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The Complete Maus
296 pages, 1996
A coming-of-age story, beautifully illustrated by French cartoonist David B. , is the tale of a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father's story and history itself. As he grows up, the son engages in dialogues with his father about the war years and the Holocaust, seeking to understand how his parents survived. The son then creates a comic book titled “Survivor's Ball,” inspired by conversations with his parents -- the most recent edition of which may well be the most important yet. Featuring an introduction by renowned comics author Art Spiegelman (MAUS) and a moving afterword from American football star Lawrence Taylor.
Art Spiegelman uses a unique storytelling method in The Complete Maus. He uses the medium of a graphic novel to tell a deeply personal and harrowing tale of the Holocaust. This approach makes the story more accessible and engaging, showing that stories can be told in many different ways.
The Complete Maus explores the long-lasting effects of trauma. It's not just about the experiences of those who lived through the Holocaust, but also how that trauma affected the next generation. This book will make you think about the impact of historical events on individual lives and families.
Art Spiegelman doesn't shy away from showing the complexity of his relationship with his father. It's a raw and honest look into how trauma can shape family dynamics. This book will make you see the importance of understanding and empathy in relationships.
The Complete Maus is a reminder of the importance of remembering and learning from history. It's a personal and poignant exploration of the Holocaust, a period that should never be forgotten. Reading this book will make you appreciate the importance of keeping history alive.
Despite the horrors depicted, The Complete Maus is also a testament to human resilience. It shows how people can survive and even thrive despite unimaginable hardship. This book will inspire you to find strength in adversity.
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Maus is a masterpiece, and it's in the nature of such things to generate mysteries, and pose more questions than they answer. But if the notion of a canon means anything, Maus is there at the heart of it. Like all great stories, it tells us more about ourselves than we could ever suspect.
Jules Feiffer - Cartoonist, AuthorMaus is a book that cannot be put down, truly, even to sleep. When two of the mice speak of love, you are moved, when they suffer, you weep. Slowly through this little tale comprised of suffering, humor and life's daily trials, you are captivated by the language of an old Eastern European Jewish culture.
Umberto Eco - Novelist, PhilosopherMaus is a work of genius... It's a terrifying story, but told with such wit and cleverness that it somehow also manages to be funny. It's a comic book that will make you cry.
Roger Rosenblatt - Journalist, AuthorMaus is a remarkable feat of documentary detail and novelistic technique. It's the best thing of its sort I've ever seen. Spiegelman has turned the exuberant fantasy of comics inside out by giving us the most incredible fantasy in comics' history: something that actually occurred.... The central relationship is not that of cat and mouse, but father and son. I found it moving and disturbing and very real.
Art Buchwald - Humorist, ColumnistMaus is a devastating portrayal of the Holocaust, particularly effective in its use of the comic book format. The characters are drawn as mice and cats, but this only makes the true horror more poignant. It's a fantastic achievement.
Robert Crumb - Cartoonist, Musician