The Life and Art of Charles Schulz
There’s no bigger fan of the Peanuts universe than my sister-in-law, so whenever I come across a book featuring any of Charles Schulz’s characters, I pounce on it. Her passion has rubbed off on me.
When I got this book from a Little Free Library this summer, I actually handed it off to my kids without looking at it myself, thinking they’d enjoy it immensely, but they barely touched it. Curious, I yanked it back into my own library and discovered, lo and behold, it’s actually a biography of the artist (and contains only a handful of strips).
I know nothing of Beverly Gherman or Chronicle Books, but this is extremely light reading and may even be a book designed for children—not that I care. This book was informative, quick, and made me smile quite often. It helps place Schulz’s creative humor and the works of his characters into context, and I know that after having read this book, I’ll be able to enjoy the comics even more.
Charlie Brown. Schulz always loved drawing, but his shy awkwardness kept him socially distant from others (and he never even heard of COVID-19!). He grew up with a strange mixture of being often teased, of seeking approval by gifting his art to others, and of a constant optimism that kept moving him forward. Remind you of any famous round-headed kids?
WWI Flying Ace, etc. Schulz also served in Europe during WWII and maintained a constant admiration for the service men and women from all branches.
Lucy Van Pelt. As a father of five children himself, Charles collected much inspiration from watching his own children grow up and experience life in new and awkward ways. Fame might have provided them a lifestyle higher than that of the average American, yet they also opened their home and property to neighborhood children, which too provided a source of inspiration as the years drew on.
The Little Red Haired Girl. I was especially fascinated to read about Schulz’s love life, including a past engagement to a red-haired woman long before he married his first wife. “The one that got away” for Charles Schulz became “the one that would never be” for Charlie Brown, and the world is better for it.
Philosophy of Life. While this book mentions in passing Schulz’s skill in understanding psychology and the human condition, it doesn’t venture to tell us how. Sure the man read a lot and certainly his interests and experiences informed much of what he wrote, but from where did he derive such poignant truths about life that crossed generational and even cultural bounds? I believe his faith played a huge role in this, but maybe the book was too short to allow for such a deep dive as that.
All in all, I loved this little book and hope to find other biographies in the series. I feel like I know Charles Schulz slightly better, and I know I’ll appreciate his cartoons more now, as I view them in a brand new light.
© E.T. 2020
Read More about Comics:
- “Dilbert: The First Year” by Scott Adams (1989)
- “Dilbert, the Second Year” by Scott Adams (1990)
- Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud (1993)
- Reinventing Comics by Scott McCloud (2000)
- Sparky by Beverly Gherman (2010)
- Big Nate: From the Top by Lincoln Pierce (2010)