First published 2019
Thirty-two writers and artists examine Charles Schulz's beloved comic strip in this collection of essays and comics. Contributors including Ann Patchett and Chris Ware share how they discovered Peanuts as children and identified with Charlie Brown's disappointments, Snoopy's flights of fancy, and Lucy's sharp tongue. The writers reveal how the strip shaped their careers and worldview. They explore the deeper meanings behind familiar scenes of Charlie Brown missing the football, Linus clutching his blanket, and Snoopy typing atop his doghouse. The collection covers the full cast, from Sally's innocence to Pigpen's dust cloud to Peppermint Patty's confidence. Each essay offers a personal lens on how Schulz captured universal truths about childhood, failure, and those brief moments of joy that make disappointment bearable.
Genres: literary-criticism, literary-fiction, anthologies, american-fiction, 21st-century, comics
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, personal-lens
352 pages · Hardcover · Library of America