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Great Comics Artists Series
A Charlie Brown Religion: Exploring the Spiritual Life and Work of Charles M. Schulz
Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip franchise, the most successful of all time, forever changed the industry. For more than half a century, the endearing, witty insights brought to life by Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, and Lucy have caused newspaper readers and television viewers across the globe to laugh, sigh, gasp, and ponder. A Charlie Brown Religion explores one of the most provocative topics Schulz broached in his heartwarming work--religion.Based on new archival research and original interviews with Schulz's family, friends, and colleagues, author Stephen J. Lind offers a new spiritual biography of the life and work of the great comic strip artist. In his lifetime, aficionados and detractors both labeled Schulz as a fundamentalist Christian or as an atheist. Yet his deeply personal views on faith have eluded journalists and biographers for decades. Previously unpublished writings from Schulz will move fans as they begin to see the nuances of the humorist's own complex, intense journey toward understanding God and faith."There are three things that I've learned never to discuss with people," Linus says, "Religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." Yet with the support of religious communities, Schulz bravely defied convention and dared to express spiritual thought in the "funny pages," a secular, mainstream entertainment medium. This insightful, thorough study of the 17,897 Peanuts newspaper strips, seventy-five animated titles, and global merchandising empire will delight and intrigue as Schulz considers what it means to believe, what it means to doubt, and what it means to share faith with the world.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 12, 2017
As a longtime fan of Peanuts, and as someone who's always pondered the significance of Christianity in Charles Schulz's life, I found this to be an interesting and informative biography. Although the author makes no attempt either to affirm or criticize what Schulz believed, it should be sufficiently clear to the discerning reader that there are a lot of troubling points in Schulz's theology. Certainly, dogmatism can often be taken too far, but Schulz's seeming refusal to take a firm stand on any doctrinal positions is highly concerning. In particular, there's a fair bit of evidence that he didn't think salvation was limited to justification by faith alone in Christ alone. In that regard, this is a disappointing book to read. Nevertheless, there's plenty of benefit to reading well-written books like these, even when much of what we learn is unpleasant.
(Read for the 2017 Tim Challies Christian Reading Challenge: A book of your choice)
(Read for the 2017 Tim Challies Christian Reading Challenge: A book of your choice)
December 8, 2017
Many of us know Peanuts. Whether it is from reading the comics in the paper growing up, watching the holiday specials or one of the numerous other ways that the brand has left its mark on pop culture, most of us recognize Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the gang. What we may not know nearly as much about is the life of the man behind the work, Charles Schulz. This is where Stephen Lind's A Charlie Brown Religion helps give some background to Charles Schulz.
Now, this isn't a simple biography of Charles Schulz. Yes, it does include information about his life from his early days until his death, but the focus is more on his spiritual beliefs. What did Charles Schulz believe and how did his beliefs soak into the work he created. This is not an easy task as Charles Schulz didn't seem to be a man who was easily labeled when it came to spiritual beliefs. He had strong Christians roots and sensibilities, but often found himself at odds with denominations and the idea that any one person or group could have all the answers. He was both very open and willing to talk about his faith, but also rather personal about it, even to the point of not talking about spiritual matters with either of his wives or even his children.
It also shows the interesting struggles that Schulz had with having some of these religious beliefs cross over into his work. Having to fight to keep parts of the now famous Christmas special intact, particularly Linus' quotation from the Book of Luke. It was interesting to see how much of a unique voice Schulz had due to his infusion of Christian spirituality in his work and how in many ways he was the trailblazer for the inclusion of spiritual themes and topics in comics and animation.
I found the book to be interesting in many places. Due to my own faith, I always find it interesting hearing about the faith of others, and I found Schulz's faith to be very interesting to read about. His was a very low key faith, but it was also a faith that impacted his work with Peanuts and therefore was presented in many of his comic strips and animated features.
Now, while I would say A Charlie Brown Religion was an interesting book it is not without its flaws or drawbacks. I think the biggest potential drawback is the type of biography this is. I enjoyed the look at Schulz's faith journey, but if you're looking for a straight biography of Schulz you'll be disappointed.
