Hardcover, 296 pages
English language
Published Dec. 15, 1996 by Pantheon.
In a world where Jews are mice, Germans are Cats and the Polish are pigs, a son documents his parents' experience during the Holocaust and his relationship with his father.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and his son, a cartoonist, coming to terms with his father's story. Maus approaches the unspeakable through the diminutive.
Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice), shocks us out of any lingering sense of familiarity and succeeds in “drawing us closer to the bleak heart of the Holocaust” (The New York Times).
Maus is a haunting tale within a tale. Vladek's harrowing story of survival is woven into the author's account of his tortured relationship with his ageing father. Against the backdrop of guilt brought by survival, they stage a normal life of small arguments and unhappy visits.
“This astonishing …
In a world where Jews are mice, Germans are Cats and the Polish are pigs, a son documents his parents' experience during the Holocaust and his relationship with his father.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and his son, a cartoonist, coming to terms with his father's story. Maus approaches the unspeakable through the diminutive.
Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice), shocks us out of any lingering sense of familiarity and succeeds in “drawing us closer to the bleak heart of the Holocaust” (The New York Times).
Maus is a haunting tale within a tale. Vladek's harrowing story of survival is woven into the author's account of his tortured relationship with his ageing father. Against the backdrop of guilt brought by survival, they stage a normal life of small arguments and unhappy visits.
“This astonishing retelling of our century's grisliest news is a story of survival, not only of Vladek but of the children who survive even the survivors. Maus studies the bloody paw prints of history and tracks its meaning for all of us.” -- from publisher's website.
A tough but important work, and I'm glad that I finally read it. Unflinching is the adjective that keeps popping into my head when I think about the story. It was interesting to read this recent (2022) Atlantic article about the book and its continuing relevance.
Spiegelman is on record saying he doesn’t like Maus being used to teach about Holocaust, but honestly I can’t think of many better texts for it. He prefers Maus being used to discuss relationships, and I’m just thinking “por que no los dos?”
In this novel the author shows his father’s story of survival through the holocaust, and the long term impact on his physical and mental health. He delves into the intergenerational trauma associated with survivor’s families.
Spiegelman said in an interview with Australian Radio National that he wanted to challenge the myth that everyone who goes through such a crucible inherently becomes a better person His depiction of his father, Vladek, is loving but unyielding. When Vladek, who suffered so much during the Holocaust, sees his son wanting to pick up an African-American hitchhiker, he responds with the exact kind of racist stereotypes he himself faced as a …
Spiegelman is on record saying he doesn’t like Maus being used to teach about Holocaust, but honestly I can’t think of many better texts for it. He prefers Maus being used to discuss relationships, and I’m just thinking “por que no los dos?”
In this novel the author shows his father’s story of survival through the holocaust, and the long term impact on his physical and mental health. He delves into the intergenerational trauma associated with survivor’s families.
Spiegelman said in an interview with Australian Radio National that he wanted to challenge the myth that everyone who goes through such a crucible inherently becomes a better person His depiction of his father, Vladek, is loving but unyielding. When Vladek, who suffered so much during the Holocaust, sees his son wanting to pick up an African-American hitchhiker, he responds with the exact kind of racist stereotypes he himself faced as a young man. He should’ve know better, and yet here we are. It’s a powerful moment.
I’ve taught Maus for a few years now and always find the students gobble it up, with few exceptions. Holocaust, relationships, visual literacy, symbolism; this is such a powerful novel with so much to offer a classroom. It’s great to follow up with encouraging students to reflect on their own relationships in visual form (even if that’s just stick figures!).
Purchasable
Purchasable
https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-complete-maus-a-survivor-s-tale-art-spiegelman/6709421.https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-complete-maus-art-spiegelman/1103275791.