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![Metamaus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus [With CDROM] by Art Spiegelman](https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/z220ikmgwy9cypvh2sphdrs8xhv6)
4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book is fantastic if you want more insight into the creation of Maus I and Maus II. The book is split up into three broad questions: “Why the Holocaust?”, “Why mice?”, and “Why comics?”. I really enjoyed hearing more about Spiegelman’s familial dynamics. There is even a section where we get to hear from his wife Francoise, and their children. I also learned a lot about the mechanics of comics and various artistic choices made by Spiegelman that I had overlooked while reading the stories. Overall, if you were left wanting more and with unanswered questions after reading Maus, you should read this book.
Incredible, potent in an intense and differing way than the source material, adds additional weight to it. Huge recommendation to anyone who wants to be in a creative field as well, there’s just a ton in here and it reads fast.
This book is a good companion to the graphic history of Maus. Done mainly though interviews, the book covers the concept, creation, and response to Maus. It is quite an easy read. Also of note is the DVD, which includes a copy of the graphic novel and losts of bonus materials, including some source material.
Maus left me speechless and I wanted to know more. Wow. If you also loved Maus, check this out from your library.
You know how I like to "flip" (i.e. read, play, watch and listen to everything) before putting whatever media back on the shelf and giving my opinion, but I'm going to declare MetaMaus UNFLIPPABLE. I don't mean that in a bad way though. It's just that there's SO MUCH information about Art Spiegelman's seminal comics work Maus in this luscious, full-color, abundantly illustrated hardcover that it seems too much to get through unless I was doing a Master's or Doctor's thesis on it. The core of the book is quite good and insightful though. Like Maus itself, it's structured as an interview with Spiegelman, and is split into three real questions. Why the Holocaust? Why mice? Why comics? Lots of illustrations from Maus itself, as well as Spiegelman's notes and sketchbooks, Holocaust documentation, etc. help the reader understand the artist's method and approach, while the interview style keeps things jaunty and easy to read. For people who really want to delve deeper, there are vast excerpts from Spiegelman's transcribed interviews with his father and others, and a DVD-ROM (how old school!) filled to the brim with even more sketch comparisons, video interviews with Spiegelman, sound from the actual tapes he made, historical documents, etc. I've always wanted to give a class in (let's make it university level by choosing the right pretentious title) Sequential Narrative Art, and if I ever did, and students picked Maus as their semester project, I wouldn't expect or need more than MetaMaus in the bibliography.
Loved the parts where he focuses on his relationship with his father and the experience of creating maus. Graphic novel enthusiasts will enjoy the more technical descriptions of his creative process.
As a long time fan of Maus, I bought this when it first came out and then let it sit on the shelf until I could face it. That took 12 years, but better late than never. It's a lot, almost too much, and I admit to skimming to sections of the interview that seemed redundant or that asked questions about matters I felt were self-evident. The good thing is that among the enormous amount of material there's guaranteed to be plenty of interest for any reader. I especially valued the transcripts from Spiegelman's interviews with his father that formed the basis of Maus.
My only complaint is honestly because of a misunderstanding on my part. For some reason I thought also contained the two volumes of Maus. It's not a big deal, I already have them, but it would have been convenient. Of course there would also have been less room for the interviews, sketches, and family histories. Also included is a CD-ROM with more of all of those things, as well as the audio of the Vladek Spiegelman interviews, which alone is worth the price of admission.
My only complaint is honestly because of a misunderstanding on my part. For some reason I thought
Probably a 3.5 tbh. There's a lot in it.
Interesting lore on the author but not really worth reading unless you're into that type of thing. The transcripts at the end with the author's dad are worth it though. And there are lots of interesting comics and art throughout.
Interesting lore on the author but not really worth reading unless you're into that type of thing. The transcripts at the end with the author's dad are worth it though. And there are lots of interesting comics and art throughout.
Un libro che spiega aneddoti, curiosità e ricerche che hanno portato alla creazione di Maus. Un intervista fatta da Hillary Chute all'autore di Maus. Per buona parte del libro l'intervista si sofferma su tre punti fondamentali, tre domande importanti:
Perché usare il tema dell'olocausto?
Perché fare personaggi umani con facce da animali?
Perché usare un mazzo come il fumetto?
L'autore spiega con ricchezza di particolari queste tre domande e non solo, il volume è pieno di disegni e bozzetti di Maus, del libro Metamaus e delle sue opere precedenti e varie mostre e lezioni che a dato nelle varie scuole d'arte americane a cui a presenziato. La parte più interessante è sicuramente le opinioni della famiglia dell'autore cioè sua moglie e i due figli per i fatto del guardare la storia dei nonni attraverso un fumetto. La parte un po più impegnativa è stata la seconda parte dove Art ha trascritto tutte le registrazioni con il padre, registrazioni che sono presenti anche nel dvd. Un making of che mi ha fatto capire non solo cosa ha provato Art durante la lavorazione ma anche il dopo cioè quando il suo lavoro era finito, quando Art viene investito di rabbia da parte dei sopravvissuti, e quando ha avuto numerosi premi anche se non è questo che si aspettava e molto altro.
Il mio voto per questo libro è 7,5
Perché usare il tema dell'olocausto?
Perché fare personaggi umani con facce da animali?
Perché usare un mazzo come il fumetto?
L'autore spiega con ricchezza di particolari queste tre domande e non solo, il volume è pieno di disegni e bozzetti di Maus, del libro Metamaus e delle sue opere precedenti e varie mostre e lezioni che a dato nelle varie scuole d'arte americane a cui a presenziato. La parte più interessante è sicuramente le opinioni della famiglia dell'autore cioè sua moglie e i due figli per i fatto del guardare la storia dei nonni attraverso un fumetto. La parte un po più impegnativa è stata la seconda parte dove Art ha trascritto tutte le registrazioni con il padre, registrazioni che sono presenti anche nel dvd. Un making of che mi ha fatto capire non solo cosa ha provato Art durante la lavorazione ma anche il dopo cioè quando il suo lavoro era finito, quando Art viene investito di rabbia da parte dei sopravvissuti, e quando ha avuto numerosi premi anche se non è questo che si aspettava e molto altro.
Il mio voto per questo libro è 7,5
An essential companion to one of the greatest works of literature ever published.