This approach also made the flow of the book a little difficult to follow. While I felt that Lind generally follows things chronologically, there are sometimes areas where something will get mentioned (like the end of Schulz's first marriage) at the end of one chapter, but won't be talked about until a couple chapters later. The chapters seemed to have a more thematic focus than chronological focus. Sometimes these themes lined up with a chronological aspect of Schulz's life. Like the early chapter on his upbringing and coming into faith or the later chapter about Schulz's death and about how Peanuts has continued on since his death. Some of the middle chapters though were a little murky on where things entirely fit.
Another drawback is that some chapters dragged a bit. In some ways this is not too bad because it shows the dedication that Lind put into researching this book, but it may just not be what you expected in a book like this. Again it also helps if you understand that this is looking at the spiritual beliefs and life of Charles Schulz.
Overall, I found this book an interesting look at the faith and life of Charles Schulz. It isn't your average biography, taking a unique focus on Schulz's faith and how that faith impacted his own life, his work, and his family and friends. This focus will maybe turn some away and creates some organizational issues in terms of presentation, but still winds up being an enjoyable book for those who know what they're getting themselves into.
Now, this isn't a simple biography of Charles Schulz. Yes, it does include information about his life from his early days until his death, but the focus is more on his spiritual beliefs. What did Charles Schulz believe and how did his beliefs soak into the work he created. This is not an easy task as Charles Schulz didn't seem to be a man who was easily labeled when it came to spiritual beliefs. He had strong Christians roots and sensibilities, but often found himself at odds with denominations and the idea that any one person or group could have all the answers. He was both very open and willing to talk about his faith, but also rather personal about it, even to the point of not talking about spiritual matters with either of his wives or even his children.
It also shows the interesting struggles that Schulz had with having some of these religious beliefs cross over into his work. Having to fight to keep parts of the now famous Christmas special intact, particularly Linus' quotation from the Book of Luke. It was interesting to see how much of a unique voice Schulz had due to his infusion of Christian spirituality in his work and how in many ways he was the trailblazer for the inclusion of spiritual themes and topics in comics and animation.
I found the book to be interesting in many places. Due to my own faith, I always find it interesting hearing about the faith of others, and I found Schulz's faith to be very interesting to read about. His was a very low key faith, but it was also a faith that impacted his work with Peanuts and therefore was presented in many of his comic strips and animated features.
Now, while I would say A Charlie Brown Religion was an interesting book it is not without its flaws or drawbacks. I think the biggest potential drawback is the type of biography this is. I enjoyed the look at Schulz's faith journey, but if you're looking for a straight biography of Schulz you'll be disappointed.
This approach also made the flow of the book a little difficult to follow. While I felt that Lind generally follows things chronologically, there are sometimes areas where something will get mentioned (like the end of Schulz's first marriage) at the end of one chapter, but won't be talked about until a couple chapters later. The chapters seemed to have a more thematic focus than chronological focus. Sometimes these themes lined up with a chronological aspect of Schulz's life. Like the early chapter on his upbringing and coming into faith or the later chapter about Schulz's death and about how Peanuts has continued on since his death. Some of the middle chapters though were a little murky on where things entirely fit.
Another drawback is that some chapters dragged a bit. In some ways this is not too bad because it shows the dedication that Lind put into researching this book, but it may just not be what you expected in a book like this. Again it also helps if you understand that this is looking at the spiritual beliefs and life of Charles Schulz.
Overall, I found this book an interesting look at the faith and life of Charles Schulz. It isn't your average biography, taking a unique focus on Schulz's faith and how that faith impacted his own life, his work, and his family and friends. This focus will maybe turn some away and creates some organizational issues in terms of presentation, but still winds up being an enjoyable book for those who know what they're getting themselves into.
