If you like Charlie Brown, then you might enjoy John Updike’s review of a new biography of Charles Schulz: it is, according to Updike, “The basic story, of how a not conspicuously gifted but very determined barber’s son from St. Paul, Minnesota, rose to become the richest cartoonist of all time,” and it’s a story that “warms the heart in traditional American fashion.” That last claim is about as Americana as The New Yorker book reviews get, so that might be a good sign. If you aren’t interested, you might at least enjoy looking at the photo of the young Schulz, who happens to look like a Peanuts character himself.
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You’re right. Sparky looks like a cross between Linus Van Pelt and Harry Potter.
Fascinating.
This book has received a lot of attention here in Sonoma County, where the Redwood Empire Skating Rink–hardly glamorous–continues to teach local kids how to ice skate. I’ve sat in the Warm Puppy coffee shop many an afternoon reading while my daughter covered the ice, thankful the Schultz family continues to underwrite the expense.
Many feel Charles Schultz’ generosity of spirit and kindness were neglected in this book to focus on his reserve and personal hypocrisies. That’s a shame because he and his family did, and continue to, make a positive difference for this town. He was a good man, Sparky Schultz.
Another very nice review was written by Bill Watterson of “Calvin and Hobbes”, and published in the October 12 Wall Street Journal. There is immense sympathy in the review for the book and especially for Schulz himself, as well as an understanding of how important Charles Schulz was for the evolution of the American cartoon. As with so much at the Journal, it’s behind the paywall.
Schulz, according to the review, apparently grew away from his faith somewhat.
I cannot recall his name, but another fascinating cartoonist was the man who drew the famous MAD magazine cartoon, Spy vs Spy. He was a famous cartoonist in Cuba in the 50s. I read a book his daughter wrote as a tribute.
As Castro’s grip tightened on Cuba, the cartoonist pushed his art to the limits. He exposed and ridiculed the Sovietization of his homeland even as newspapers were being shut down and the media fell under state control. Just prior to leaving Cuba, he was denounced as a counter-revolutionary and CIA spy by el jefe himself.
He eventually came to the USA and used his experiences from Cuba as the basis for Spy vs Spy and other cartoons.
#4Harris, Like you, I too have been annoyed by lots of good articles confined behind what you call “the pay wall”
Harris and Sawgunner - I found a clever and honest way around the media paywall. My local community college has an educational institution subscription that allows access all of the major media entities’ materials that are otherwise behind the paywall - and any resident of the community college district qualifies for a library card through which one may access all of the restricted materials.
I can log online at the community college library’s website, enter my name and card number, and I can see it all.
Brad,
the Spy vs Spy cartoon was created
-… -.– .–. .-. — …. .. -. …
that’s how he signed them - in Morse Code.
Didn’t know that story, looked it up on wikipedia, but I did like the cartoons, back when I read Mad magazine.
My favorite cartoon is probably the Far Side, by Gary Larson, fellow WSU alumnus who got his degree there in biology, which relates to his use of intelligent animals in his cartoons.
I also like Dilbert, though it’s appeal is less universal and timeless like Peanuts or the Far Side.
OK, that’s “By Prohias” for those who don’t want to look it up and it’s tough since the dashes blended together.
Antonio Prohias.