME KNOW. (AND IF YOU’RE CHANGING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, LET ME KNOW NOW BEFORE YOU FORGET!)

In this issue:
* REVIEW: IT’S A BIG WORLD, CHARLIE BROWN
*EASTER BEAGLE BOOK
*MINI BOOKS ON THE WAY
*PEANUTS ART BOOK — CHEAPER
*$5 COUPON
*ODD PEANUTS BOOK: UNCLE SNOOPY
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REVIEW: IT’S A BIG WORLD, CHARLIE BROWN
IT’S A BIG WORLD CHARLIE BROWN, the book collecting all the 1997 Peanuts strips, is still weeks away from hitting the stores. However, my mysterious elves have gotten me a copy.

I don’t find 1997 to have been as inspired as 1998 and 1999 (The star of those years, Rerun Van Pelt, is not up to full power yet here, although he does become more of a presence as the year goes by.) Still, there’s lots of interesting material to be found between January (when Charlie Brown gets involved in forging sports memorabilia) to December (when he makes big sacrifices in order to buy a gift for Peggy Jean.) We get lots of Snoopy in Valley Forge (strips which read better as a group than they did when they were published daily), lots of Andy and Olaf trying to visit Spike, some of Patty and Marcie’s love for the clueless Chuck, a few new philosophies for Sally, birds playing bridge, accusations of harrasment and discrimination, and a reference to Anna Karenina. What more could you want?
Key lines: "As soon as a child is born, he or she is issued a dog and a banjo.." "If I had been there, I would have said ‘Hey Ludwig, play "Jingle Bells"!’" "If you see a coyote wearing Mickey Mouse shoes, grab him!"
Even Snoopy has a genuine speaking line in this one.

As far as production goes, Ballantine certainly did a fine job. They’ve included every strip from the year, plus the last two from 1996 (since they begin the first storyline in the book.) Once again, all the strips are in color. The color looks good, and the only time its a problem are in some of the World War I Flying Ace strips, where the helmet is colored so dark that it becomes an indistinct object. For some reason, the first few Sunday strips are reproduced smaller than the page size would allow. Any imperfections are minor, however. Ballantine has the license for two more books in this series. Given the obvious care they put into the books (in contrast to some earlier publishers), I hope they find ways to do additional Peanuts books beyond the five they have licensed.

It’s a full year of Peanuts strips, so you know you want a copy! You can order this book now, and it will be shipped when the book is released. Just go to: http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0345442709
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EASTER BEAGLE BOOK
The Little Simon line of book adaptations of Peanuts TV specials keeps growing, with IT’S THE EASTER BEAGLE, CHARLIE BROWN due out in February 2002. As with the other books in this series, this is a new book adaptation, not just a reprint of the earlier adaptation. (The book version of A Boy Named Charlie Brown that’s out now is not part of this series, and is a reprint of the old adaptation.)

It’s too early to pre-order the Easter Beagle book, but you can pre-order the first two books in the series (It’s the Great Pumpkin, CB and A CB Christmas) at http://AAUGH.com/kids
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MINI BOOKS ON THE WAY
Some of you may have seen the racks of little pocketsize hardcover books at your local bookshop. These make easy-to-carry, easy-to-mail little gifts. Well, the publisher of those little books (Andrews McMeel, who have published Peanuts books in the past) has now licensed Peanuts for this line. The first two books are due out in February, but you can preorder them already! Follow these links to take a look at the covers:
Oh Friend of Friends: Peanuts on Friendship http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0740719165 My Sweet Babboo: Peanuts on Love http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0740719173
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PEANUTS ART BOOK — CHEAPER
This is a great time to pre-order PEANUTS: THE ART OF CHARLES M. SCHULZ, the big hardcover book. I’ve heard from folks who have seen this book in production, and say it’s "gorgeous". And at the moment, you can order it for 30% off the cover price — that’s about $9 off, bringing the price to under $21! http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0375420975
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$5 COUPON
I’m not sure when this expires, but if you enter the coupon code AMZNENTRW535 when checking out with your order of $35 or more, you should get $5 off.
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ODD PEANUTS BOOK: UNCLE SNOOPY
The United States Golf Association (USGA) publishes a booklet entitled UNCLE SNOOPY WANTS YOU TO KNOW HOW TO USE YOUR HANDICAP. This guide to golf scoring adjustments has seven Snoopy-and-Woodstock illustrations. What makes this booklet particularly odd is the *Uncle* Snoopy aspect of it — throughout the entire book, Snoopy is wearing an Uncle Sam hat. (For those of your outside the U.S.: Uncle Sam is a patriotic symbol of an old man dressed in an outfit based on the U.S. flag.) Yes, this is the U.S. golf association, but that still doesn’t make clear what the patriotic aspect has to do with golf. Additionally, the one color shot of the hat (on the cover) uses an odd color scheme. Schulz had obviously already inked in some of the stripes with black ink, a reasonable thing for black-and-white illustrations. However, in the color version, those stripes are left black, with the other stripes being blue, and then the hat has a red band with white stars. In other words, the colors are all in the wrong places. The US flag is indeed red, white, and blue, but the stripes are red and white, not black and blue, and the stars have a blue background, not a red one.

Woodstock wears a proper golfing cap. Good for him!
This is not the only Peanuts booklet the USGA puts out. They also have SNOOPY AND FRIENDS ADDRESS THE RULES OF GOLF, a 20 page booklet in lush color, with Peanuts characters against computer-generated backgrounds. Only one rule is covered per page, so it’s not an in-depth golf guide. It is a very pretty booklet, however.

(I do have some extra copies of both of these booklets. If anyone wants these and has something interesting to trade, let me know!)
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Well, that’s all the news for now! I smell some interesting news coming down the road, so there should be good newsletters coming up. And once things calm down a bit around here (life is overly full with things both wonderful and dreadful), I’ll add some more features to the site. (More guides! More articles! More things to sell you!)

As always, I’m eager for your advice and comments. (Would you prefer the newsletter in HTML format, with pictures? Is there information you need that isn’t in the collecting guide? Is the shopping interface too convoluted?) Drop me a line at nat@aaugh.com and let me know!
–Nat Gertler proprietor http://AAUGH.com