June 28, 2022
Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip franchise, the most successful of all time, forever changed the industry. For more than half a century, the endearing, witty insights brought to life by Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, and Lucy have caused newspaper readers and television viewers across the globe to laugh, sigh, gasp, and ponder. A Charlie Brown Religion explores one of the most provocative topics Schulz broached in his heartwarming work--religion.
Based on new archival research and original interviews with Schulz's family, friends, and colleagues, author Stephen J. Lind offers a new spiritual biography of the life and work of the great comic strip artist. In his lifetime, aficionados and detractors both labeled Schulz as a fundamentalist Christian or as an atheist. Yet his deeply personal views on faith have eluded journalists and biographers for decades. Previously unpublished writings from Schulz will move fans as they begin to see the nuances of the humorist's own complex, intense journey toward understanding God and faith.
"There are three things that I've learned never to discuss with people," Linus says, "Religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." Yet with the support of religious communities, Schulz bravely defied convention and dared to express spiritual thought in the "funny pages," a secular, mainstream entertainment medium. This insightful, thorough study of the 17,897 Peanuts newspaper strips, seventy-five animated titles, and global merchandising empire will delight and intrigue as Schulz considers what it means to believe, what it means to doubt, and what it means to share faith with the world.
Based on new archival research and original interviews with Schulz's family, friends, and colleagues, author Stephen J. Lind offers a new spiritual biography of the life and work of the great comic strip artist. In his lifetime, aficionados and detractors both labeled Schulz as a fundamentalist Christian or as an atheist. Yet his deeply personal views on faith have eluded journalists and biographers for decades. Previously unpublished writings from Schulz will move fans as they begin to see the nuances of the humorist's own complex, intense journey toward understanding God and faith.
"There are three things that I've learned never to discuss with people," Linus says, "Religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." Yet with the support of religious communities, Schulz bravely defied convention and dared to express spiritual thought in the "funny pages," a secular, mainstream entertainment medium. This insightful, thorough study of the 17,897 Peanuts newspaper strips, seventy-five animated titles, and global merchandising empire will delight and intrigue as Schulz considers what it means to believe, what it means to doubt, and what it means to share faith with the world.
April 25, 2019
I thorough enjoyed reading this book that explores a bit of Charles Schulz's religious beliefs. Later in life he would say he was a secular humanist, which led people even today to claim his as an atheist. However, author Stephen Lind does an excellent job exploring Schulz's entire life's work and demonstrating that he never considered himself an atheist, but in fact held a deeply personal belief in God.
That being said, Schulz did not necessarily align himself to any particular religious organization's way of thinking. He attended the Methodist church for several years, but did not agree with all they taught. His daughter Amy joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he made his disagreement with its teachings very clear. Even so, he supported his daughter and often found common ground to share with her. (I also must express appreciation to the author for accurately representing the teachings and beliefs he mentions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
It was fun to read about Charles Schulz. This is the first biography I have read about him, and I really enjoyed the angle that Lind used to approach this biography. It made me want to pull out a book of Peanuts comics and spend hours reading them.
That being said, Schulz did not necessarily align himself to any particular religious organization's way of thinking. He attended the Methodist church for several years, but did not agree with all they taught. His daughter Amy joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he made his disagreement with its teachings very clear. Even so, he supported his daughter and often found common ground to share with her. (I also must express appreciation to the author for accurately representing the teachings and beliefs he mentions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
It was fun to read about Charles Schulz. This is the first biography I have read about him, and I really enjoyed the angle that Lind used to approach this biography. It made me want to pull out a book of Peanuts comics and spend hours reading them.
March 20, 2017
Charles Schulz is the famous cartoonist that brought a boy, Charlie Brown, and his dog, Snoopy to the public. When Schulz passed away, his company boasted 300 million followers. Faithful readers will note that the comic strips, and TV shows always had a mention of the bible, a biblical story or an underlying social issue. If taken at face value, the reader would assume that the cartoonist held a deep faith in God that he desired to share with the world. Yet, the Cartoonist relied on ambiguous statements for the reader to decipher which way his beliefs really leaned.
