book 1 of Maus

by Art Spiegelman

isbn: 0394747232
subject: Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, Biography, History
finished: 3/25/1999

This is a graphic novel about Spiegelman's parents' ordeal in Nazi controlled Poland, leading up to their imprisonment in Auschwitz; it's also about the effect that these events had on Spiegelman's life. In Maus, the Poles are drawn as pigs, the Germans as cats, and the Jews as mice. Rather than detracting from the impact of the book, the lack of specific human features makes us identify with the characters more strongly; the result is a powerful, disturbing work. Because Maus paints a very personal picture of life under the Nazis, it would be good to read alongside a high-level book like The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Highly recommended.