In this issue:
* REVIEW: PEANUTS, THE ART OF CHARLES M. SCHULZ
*ALSO THANKS TO NAT GERTLER?
*REVIEW: A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
*SPANISH BOOK LIST ADDED
*SCHULZ MUSEUM EXHIBIT
*GREAT PUMPKIN AIRING REMINDER
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REVIEW: PEANUTS, THE ART OF CHARLES M. SCHULZ
If you’re a fan of Peanuts strips, you want this book.
It is gorgeous. This is visually the most amazing Peanuts book every produced.
Yes, it’s that good.
Most of the book is made of Peanuts strips, but not just printed from old stats as most strip books are. Instead, the strips are photographed, either directly from the original art (which gives very sharp reproduction while showing you the little physicalities that go into the making of the strip) or from printed newspapers. The latter may *sound* a bit tacky, but really it gives the book a very textural sensibility. Designer Chip Kidd knows what he is doing. Also in it are plenty of Schulz sketches, pictures of Peanuts products and packaging, shots, Schulz notes and correspondence, and more.
This is a good coffee-table book, but it isn’t large like your typical coffee-table tome. It’s about the size of a standard hardcover book, turned sideways. It’s thick, over an inch thick, which helps it include over 500 strips, including many never before reprinted in a U.S. Peaunts book.
Text is scattered throughout the book, including Schulz quotes and descriptions of pictured items. However, it’s a book that encourages one to flip through it; it does not need to be read linearly.
This is not to say that the book is perfect. A few errors have crept into the text, and the lack of page numbers will prove frustrating to some folks (perhaps mostly to me, since I like to refer people to specific pages when answering Peanuts questions.)
You can preview some of it at http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/peanuts.html but the page images there don’t do the book full justice. The designer here is an artist working in printing press and ink.
PEANUTS: THE ART OF CHARLES M. SCHULZ is a good deal at the $29.95 cover price. At 30% off (the current discount at the main AAUGH.com store), it’s a great deal (and remember, it’s already time to start thinking of Christmas/Hannukah/Beethoven’s Birthday presents for folks!) In North America, order it at: http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0375420975 In Europe, head to: http://AAUGH.com/uk/go.htm?0375420975
(This book is now shipping; if you preordered a copy, it should be on its way, unless you ordered something else with it that is not yet released.)
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ALSO THANKS TO NAT GERTLER?
To head off questions from folks who buy PEANUTS: THE ART OF CHARLES M. SCHULZ: yes, I am the "Nat Gertler" who is thanked in the list of people thanked at the back of the book. All I did was helped check the facts on some of the text about Peanuts appearances in comic book magazines. Still, it feels good to have my name somewhere on an official Peanuts product, particularly one as fine as this.
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REVIEW: A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
Last year saw the publication of A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS: THE MAKING OF A TRADITION– http://aaugh.com/go.htm?0060198516 –a large hardcover book for adults. This year brings us a new paperback adaptation of the very first Peanuts special, aimed at kids. The text by Justine and Ron Fontes does cover the basics of the story, although some odd choices are made about what to keep in and what to leave out. For example, mention is made that Linus finds a way to use his blanket in the play, but we are never told or shown what use he made of it.
This is Paige Braddock’s second attempt to illustrate a book bridging the style of the animation with the linework of latter-day Schulz, and it works better here than in her Great Pumpkin adaptation. It’s a thankless task she has, but many of her images have their own vibrancy. I particularly like her Snoopy.
This book isn’t a must-have, but if you’re a collector or if you have a kid who would like to look at the pictures and remember their favorite TV special, then this is a nice, affordable book (cover price is $5.99 for a 32-page full color book.) To order this in North America: http://AAUGH.com/go.htm?0689846088 To order it in Europe: http://AAUGH.com/uk/go.htm?0689846088
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SPANISH BOOK LIST ADDED
For those of you who are fans of Peanuts books from all over, we’ve got a new list on the site. It’s a guide to Spanish language Peanuts books published in Spain. Thank goodness I didn’t have to put this one together myself; it was made by the enthusiastic and beautiful Sonia Gil (well, I assume she’s beautiful. On the Internet, it’s easiest to assume that everyone is beautiful!) This list doesn’t cover Spanish language books from other countries (although it does list a major numbered series that was simultaneously published in Mexico) nor does it list books published in Spain in other languages (primarily Catalan).
There are two version of the list. Those of you who only read English should go to http://AAUGH.com/guide/spain.htm and those who prefer reading in Spanish should head to http://AAUGH.com/guide/espana.htm
Thank you Sonia!
(Is anyone else out there eager enough to make up a list for Peanuts books in some other language? Let me know!)
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SCHULZ MUSEUM EXHIBIT
The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA is hosting "Speak Softly and Carry a Beagle: The Art of Charles Schulz". This is the first venue for this exhibition, which has been put together by the Minnesota Museum of American Art and the Charles M. Schulz Museum. The exhibit runs Nov. 3 through May 5. I went to college near there, and it can be a lovely place to travel around, particularly in the fall. Find yourself a nice B&B and plan several relaxing days in the Berkshire mountains!
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GREAT PUMPKIN AIRING REMINDER
This year’s U.S. airing of "It’s A Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is this coming Tuesday. It leads off the prime time ABC lineup.
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That’s the news for now, fans friends and other folk! No new books in the "coming soon" category, which is a relief after the onslaught that was appearing there for a while.
As usual, let me know if you have any questions, or are changing your email address.
–Nat proprietor, AAUGH.com nat@aaugh.com