Lind's book tells a story of how Schulz grew up in a non-religious family with the only tie in religion coming from his mother who loved old church hymns. During his mother's illness he visited a Church of God assembly and eventually found roots in their theology. Schulz became a teacher in the church, often read his bible at home, and dabbled in theology books, desiring to learn more.
Even so, as the years passed, Lind shows us that Schulz's faith weakened and his convictions waned. Charles depended on his love for God and God's ability to read his heart to carry him through life. However, that would prove insufficient as Schulz started to participate in things that would cause most churchgoers to wonder if he really believed in God.
Lind does a thorough job detailing Schulz's work and his desire to bring a part of his beliefs to the world. However, there were times when the chapter topic seemed to drag on, and dry up. Overall, it's a good book and well researched.
Lind's book tells a story of how Schulz grew up in a non-religious family with the only tie in religion coming from his mother who loved old church hymns. During his mother's illness he visited a Church of God assembly and eventually found roots in their theology. Schulz became a teacher in the church, often read his bible at home, and dabbled in theology books, desiring to learn more.
Even so, as the years passed, Lind shows us that Schulz's faith weakened and his convictions waned. Charles depended on his love for God and God's ability to read his heart to carry him through life. However, that would prove insufficient as Schulz started to participate in things that would cause most churchgoers to wonder if he really believed in God.
Lind does a thorough job detailing Schulz's work and his desire to bring a part of his beliefs to the world. However, there were times when the chapter topic seemed to drag on, and dry up. Overall, it's a good book and well researched.
January 29, 2025
I enjoyed this book which gave me SOME insight into the spiritual side of Charles Schulz. He appears to definitely be a man who would not tell others HOW to think but who discreetly (maybe not always discreetly) encouraged them TO think. Although there seem to be many parts of his personal life that might not fit into a mainstream Christian mindset or lifestyle, I find I do admire him greatly for his perseverance in setting biblical truth before the general public during a time when it was often a battle. And he did it in a way that was thought provoking and pretty hard to take offense to. Having never been a consistent reader of the “funny papers” but having seen many Peanuts television specials, it surprised and pleased me to see how often he used Scripture or a reference to something biblical. Good book.
April 9, 2018
I love Snoopy and the Charlie Brown gang. They make me laugh and always give me a sense of almost relaxation. So, naturally, when I saw this on a front table at Barnes and Noble, I had to pick it up. The life of Charles Schultz is filled with joy, hope, sadness, curiosity, silliness and above all, the thought that he was put on this planet for a reason. There were many parts of his life, both in and outside his comic strips, that I never knew. This book did well to not only inform, but share the heart of this beloved cartoonist. I did feel like it was a slower read, but all in all, still good.
July 31, 2017
As a conservative evangelical who wanted a little broader perspective on the originator of a cultural phenomenon (like Peanuts), I found this book enlightening. Of course, I would have theological disagreements, but there were things I was also encouraged and challenged by as well.
Simply reading the story was beneficial. And even in the disagreements I hold with Schulz, I was sharpened in my thinking.
Simply reading the story was beneficial. And even in the disagreements I hold with Schulz, I was sharpened in my thinking.
February 22, 2023
Although it was interesting to learn more about the faith journey of Charles Schulz, I feel as though I never really got a sense of who he was as a person, and I was somewhat distracted by him being always referred to by his nickname, Sparky.
January 4, 2019
3.5 stars
January 3, 2023
I learned many things about Charles Schulz and his family about his creation of Charlie Brown/Peanuts. However, this book felt like a very long research paper, instead of a typical biography.
November 27, 2015
It’s been over 15 years since Charles Schulz published his last Peanuts comic strip. The popular series, which ran for almost 50 years, has enjoyed a resurgence this year thanks to the recently released Peanuts Movie, featuring Charlie Brown, Lucy, and the gang in 3-D. Now a new book explores the motives of the creator of Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Religion: Exploring the Spiritual Life and Work of Charles M. Schulz by Stephen Lind.
