Product Description

This beautiful album will dazzle fans of Charles M. Schulz and his art, providing an unprecedented look at the work of the most brilliant and beloved cartoonist of the twentieth century. Here is the whole gang–Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, Peppermint Patty, Schroeder, Pig-Pen, and all the others from the original Peanuts strips.

More than five hundred comic strips are reproduced, as well as such rare or never-before-seen items as a sketchbook from Schulz's army days in the early 1940s; his very first printed strip, Just Keep Laughing; his private scrapbook of pre-Peanuts Li'l Folks strips; developmental sketches for the first versions of Charlie Brown and the other Peanuts characters; a sketchbook from 1963; and many more materials gathered from the Schulz archives in Santa Rosa, California.

The art has been stunningly photographed by Geoff Spear in full color, capturing the subtle textures of paper, ink, and line. The strips–which were shot only from the original art or vintage newsprint–reveal how, from the 1950s through 2000, Schulz's style and the Peanuts world evolved. The book features an introduction by Jean Schulz and has been designed and edited by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd, who also provides an informed and appreciative commentary.

This celebration of the genius of the most revered cartoonist of our time is a must for anyone who has ever come under the spell of Peanuts.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #217814 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-23
• Released on: 2001-10-23
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 7.28" h x 1.19" w x 8.81" l, 2.46 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

From Library Journal
Good grief! Over 500 comic strips, early prototypes of Peanuts, and more.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-The story of a great American cartoonist's artistic development and a beautiful example of book production. Vintage drawings of Schulz's work from his army days, Roman Catholic publications, and early "Lil Folks" panels are photographed from the original strips and archival collections, both black and white and in color, yellowed with age and showing marks of tape. The result is like browsing through an old-fashioned family album. It is fun to ponder the development of Lucy, a good-natured baby in the earliest strips, and to find one photo of Charlie Brown's unrequited love for the Little Red Haired Girl. An introduction by the artist's wife, commentary from the photographer, and excerpts from Schulz's letters and those from friends and fans give an in-depth look into the man's artistic technique as well as his personality. This collection will be treasured by cartoonists and "Peanuts" fans. It will also appeal to the occasional funny-page reader and students of American culture, who will gain an appreciation of Schulz's remarkable insight into the American psyche.
Jackie Gropman, Kings Park Library, Burke, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Charles M. Schulz was born in 1922 in Minneapolis, the only child of a housewife and a barber. His interest in comics was encouraged by his father, who loved the funny pages. After army duty, Schulz lettered comic pages for Timeless Topix, and sold seventeen cartoons to The Saturday Evening Post from 1948 to 1950 and a feature, Li'l Folks, to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Peanuts debuted on October 2, 1950, and ran without interruption for the next fifty years. Schulz died on February 12, 2000, and his last strip ran the next day. Peanuts has appeared in 2,600 newspapers in seventy-five countries.