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Charles M. Schulz, the most widely syndicated and beloved cartoonist of all time, is also one of the least understood figures in American culture. Now, acclaimed biographer David Michaelis gives us the first full-length biography of the brilliant, unseen man behind Peanuts: at once a creation story, a portrait of a native genius, and a chronicle contrasting the private man with the central role he played in shaping the national imagination. Schulz and Peanuts is the definitive epic biography of an American icon and the unforgettable characters he created.

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Probably the truth -- but not the whole truth, and not nothing but the truth

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My guess -- and it's nothing more -- is that the truth lies somewhere between the claims of Schulz's children (who want to protect their late father) and Michaelis (who, as others have pointed out, seemed to first formulate his thesis, then write the book in such a way as to support it). It's not surprising that Schulz was a flawed human. Who is not? Is it shocking that he and his wife grew apart? Happens to millions, does it not? Or shocking that a wealthy celebrity would succumb to temptation and have an extra-marital affair? But it's something of a leap to portray him -- as Michaelis does -- as a cold, self-centered, uncaring man. And Michaelis doesn't just present that thesis; he drives it into the ground. The book becomes repetitive after a while. Finally, there are little things in Michaelis' writing that are annoying -- such as his twice calling Schulz a "scratch golfer with an 8 handicap". That's an oxymoron -- like calling someone "a straight-A student with a B average". Anyway, I still give it three stars because, among those hundreds of pages devoted to portraying Schulz as a pitiful man, there was a lot of good information.

From a Unique Perspective

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Amongst the many reviews written on behalf of David Michaelis' "Schultz and Peanuts", some have been exclamatory while others have been critical of the author's approach to his subject. Apparently members of Charles Schulz' immediate family have also expressed bitter disappointment that the man they loved was not portrayed as they actually knew him. They believe the author has been arbitrary and has randomly used information from, and observations made during many interviews with the Schulz family and associates in order to fashion a story to fit his own theories. Indeed a lot of the criticism on all sides has been levelled at Michaelis' supposed psychological theorising as the life and behaviour of Schulz is followed from boyhood to old age. I note also that most, if not all the reviews have been written by American readers and fans of Schulz' cartoon 'Peanuts', and who may feel they have some ownership of both the artist and his many characters - enough in fact so as to expect a biographer to present work along the lines of their own understanding, and in a way that they themselves would like it to be. As a New Zealander (that beautiful little country south-east of Australia) I feel I have a unique position from which to review Michaelis' biography with some objectivity, and - dare I say it - with even more admiration. 'Peanuts' appeared regularly in New Zealand newspapers from the mid 1960s and gathered a following, but not quite the devotion expressed by American readers, the reason being perhaps that in those days we in this country were not exposed so much to US customs and views of the world, and therefore to me the characters appeared to be quirky, and the story lines somewhat difficult to follow. When I discovered relatively recently that a biography had been written about the man whose name was familiar to me only as the artist of these strange, spare little cartoons, I was at once interested and also wary, knowing that the cost of importing this book might result in a huge literary disappointment to me as well as hard earned money being wasted. I can only say that my money was not wasted, and I so enjoyed Michaelis' writing that I shall be looking for others of his books! I think that when judging this book you have to examine what you expect from a biography. If it is the 'once-over-lightly Readers' Digest approach, "Schulz and Peanuts" is not for you. If indeed you want to know all the intimate but ordinary details of Charles Schulz' life (ie what hockey team did he follow?) then I think you are going to be disappointed You have only to look at the first sentence in the preface to see where Michaelis is headed with the results of his research viz:"When Charles Schulz died, he left behind fifty years of clues about his life embedded in his cartoons" (p.ixP. And again in answer to an inquiry as to "...whether someone who had followed the strip from the outset'...could actually write a biographical portrait...?' Schulz answered ...'I think so...'"(p.xi). These are the observations that form the premise of Michaelis' work and they are those he perseveres with from beginning to end, using many of Schulz' cartoons to speak of their author and artist as well as the written word itself. Charles Schulz is brought to life as a warm and human personality, an observer, a very deep thinker and a man of vision and ambition who used what he did best as a means of not only interacting with his world, but also to make sense of it for himself and for others. That so many American citizens could also identify with his observations, shows that he was at once everyman in being able to touch on the aspects of American life that his followers recognised, as well as being unique in his expression of it. For me, on this side of the globe, Michaelis has clarified much of the esotric nature of Schulz' cartoonery, and in doing so has helped me to understand the genius behind it. Certainly the approach to try to discover the real Charles Schulz IS behavioural and for some I guess is a little too theorietical and/or analytical. But when the subject himself preferred if he could to melt into the background and give very little of himself away at times, what else is a biographer to do but to look at the behaviour exhibited not only by Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Snoopy, Peppermint Patty and others, but also that of the artist himself and begin to ask 'Why?' Contrary to the end papers of the book, I do not think David Michaelis has written the 'definitive' biography per se. I am sure there are other aspects of Charles Schulz that could be explored - perhaps Monte Schulz might be the one to write a more personal memoir of his father in the way Chris Lemmon has done for his father Jack. But for this reader, Michaelis' book has been a revelation. Don't be put off from buying because of negative criticism from many quarters. If you enjoy good writing, good scholarship, an excellent read and an admirable attempt to relate creator and subjects, then spend your money without equivocation. Come to this book with an open mind and you will not be disappointed. Visit my page at http://barbaraceciliastewartbrowning.blogspot.com for further reviews