I always thought of Peanuts as a cute kids comic strip. A Charlie Brown Religion reveals that Peanuts was more than that. In his comic strip Charles Schulz, a deeply religious man, often revealed his current spiritual state. It all started with the popular 1965 television program: A Charlie Brown Christmas. The special featured the Peanuts character Linus reading a Bible passage to tell Charlie Brown the real meaning of Christmas. TV executives weren’t sure how the special would be received. “Whether or not the enterprise survived would be left to the American public – a public that studio executives, like most in their industry, feared would reject the explicit religious message,” writes Lind.
It would appear that Charles Schulz was destined to be a hero to the nation’s fundamentalist Christians after the high ratings A Charlie Brown Christmas earned. Not so fast. I liked how Lind shows the conflicts Schulz struggled with in his own faith, and how that was reflected in Peanuts. Lind reveals the spiritual bent of the comic in this exchange: “Santa Claus is twice the man the Great Pumpkin is!” Lucy shouts at Linus in a daily strip. “You’re crazy!” Linus says. As they continue back and forth a helpless Charlie Brown comments, “I’m always disturbed by denominational squabbling.” This strip reflected Schulz’s own aversion to theological arguments within the church. “Schulz felt strongly about such divisions in churches, lamenting that competition and exclusion were taking way from the call to love one’s neighbor,” Lind writes.
In another Great Pumpkin strip, the Peanuts character Peppermint Patty is distraught over being told they were in the last days. This was consistent with Schulz’s own distaste for those churches that emphasized prophesy. “I think this is irresponsible preaching and very dangerous,” Lind quotes Schulz, “and especially when it is slanted towards children. I think it is totally irresponsible, because I see nothing biblical that points up to our being in the last days, and I just think it’s an outrageous thing do do, and a lot of people are making a living – they’ve been making a living for 2000 years – preaching that we’re in the last days.”
I liked how Lind used writings and speeches of Schulz, and examples of numerous Peanuts comic strips, to show the changing spiritual perspective of this popular cartoonist. “Charles Schulz has been labeled a fundamentalist Christian and an atheist. Such explanations are not only incorrect, they are too simple,” Lind writes. “Charles Schulz’s life was rich, and his faith in the mysteries of God was personal. He, like any artist (like any human), was a multifaceted, complex person. His spiritual beliefs were no different.”
I always thought of Peanuts as a cute kids comic strip. A Charlie Brown Religion reveals that Peanuts was more than that. In his comic strip Charles Schulz, a deeply religious man, often revealed his current spiritual state. It all started with the popular 1965 television program: A Charlie Brown Christmas. The special featured the Peanuts character Linus reading a Bible passage to tell Charlie Brown the real meaning of Christmas. TV executives weren’t sure how the special would be received. “Whether or not the enterprise survived would be left to the American public – a public that studio executives, like most in their industry, feared would reject the explicit religious message,” writes Lind.
It would appear that Charles Schulz was destined to be a hero to the nation’s fundamentalist Christians after the high ratings A Charlie Brown Christmas earned. Not so fast. I liked how Lind shows the conflicts Schulz struggled with in his own faith, and how that was reflected in Peanuts. Lind reveals the spiritual bent of the comic in this exchange: “Santa Claus is twice the man the Great Pumpkin is!” Lucy shouts at Linus in a daily strip. “You’re crazy!” Linus says. As they continue back and forth a helpless Charlie Brown comments, “I’m always disturbed by denominational squabbling.” This strip reflected Schulz’s own aversion to theological arguments within the church. “Schulz felt strongly about such divisions in churches, lamenting that competition and exclusion were taking way from the call to love one’s neighbor,” Lind writes.
In another Great Pumpkin strip, the Peanuts character Peppermint Patty is distraught over being told they were in the last days. This was consistent with Schulz’s own distaste for those churches that emphasized prophesy. “I think this is irresponsible preaching and very dangerous,” Lind quotes Schulz, “and especially when it is slanted towards children. I think it is totally irresponsible, because I see nothing biblical that points up to our being in the last days, and I just think it’s an outrageous thing do do, and a lot of people are making a living – they’ve been making a living for 2000 years – preaching that we’re in the last days.”
