Maus

A Survivor's Tale

by Art Spiegelman

Hardcover, 296 pages

English language

Published Dec. 15, 1996 by Pantheon.

ISBN:: 978-0-679-40641-9
Goodreads:: 331692

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(28 reviews)

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.

“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.

12 editions

John Hex Carter reviewed Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

MAUS

5 stars

I first received a copy of MAUS in high school back in the 90s. My mom knew I liked comics and I guess she heard this was good or something. She doesn't even remember giving me it, but it legitimately changed my view of what could be done with comics as a medium.

That said, it's an incredibly personal look into one man grappling with his father's history with the Holocaust, his relationship with both that and his own father, and the imperfections found everywhere in those wrought relationships. Smarter folks than I have commented on how it doesn't take a nationalistic/Zionistic approach to the Holocaust that most stories on the subject matter. I consider it a required reading.

Duckus reviewed Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

Great for examining complex issues and critical reflection in visual forms

5 stars

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 …

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!).

otrops reviewed Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

Review of 'The Complete Maus' on 'Storygraph'

5 stars

I recently read an interview with Art Spiegelman. It felt like it was time to read Maus again. I'm glad I did. The story of ordinary, flawed human being and extraordinary and inhuman cruelty is a good reminder if what we're up against.

Tod Robbins reviewed Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

Review of 'The Complete Maus' on Goodreads

5 stars

Amazing! A must-read on father-son relationships and the Holocaust.

unicorndeburgh reviewed Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

Review of 'The Complete Maus' on 'Goodreads'

No rating

Wow. This definitely deserves to be a classic. The hardbound compilation is a handsome book, too. [return]The dreadful story of the Holocaust is distanced through the modern day re-telling to the son, and the less than attractive character of the narrator.