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Summary: An ASTONISHING Tale...
Review: "Maus I" is a powerful and awe-inspiring experience. I have never read anything quite like it, I have to admit. It's really hard to comprehend the term "page-turner" until you read this very unique and intense tale of surviving one of the most terrible times in history.Written in comic book form, Art Spiegelman tells the tale of his father's hardships and survival in the Holocaust. Vladek Spiegelman (his father) was a POW, but managed to sneak out of one of the camps that held him, only to later have him and his whole family thrown into terrible death camps. Uncertain of what tragedies they would endure or when they may be the next to be sent to Auschwitz, Vladek was always certain that they would make it out alive, no matter what obstacles were thrown in their way. This is a survivor's tale, as well as a tale of how a son tries to patch up a damaged relationship with his father. The account we are given is absolutely horrifying, but at the same time triumphant. I literally could not put this book down once I started it. It's a very fast and easy read. This is a great advantage because this makes it easier for those who do not read a lot to be able to read it without any problems. It's an important tale that needs to be told and it is one that needs to be read by as many people as possible. The Holocaust is something we should never forget and it's something that needs to be taught to everyone. This book is a great way to get people aware of the situation who may not know a lot about that terrible time. The comic book structure and style really makes the story work. While this is something I could've read in plain text or in a regular novel, the drawings help you experience just exactly what is taking place. It makes it easier for you to want to continue reading without forcing you to strain yourself. The style and structure also insures that more people will give it a chance and read it. "Maus I" is an important tale of survival, hope, hardships and family. It's a tale worth being told, that much I can assure you. If you have never read this before, I strongly recommend that you pick it up sometime and give it a chance. It is an easy and fast read that will give you an experience like none you have ever encountered. It may be a sad and terrible tale to hear, but to know that somebody can survive such a horrendous scenario like the Holocaust and come out of it alive just goes to show you how strong a person can be, both inside and out. It is an important tale that deserves to be heard by as many people as possible.
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Summary: A "must-read" for WWII history buffs.
Review: If you have ANY interest in WWII history or specifically the Holocaust, I implore you to pick up these two titles (Maus I and II). They are easy-to-read, informative, and HISTORICALLY accurate. The author's/artist's method of detailing his own struggles with his family's past and present combined with his father's narrative of survival during the Nazi regime is quite effective. The reader is drawn into the story on two fronts - as Vladek (the father) the reluctant but resourceful witness to the Holocaust, and as Art (the son), who is searching for answers to questions on many different levels. To those who are looking for Military History, I agree with the previous reviewer. This is not about the military. Then again, I don't think it was supposed to be. In addition, people who have trouble with abstract anthropomorphisms should steer clear. If, having read Animal Farm, you found yourself fuming that the blue collar worker was being represented by a horse, you should also probably skip these. Otherwise, read them.
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Summary: Profound, Deep and Important book
Review: A comic book on the Holocost? That includes a love story? And humor? Seems far fetched, but somehow it works. Very well, at that. Spiegelman weaves three stories between two books. First and foremost is the story of his father Vladek's survival of the Holocost. Second is Art and Vladek coming to grips with each other, a relationship that is strained at best. Lastly is the story of Vladek's love for his wife Anja, and how Art and Vladek come to grips with her death. This is no Hollywood story. The humor is dark, at best. No punches are pulled with the Holocost. There is no great happy ending. The book covers how people cope with the terrible. It does so in a very real and true manner. Truly gripping. The author is to be commended to be opening up his life, as well as the lives of his family. The honesty makes for gripping and disturbing coverage of a most important topic.
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Summary: Don't let the artwork fool you!
Review: Anyone who wants to know anything about the Holocaust should not miss this book. The graphic-novel style of the book tends to put the reader at ease as the story begins to unfold, and by the time the bad stuff hits, you're hooked. The book spends very little time discussing the social or political causes of the holocaust, but rather focuses on the author's father, Vladek Spiegelman, a Polish jew caught up in one of this centuries greatest crimes. The dialogue between Art Spiegelman and his father, Vladek, serve to humanize the characters right away, and serve notice that even though the Holocaust is over, it's scars have remained in the people who lived through it, and those whose lives were forever altered because of it. Spiegelman's characterization of the jews as mice and the Nazis as cats is a brilliant casting of the hunter v. hunted. Other castings, such as the Poles as pigs and Americans as dogs may not be altogether accurate, but they serve the story quite well. The artwork is very high quality, but retains enough of a comic-book feel to put the reader at ease as the war begins and the mousetrap is sprung. I was surprised at the brutal honesty of both Vladek and Art as they relay their experiences in both books, particularly as Art reprints his "Prisoner on Hell Planet", a story about his mother that was originally printed years ago. These kinds of no-holds-barred stories reveal the flaws that are inherent in all of us, and makes the story that much more universal. This is a tremendous story that should not be dismissed because of its format. READ THIS BOOK!!