I liked how Lind used writings and speeches of Schulz, and examples of numerous Peanuts comic strips, to show the changing spiritual perspective of this popular cartoonist. “Charles Schulz has been labeled a fundamentalist Christian and an atheist. Such explanations are not only incorrect, they are too simple,” Lind writes. “Charles Schulz’s life was rich, and his faith in the mysteries of God was personal. He, like any artist (like any human), was a multifaceted, complex person. His spiritual beliefs were no different.”
December 29, 2015
I received A CHARLIE BROWN RELIGION as an ARC from NetGalley.com.
3.5 STARS
I can't remember a time when I wasn't a fan of the Peanuts gang. Something about the comic always just spoke to me, and still does. It's one of the few things I enjoy just as much (and maybe even more) in my adulthood as I did as a small child. Part of it is the simple, expressive art. Part of it is Charlie Brown's eternal hope and perseverance in the face of his rotten luck (and, tbh, his mediocrity). Part of it is the fact that philosophic Linus and bossy Lucy remind me of myself and my sister. Part of it is...well, a hundred other things. But I never noticed that part of it might be the ambiguous and often easily adaptable religious messages.
Despite all the signs that now seem glaring after reading this book, it never really occurred to me that Charles "Sparky" Schulz might have been a religious man. I suppose that's because he approached it in the (to my mind) "correct" way. His religion was a part of him, and he was happy to share it with like-minded folks, or those who had genuine questions and wanted to learn, but he never forced his opinions on anyone. Even his children were free to stop attending church and, as A CHARLIE BROWN RELIGION reveals, he didn't even talk to them about religion until they brought it up with him when they were older and independently began to form their own beliefs.
Since religion was such an important part of who he was, of course it made its way into his work. The most overt example is in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special that's shown on network television every year. This book spends a whole chapter on the development of the special, and the fascinating story of how Sparky put his foot down and insisted on including Linus's Biblical quote when the network people wanted it taken out. Further chapters point out smaller instances of religious moments in Peanuts, from Bible quotes without chapter and verse added, to the simple addition of churches in the background art.
One of my favorite things that I learned reading A CHARLIE BROWN RELIGION is how so many folks from so many denominations, and even other religions completely, felt that Sparky and his characters were on their "side." The messages that he shared through his comics are, perhaps, more "spiritual" than "religious." They have a universality to them, and are presented in a way that lack judgment. And these are the kind of beliefs that I can get behind.
3.5 STARS
I can't remember a time when I wasn't a fan of the Peanuts gang. Something about the comic always just spoke to me, and still does. It's one of the few things I enjoy just as much (and maybe even more) in my adulthood as I did as a small child. Part of it is the simple, expressive art. Part of it is Charlie Brown's eternal hope and perseverance in the face of his rotten luck (and, tbh, his mediocrity). Part of it is the fact that philosophic Linus and bossy Lucy remind me of myself and my sister. Part of it is...well, a hundred other things. But I never noticed that part of it might be the ambiguous and often easily adaptable religious messages.
Despite all the signs that now seem glaring after reading this book, it never really occurred to me that Charles "Sparky" Schulz might have been a religious man. I suppose that's because he approached it in the (to my mind) "correct" way. His religion was a part of him, and he was happy to share it with like-minded folks, or those who had genuine questions and wanted to learn, but he never forced his opinions on anyone. Even his children were free to stop attending church and, as A CHARLIE BROWN RELIGION reveals, he didn't even talk to them about religion until they brought it up with him when they were older and independently began to form their own beliefs.
Since religion was such an important part of who he was, of course it made its way into his work. The most overt example is in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special that's shown on network television every year. This book spends a whole chapter on the development of the special, and the fascinating story of how Sparky put his foot down and insisted on including Linus's Biblical quote when the network people wanted it taken out. Further chapters point out smaller instances of religious moments in Peanuts, from Bible quotes without chapter and verse added, to the simple addition of churches in the background art.
