Sparky
I just finished Schulz And Peanuts, David Michaelis's biography of Charles Schulz.
Like most American growing up since World War II, I spent my childhood reading Peanuts--it was far and away my favorite comic. (I also played the title role in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.) However, I knew next to nothing about the creator of the strip.
I had no idea he led such a sad life. He seemed to have put everything into the strip, which left little for his real life. He had trouble relating to others--one reason why his first marriage failed. What's most interesting about the book is it reprints strips that reflect what was going on in his life at the time. I wouldn't have guessed Lucy, Snoopy, Linus, Charlie Brown and the rest were so autobiographical.
Sometimes I wonder if we should learn about the lives of artists. Does it give us useful insight, or just burden us with unneeded information. What counts is what they leave behind. Perhaps they had to make some sacrifice to create, but as unpleasant as it might have been for them, should it matter to us any more than how much pain and sweat went into building a house or starting a business?
posted by LAGuy @ 12:14 AM
2 Comments:
I tend to think all information is good but yes having the back-story on an author, composer or other artist will influence perception of the work. At least this came out well after the fact so it can't infect the initial perceptions. Although while I certainly didn't know the specifics of Schulz's life, to the extent I ever thought about it, I also assumed Charlie Brown's creator was a troubled person.
On a related note- I know nothing about him but I'm guessing the the creator of "Zippy the Pinhead" gets put in the special line at airport security and his neighbors think he's a quiet guy who mainly keeps to himself.
It's Scott Adams of Dilbert fame who worries me.
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