Informative and fascinating, but ultimately a one dimensional portrait

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This examination of Schulz's life is done with heavy emphasis on how that life was reflected in his life's work, PEANUTS. By juxtaposing cartoons with different events in Schulz's life, Michaelis presents a man who cannot be separated from his work; that the bond between life and art was inseparable and through careful reading of the strip, you can chart the course of Schulz's emotional ups and downs. This is the premise on which Michaelis bases his biography and it makes for reading that is often compelling but perhaps overreaches. It seems to limit the scope of the biography considering Micahelis' unlimited access and he often bogs down into psychoanalyzing when a more straight forward approach would have been preferable. Upon finishing this book, the first thing I thought was, "I doubt the Schulz family enjoyed this." Schulz comes across as a bitter man, who never was able to enjoy his accomplishments; often petty and self-involved, he could be vindictive and passive aggressive. While I don't think that Michaelis completely missed his mark; many artists fit this same personality type, it just doesn't seem he has created a well- rounded portrait. Perhaps Schulz was this cut off from the world, wrapped up in his creation to the extent where all else suffered. But Michaelis' Schulz is too one dimensional to have created such an incredibly insightful and reflective work on a weekly basis. This Schulz seems to have found very little joy in life and that person does not seem to have the inner being to create this wonderful comic. I would have loved to see a better discussion of the process of creation and a deeper examination of Schulz'sthought processes. But biographies can rarely fulfill all the needs of the readers and I do feel that Michaelis has created an interesting if incomplete portrait of Charles Schulz, creator of one of the most beloved and influential strips ever.

I will never look at Snoopy the same way

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As a life-long admirer of Peanuts, I could not put this book down. I found it at times profound, highly readable and full of insight. The use of the strip to illustrate the biographical material was masterful. David Michaelis has come under fire from the Schulz family, especially Charles Schulz's son Monte for his depiction of "Sparky" as a depressed artist, as well as dwelling on Schulz's late 60s love affair. But Monte Schulz's criticisms are unfair. Michaelis creates a portrait, his own, of both the artist and the meaning of the strip. That is all he can do. Truth is multifarious and memory, even among family members, is fluid as quicksilver. Michaelis does an admirable job of charting the thematic metamorphosis of Peanuts, from its early emphasis on the angst-ridden Charlie Brown to the later ecstatic id-antics of Snoopy. While not a work of art history, the biography makes a good companion to the Complete Peanuts volumes, revealing many subterranean currents of meaning. For Schulz to endure as the great artist and writer that he was, critical and serious works like this need to be read, even when people might not like what Michaelis has to say. For this reviewer, Schulz and Peanuts enriched my understanding of characters I have loved all my life, allowing me to appreciate them even more.

not surprising	Customer Rating:
That Schultz had a bleak and cynical view of life is not surprising to those who followed his earlier (better) strips. I was a huge fan of Peanuts as a boy and I am not disappointed in what I learned from this book. In the end, Charles Schultz comes off as a ......man.