One of my favorite things that I learned reading A CHARLIE BROWN RELIGION is how so many folks from so many denominations, and even other religions completely, felt that Sparky and his characters were on their "side." The messages that he shared through his comics are, perhaps, more "spiritual" than "religious." They have a universality to them, and are presented in a way that lack judgment. And these are the kind of beliefs that I can get behind.
July 4, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley and University Press of Mississippi for this free readers edition. In exchange I am providing an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. But I'm having a difficult time finding words to give it a review. Lind has written a very thorough book about the life of Charles Schulz, Peanuts creator. He spent a lot of time getting a complete history of Schulz and what compelled him to draw and to include the conversations his characters had. Schulz was a quiet man of deep faith, it turns out, in God. In his later years people would claim he had turned atheist based on remarks he made but Lind discovered through talking to family and friends that he never did turn away from God or faith. His faith carried him until his last breath. In creating his Peanuts characters and using them to explore the topics of life Schulz was very thoughtful and intentional. Certainly not all of his strips were exploration of a scripture or life topic but he kept his characters true to themselves even in the lighter moments. He really paved the way for other cartoonists to keep their work relevant and protected. Schulz made sure to stay involved in anything having to do with his characters, he protected them and the spirit in which he created them. He was intentional about the animated features Peanuts did and he was invested in a message for each moment people interacted with the characters. His works know no boundaries and have been used in all types of education, information, entertainment, etc. He was generous, quietly so. He preferred to stay close to home but would travel when necessary. He maintained a group of friendships that spanned decades. His death in 2000 didn't stop his far-reaching influence, it continues to this day thanks to the efforts of the Creative Group established before his death to ensure the integrity of the Peanuts enterprise.
I really enjoyed this book. But I'm having a difficult time finding words to give it a review. Lind has written a very thorough book about the life of Charles Schulz, Peanuts creator. He spent a lot of time getting a complete history of Schulz and what compelled him to draw and to include the conversations his characters had. Schulz was a quiet man of deep faith, it turns out, in God. In his later years people would claim he had turned atheist based on remarks he made but Lind discovered through talking to family and friends that he never did turn away from God or faith. His faith carried him until his last breath. In creating his Peanuts characters and using them to explore the topics of life Schulz was very thoughtful and intentional. Certainly not all of his strips were exploration of a scripture or life topic but he kept his characters true to themselves even in the lighter moments. He really paved the way for other cartoonists to keep their work relevant and protected. Schulz made sure to stay involved in anything having to do with his characters, he protected them and the spirit in which he created them. He was intentional about the animated features Peanuts did and he was invested in a message for each moment people interacted with the characters. His works know no boundaries and have been used in all types of education, information, entertainment, etc. He was generous, quietly so. He preferred to stay close to home but would travel when necessary. He maintained a group of friendships that spanned decades. His death in 2000 didn't stop his far-reaching influence, it continues to this day thanks to the efforts of the Creative Group established before his death to ensure the integrity of the Peanuts enterprise.
November 17, 2015
As a lifelong Peanuts fan, I wish I had liked this book more than I did. It’s well researched and very readable, but I wasn’t as interested in the topic as I thought. Author Stephen J. Lind covers both Charles Schulz’ personal religious beliefs, as well as how religion, particularly biblical references, appeared in the Peanuts comic strip, the TV specials and the movies. In addition, he explores Mr. Schulz’s personal life, particularly his family life; things I had never read elsewhere.
Interestingly, even though I remembered when he died, I also had never read much of anything about his illness, death or funeral, until now. (This was the second time I cried while reading a book in the last few months.) What Charles Schulz was thinking and feeling, when he knew his illness was terminal, clearly showed you can spend your whole life, or most of it, thinking about God and faith, but still end up not totally knowing what is the meaning of life and death?
