Friday, August 12, 2005

Booknote: The Complete Peanuts: 1955-1956

Title: The Complete Peanuts: 1955-1956
Author: Charles Schultz
Publication Information: Seattle, WA: Fantagraphic Books, 2004
ISBN: 1-56097-647-0
Genre: Nonfiction
Subgenre: Humor, comic strips
Pages: 321, including the introduction and index.


I just finished reading the third volume of this great series being put together by Fantagraphic Books. This is probably one of the best comic strip collections coming out these days, and I cannot recommend it enough. I have read the first two volumes with great joy, and this one just continues the fun. Actually I thought I had written a note on the other two, but I guess I sort of lost track; however, I recommend the other two as well. This third volume includes an introduction by Matt Groening. This particular volume includes Linus's first words and Charlie Brown's first baseball humiliation among other little events in the lives of the Peanuts gang. The great thing about these books is reading the many strips that have not been republished since they came out for the first time in newspapers. The pace is excellent; readers can easily get lost in the book and finish it fast, or they can read it bit by bit. By the way, the volumes include a handy topic index so readers can find strips dealing with ghost costumes or with Lucy being a "fuss-budget." Public libraries should definitely add this to their collections; I think some academic libraries should as well, especially those with interests in popular culture. I know we are adding them to our collection. I am looking forward to volume four and the rest of the series.

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