Customer Reviews

The Peanuts Collection: Treasures from the World's Most Beloved Comic Strip

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Full disclosure: first off, I'm not a huge fan of these `treasure trove' types of books where the book comes with removable reprints of memorabilia, and second, I love Peanuts. So these two things should even themselves out.

There's something about the antics of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, et al. that just gets me. Whether it's Charlie Brown's constant underdog status, Snoopy's understated cool, Linus' unshakable belief in things he's told are wrong, or Lucy's cynicism, there are so many elements of the strip that resonate with me and, given it's longevity and popularity, millions of others.

Even accepting my general dislike of this kind of book, this - released to coincide with Peanuts' 60th anniversary - is a nice example of how they should be done. Not every page has something detachable, thankfully, but virtually every page does have several pictures of rare items. Items included include a film cel, some frameable prints, stickers, comics, a Great Pumpkin carol leaflet, early advertising featuring the characters (for the Ford Falcon) and much more.

On the text side, the book is relatively light - but that seems to be par for the course for these things. Yes, there are over 25 `chapters' but each one takes only a page of the book and focuses on one topic. Subjects range from character pieces (why Linus and Lucy get combined on one page I'll never know) to merchandising, animation, and a look at how the character of Franklin broke new ground. Writer Nat Gertler has an amazingly comprehensive knowledge of the strip and it's history so they never fail to be entertaining, if short.

Realistically, this book isn't going to win any new fans to the world of Peanuts but conversely it's probably not aimed at them. For fans of the strip already, there's plenty new here to enjoy - and for those people, I'd highly recommend the book.

Nat Gertler's The Peanuts Collection: Treasures from the World's Most Beloved Comic Strip is perhaps one of the greatest collection of Peanuts memorabilia in book form. This is the ultimate book for the Peanuts enthusiast. If you live in North America it's a good chance that Peanuts has crossed your life at one point or another. The archetypes of the Peanuts universe have touched many facets of the pop culture and is part of the American lexicon fabric. Peanuts has become a security blanket to our youth. That eternal youthful optimism is captured by the strip and gives us hope even if Charlie Brown is doomed to be a failure. Nat Gertler's book is a collection of memories of our own life as we skip through a time capsule of rare time pieces emulated through the Peanuts impact on society. We all have a claim on the Peanuts universe, there is a piece of us in all the characters. The Peanuts Collection: Treasures from the World's Most Beloved Comic Strip is a celebration of our love for the basic fundamentals of a rich comic strip that beats to a universal chord. Peanuts always leaves you with a fuzzy feeling of happiness. After all, happiness is a warm puppy.
Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years

The comic strip Peanuts ran for almost 50 years in 2,600 newspapers, a record number. During those years 18,000 strips were published. When Charles Schultz fell ill in 1999 new strips ended. Readers still wanted to see Peanuts in the comic section even if they weren't new. As a result the strip still appears in over 2,200 newspapers. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and the gang are now firmly a part of pop culture. This beautiful book is the ultimate collection for Peanuts' fans.

I grew up reading Peanuts, listening to Snoopy vs the Red Baron, watching the Holiday Specials; I thought I knew everything there was to know about them. Well, I was wrong. This collection is a wealth of information. Longtime fans will find many familiar items plus much new material, some of which has never before been seen by the public.

The book begins with a forward from Schultz's daughter and a note from the author. After that it's divided into about 30 two-page sections. Each section focuses on one of the characters or holidays or something from Peanuts' pop culture. About a third of each section is text with the rest artwork, illustrations, photos and removable materials such as reproductions of sketches, letters, stickers, coloring book, prints of the Peanuts characters and much more. The text is filled with fascinating detail about the creation and evolution of the characters.

We learn that neither Lucy nor Linus was part of the original Peanuts crew. In their early years they were very young children and soon grew up to be an important part of the strip. We also learn that Snoopy started out as just a dog. Not a beagle, not a WWI flying ace, just a dog. Eventually he evolved to be superior to the kids in the strip. It was way back in 1960 when Charles Schultz integrated the comics page by introducing Franklin, a ground breaking move. There's an entire section on the good causes the Peanuts gang promoted. This is just a small sample of what is covered in this collection.

What I found most striking was the high quality artwork and the beautiful layout. If you are of a certain age this book will not only entertain you but will bring back lots of memories. I've read it through twice already and I'm still noticing new things. This is the type of book you need to see to appreciate.

Gallery of photos of some of the pages and removable reproductions: [...]

Highly recommended for Peanuts fans young and old. An excellent gift book.

Disclosure: Review Copy provided by the publisher.

Happiness is a warm puppy according to Snoopy and this book will warm your heart just as well. I grew up reading Peanuts everyday and in fact I still do. This book is a composite of art work, graphics and amazing details about Peanuts that should bring joy to Peanuts lovers everywhere. You don't really even have to like Peanuts to enjoy the detail that this book contains since it is a marvel of modern art work. There are reproductions of notes from Charles Schultz, copies of original drawings in clever envelopes and a treasure trove of history. I really loved this amazing book and it will make a perfect gift for any one!

It's hard to imagine a time before Peanuts. It seems we all grew up with the comic strip, reading it every single day in our newspapers, watching its holiday specials, and rooting for Charlie Brown to talk to the redheaded girl (not to mention finally get to kick the football). With its deep-rooted place in our culture, it's deserving of a proper tribute.

Nat Gertler's The Peanuts Collection is exactly that type of book. Released near the end of last year to commemorate the iconic strip's 60th anniversary, The Peanuts Collection is a loving devotional to the strip's many memorable moments, all the behind-the-scenes stories that took place, and the immediately recognizable artwork that defined the strip.