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Summary: "Maus": an important literary landmark
Review: Art Spiegelman's "Maus: A Survivor's Tale" is a unique and unforgettable work of literature. This two-volume set of book-length comics (or "graphic novels," if you prefer) tells the story of the narrator, Artie, and his father Vladek, a Holocaust survivor. "Maus" is thus an important example of both Holocaust literature and of the graphic novel. The two volumes of "Maus" are subtitled "My Father Bleeds History" and "And Here My Troubles Began"; they should be read together to get the biggest impact. Artie is a comic book artist who is trying to create art that is meaningful, not just commercial. As the two volumes of "Maus" unfold, he gradually learns the full story of his father's history as a Jewish survivor of the World War II Holocaust. There is a complex "book within the book" motif, since the main character is actually writing the book that we are reading. This self-referentiality also allows Spiegelman to get in some satiric material. The distinguishing conceit of "Maus" involves depicting the books' humanoid characters as having animal heads. All the Jews have mice heads, the Germans are cats, the Americans dogs, etc. It is a visually provocative device, although not without problematic aspects. To his credit, Spiegelman addresses some of the ambiguities of this visual device in the course of the 2 volumes. For example, Artie's wife, a Frenchwoman who converted to Judaism, wonders what kind of animal head she should have in the comic. "Maus" contains some stunning visual touches, as well as some truly painful and thought-provoking dialogue. Vladek is one of the most extraordinary characters in 20th century literature. As grim as the two books' subject matter is, there are some moments of humor and warmth. Overall, "Maus" is a profound reflection on family ties, history, memory, and the role of the artist in society.
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Summary: Maus II made me want to find out more about my ancestors
Review: Have you ever wondered what the past was like? You could learn a lot from your relatives. In the story "Maus II: A Survivor's Tale", Mr. Spiegelman is willing to write a book that gives different information about the Holocaust than the ones already written. He decides to go visit his father, Vladek, to get some information for his book. Mr. Spiegelman wrote the book telling Vladek's story of the Holocaust. It includes the questions Mr. Spiegelman asked Vladek. The comic book format makes the story more alive. It makes the reader feel like they were listening to Vladek's story live. Vladek's story starts out when Vladek and his wife Anja were sent to Auschwitz at the beginning of World War II. They were separated and didn't get to see each other until the end of the war. The reader experiences what they see while living in the concentration camps. At first, Vladek was angry that he was forced to live like an animal. He was always hungry and weak from working as a slave for the Nazis. Vladek was continually faithful to God and his religion. He always believed that God would be there to help him even in the worst of times. One day, one of the Nazi officers made him an offer which helped relieve his misery. The officer wanted Vladek to teach him English as a reward of good food, clean clothes, and clean shoes. A few months later, Vladek was sent to Birkenau and worked as a shoesmith. Because he had these jobs, he was healthier than the ones dying. Unfortunately, there were some troubles that Vladek had to go through before he was saved. I recommend this book because it taught me to be more faithful. It also taught me some things about the Holocaust I never knew.
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Summary: Great
Review: I am combining volumes one and two. Volume one is great and it is no wonder it won a Pulitzer Prize. Even if you are not fond of comics or graphic novels, if you are at all interested in history (or WW2 specifically), you should try this. I enjoyed it enough that I bought both for my mother-in-law, who likes reading non-fiction historical accounts.
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Summary: Great for students, too.
Review: I first read this set in my first year of college as required reading for my freshman seminar. At first, my classmates and I were taken aback by the format--it is anything but "academic" in appearance. Once I delved into it however, I discovered the utterly compelling aspect of this tale! I was so engaged by Maus I and II, originally reading them weeks before I was supposed to. I enjoyed reading it again when it came time to discuss these works in class! I was also amazed and pleasantly surprised at the inclusion of this set to my freshman curriculum, meaning that my school recognized the art form of the graphic novel as something far greater in value than just a glorified "comic book". I would highly recommend this set as an addition to an academic curriculum, particularly on a high school and college level. It presents the subject of the Holocaust in a completely novel way--your students will not be able to put it down, and your class discussions will be afire with ideas.
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Summary: My reflection
Review: I really enjoyed this book.The art in the books makes the story easier to understand and it provides shows you exactly what the author is trying to express. This in depth story about the Holocaust really helps you understand exactly how the Jews were treated. I highly recommended this book.It will definitely teach you a lesson.
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Summary: A continuation of a riveting story...
Review: I strongly recommend reading the first Maus before starting this book. In this book, the author's relationship with his father is explored further, and we get to see how his father survived the Holocaust. The horrors this one man went through make it seem unbelievable that he is alive to tell his story. The theme of Art's struggle of accepting his religion is also explored as a sub-theme. The illustrations are also much more detailed than a first thought, so make sure you take a good look at them.
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