Maus

Maus: 

A Survivor's Tale

Graphic Novel

Author: Art Spiegalman

Publisher: Pantheon

Copyright: 1986

“It would take many books, my life, and no one wants anyway to hear such stories.” 

As the winner of the first Pulitzer Prize for a comic book and the fact that this work is still a top seller after 25 years, we can see that many people do want to hear Vladek's stories. This is the true story of the Siegalman's father, a Jew in World War II Poland. It tells of Vladek's experiences struggling to survive when it seemed everything was out to bury him. Vladek is a resourceful person who does what he can to try and take care of his wife and family, with trust as a central theme. Often cited as an important work in the world of graphic novels (and literature in general), the author uses animal caricatures to portray his characters and get at the brutality of the holocaust. This book can be (and is) used in many history, literature and art classrooms to teach a variety of topics.

Related Links:  

• Book Profile on Goodreads.com - This social media site contains more reviews by readers and information on the author.
• Teacher's Guide - From the Vancouver Holocaust Education Center, a guide on using this book in social studies, language arts and visual arts.
• Maus II - The Goodreads.com entry for the sequel to this book.
• YouTube - There are a variety of videos on this book's author, Art Spiegalman.  Interviews, lectures, and more.
• 'MetaMaus': The Story Behind Spiegelman's Classic - An interview with the author on NPR's Talk of the Nation after the publication of MetaMaus, a book that looks into the process of writing the Maus series.