There are some amazing things inside the book, including original animation from the Thanksgiving special, letters from fans, thoughts from creator Charles Schultz, and the utterly compelling and thorough knowledge of Nat Gertler. All of it combined makes for an incredible reference work behind the most beloved comic strip of all time. It's a delight for all ages (but let's face it: Anyone 35 or older is probably going to get the biggest kick out of this walk down memory lane).

-- John Hogan

With the Complete Peanuts series well underway, there is no need for anyone except rabid collectors (like the author) to buy every anniversary and compilation published. This collection doesn't even have many individual strips. Instead, it is filled with trivia, photographs, background info not commonly seen regarding Peanuts influence on other media, popular culture, sports, space flight, health, and education. Best of all, there are many surprises in the form of reproduced items (that you open on the larger pages or pull out of sleeves!) such as letters, drawings, pamphlets, promotional items, other media publications like coloring books and sponsorship ads, animation cels, trading cards.....This is a FUN book! It is also printed on high-quality glossy paper and enclosed in a sturdy cardboard sleeve. It would be a "good deal" at twice the price.

I grew up on The Peanuts. Every year The Great Pumpkin would fail to show up in our home as I was virtually sitting in the pumpkin patch with Linus while glued in front of the tv. A Charlie Brown Christmas was a once a year tradition, and I learned that Charlie Brown would forever trust Lucy to hold that football steady for his kick. This book brings all those memories to life again PLUS! What makes this book so much fun besides all the wonderful full color photos of Peanut paraphernalia and collectibles, are the wonderful pullout items and flip-through booklets! There is a pull out booklet of The Peanuts Pumpkin Carols, a pull out reproduction film cell, and a reproduction of a letter to Charles Schultz from a fan urging integration in the strip. There are cute little reproduction flip open booklets of Snoopy's First Code Book, and a reproduction flip open booklet of Snoopy's Doghouse Cookbook and sample recipe. All in all a feast for the eyes and a great look into history and development of The Peanuts Gang.

I love Snoopy and have a collection of tons of items. So I wasn't sure if this would be anything to add to the collection. BUT THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. Shultz's daughter helped put it together and did an amazing job. There are copies of original letters and information of how it all began and it just made you feel like you had a conversation with Charles himself telling you how "Peanuts" came to life. A MUST HAVE!

I grew up loving Peanuts as a child. Although in my family to us Snoopy was the star of the show to us and not Charlie Brown. We just loved that dog growing up and how without any verbal words he was able to convey so much emotion. I think Peanuts has had an effect on almost everyone who's been exposed to them. I don't how you could NOT like Charlie Brown and the gang. This book shows the history of the impact that Charles Schultz and Peanuts have had on society throughout the years.

It was fun to see how Peanuts has stayed a favorite with both kids AND adults. It's one of the rare instances where all generations can find something to love about this gang. From toys for kids to using Peanuts characters as the spokespersons for MetLife, they have infiltrated us but in a good way. The book spotlights certain characters that have had a major impact such as Pig Pen, Peppermint Patty and Schroeder. Also highlighted are the TV specials that have had a HUGE impact on popular culture. I love watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special every year and I hope to continue the tradition with my own family in the future.

I love removable treasure books like this one. There are all sorts of goodies to pick up and look at such as stickers, cards, drawings and art prints. Two of my favorites is a color cel from the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving TV special and a comic of Charlie Brown and Sally being used in an educational booklet about amblyopia (lazy eye). Even though these are reproductions they are really fun to look at and gives a great way to see how the times have changed throughout the years.

Overall this was a really great way to reminisce of one of the greatest comic strips that ever existed. It's a great way to learn the history of the comics, characters and creator and one that fans will want to treasure in the years ahead.

The Charlie Brown Christmas special was on tv the other night. The very same one since - do you believe this - 1965! Forty five years. And I still enjoy watching it. It's a classic and brings back so many memories.

And memories are the order of the day in Nat Gertler's new book The Peanuts Collection. Subtitled; Treasures From the World's Most Beloved Comic Strip.

And that it is. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone in North America who doesn't recognize the characters. When the strip began it was carried in 7 newspapers and topped out at 2600 papers! Charles Shulz created the Peanuts comic strip and created 18,000 strips over the course of 50 years. Reprints are still carried by over 2200 newspapers.

The introduction by Shulz's daughter Amy says it best..." My dad believed that he was born to draw his comic strip, and his fans refer to him as a genius. If he is a genius, then I believe it is because of his ability to create characters that were loved as thought they were real and to draw fifty year's worth of strips that had relevance in the lives of millions of people."

Gertler has combed through both family mementos and the archives of The Charles M. Shulz Museum to showcase Peanuts materials, items, stories, pictures and ephemera - many not seen before.

Each of the characters is covered, from their early look to the nineties, complete with their contributions to the strip. There was so much included - toys and games based on the characters, advertising(the amount of products was amazing!) social causes, books, colouring pages, television specials. I appreciated the level of detail. The book is filled with beautifully glossy pictures. It's an interactive book as well. There are lots of little pockets with reproduction of letters, baseball cards, greeting cards, sketches, songbooks and more. There is even a set of prints included that could be framed. Here's a shot of what's inside. Or check out this slideshow.

It's the season for gorgeous coffee table and collector books and this is one you don't want to miss. Perfect for a Peanuts fan or nostalgia buff. It's a fitting tribute to an American icon.

Now who is your favourite character? I always wanted to see the inside of Snoopy's doghouse. And I always had a soft spot for Peppermint Patty.