(Note: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Interestingly, even though I remembered when he died, I also had never read much of anything about his illness, death or funeral, until now. (This was the second time I cried while reading a book in the last few months.) What Charles Schulz was thinking and feeling, when he knew his illness was terminal, clearly showed you can spend your whole life, or most of it, thinking about God and faith, but still end up not totally knowing what is the meaning of life and death?
(Note: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
April 27, 2016
A Charlie Brown Religion by Stephen J. Lind is a well-researched biography of beloved Charles M. Schulz, creator of the Peanuts cartoon strip. Peanuts, the well-written and distinctive comic strip, was part of my life for decades. Its characters helped me grow and gave me much to laugh (and think) about as I went through my days and years. I wanted to learn more about the man behind these unique mini-views of humanity. This book gives you the opportunity to do that, but was not really what I had in mind. It focuses on Charles Schulz's deep relationship with Christianity, sometimes fervent, at other times more subdued. Charles Schulz always wanted to put his deep faith in the Peanuts comic strip, but was held back by those syndicating the comic strip, who were afraid to offend any large body of readers. It was a tug and tussle throughout all of his career.
While it was just 'ok' for me, others may love it more.
Thank-you to NetGalley and University Press of Mississippi for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
While it was just 'ok' for me, others may love it more.
Thank-you to NetGalley and University Press of Mississippi for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2017
Wow, what an awesome book! This biography dwells on the spirituality of Charles Schulz and how his Christian faith found its way into hi s strips and characters. Both Christians and non believers have Schulz as their own. However, Lind gives us a deep look at a complicated man who had a complicated faith. Not quite evangelical, anything but atheist, Schulz's faith changed over the years and was reflected in the deep questions often asked by Linus, Lucy, Charlie Brown, and Peppermint Patty. Often times we read what we want into his strips (and most times that is exactly what Schulz intended us to do). But the faith of the man behind the comics was deep, and true. Beautiful biography and worth the read. Highly recommend.
February 8, 2017
This sort of biography is hard to write, but Lind does an excellent job. Besides navigating the line between critical appreciation and sympathetic portrayal, he keeps the focus on the subject. Often you learn more about the author than the putative subject, but from this book, I learned about Charles Schulz. To learn about Lind, I had to read the book jacket. That's how it should be.
April 10, 2016
A well researched book about the connection between Charles Schulz’ beliefs and Peanuts. The book includes interesting anecdotes that made Schulz very relatable. I was surprised by the controversy behind some of the comics and Specials: gave me new perspective. I am glad I learned more about Schulz, but more background and transitions would have helped the flow. Also since this was so well researched there are times it seems more like a thesis than an enjoyment read.
(Source: eARC from NetGalley)
(Source: eARC from NetGalley)
January 20, 2016
This is a book about a great cartoonist Charles M Schulz.
I know of his work as his cartoons have been with me since I was young and my now grown up son during his younger years.
I hadn't thought about the spiritual side though.
I will revisit my cartoon books and look at the stories through different eyes.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher University Press Mississippi via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
I know of his work as his cartoons have been with me since I was young and my now grown up son during his younger years.
I hadn't thought about the spiritual side though.
I will revisit my cartoon books and look at the stories through different eyes.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher University Press Mississippi via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
July 1, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It took me back to my childhood and behind the scenes of the Christian life of the author I fell asleep to reading every night. I'm incredibly amazed at Stephen J. Lind's research abilities. Some books like this feel like they're really stretching things, but this was so well resourced that you know you can trust it.
October 24, 2016
I love Charles Schulz and I love religious research, so of course I loved this book. including the Mormon connection and the real story behind getting Linus to read Luke chapter 2 from the Bible on national TV for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" program
January 23, 2023
Unusual chronological structure to this book, but far more revealing and insightful than I had expected. I was shocked at the turn Schulz's spirituality took in his later life and, if anyone has delivered the full comprehensive on the religious life of Charles M. Schulz, it's Stephen J. Lind.
January 31, 2016
An interesting book with a sad arc. I wish he could have enjoyed being sure.
June 1, 2016
Did not finish this book.
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