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Chuck Dugan Is AWOL: A Novel - With Maps
On the day of his eighteenth birthday, midshipman cadet Chuck Dugan receives a startling letter, including a treasure map drawn by his late father and news that his mother is about to marry a rogue and scoundrel known as "the Admiral." When the Admiral warns Chuck away from his mother, and the Admiral's sons attack the young cadet, Chuck leaps into action, going AWOL from duty to stop the wedding and find the treasure. So begins this delightful illustrated novel and the thrilling adventures of Chuck Dugan heroic, resourceful, a great swimmer, and master of disguise. In each cliffhanging chapter, Chuck must grapple with a new set of dangers, from sunken ships and buccaneers to survival on open water and a final race to the treasure ahead of the Admiral and his boys. Illuminated throughout with detailed maps of places, people, and things Chuck encounters along the way, and written with an electric sense of derring-do and whimsy, Eric Chase Anderson creates a totally original and captivating hero, and a swashbuckling adventure story for all ages.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2005
4 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Eric Chase Anderson
1 book5 followersEric Chase Anderson (born 1973) is an American writer & illustrator. Eric was born in Houston, Texas, and is the brother of filmmaker Wes Anderson.
Anderson's first novel, Chuck Dugan Is AWOL, "a novel with maps", was published in 2004 by Narnia Books. His illustrations have also appeared in Time magazine and The New York Observer. He illustrated all of the maps, covers, and other packaging of the Criterion Collection editions of his brother's films Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited
Anderson also helped his brother conceptualize the production design for The Royal Tenenbaums by making detailed maps of each room in the Tenenbaum house for the production designers to use as guides, in addition to creating all of the drawings and paintings credited to Richie Tenenbaum in the film. He also takes on small roles in his brother's films. He was the voice of Kristofferson Silverfox in his brother's 2009 film, Fantastic Mr. Fox.
While in film school, he directed The Ant Colony, which was shown for two nights at the Biograph Theater in Washington, DC.
Anderson's first novel, Chuck Dugan Is AWOL, "a novel with maps", was published in 2004 by Narnia Books. His illustrations have also appeared in Time magazine and The New York Observer. He illustrated all of the maps, covers, and other packaging of the Criterion Collection editions of his brother's films Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited
Anderson also helped his brother conceptualize the production design for The Royal Tenenbaums by making detailed maps of each room in the Tenenbaum house for the production designers to use as guides, in addition to creating all of the drawings and paintings credited to Richie Tenenbaum in the film. He also takes on small roles in his brother's films. He was the voice of Kristofferson Silverfox in his brother's 2009 film, Fantastic Mr. Fox.
While in film school, he directed The Ant Colony, which was shown for two nights at the Biograph Theater in Washington, DC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
October 3, 2007
The plot is as delightfully corny as anything you'd find in a "boy's novel" from the first half of the 20th century. (I bought one at a resale store once called "Dave Darrin On The Asiatic Express," which I'm sure fits the bill. I don't know why I haven't read that book yet.) Eric's drawings will be familiar to anyone who owns the Criterion Collection editions of brother Wes Anderson's oeuvre. (Did I really just use 'oeuvre'? Suck it.) They are beyond charming; I wish you find them for sale, blown up to poster size, because they'd make some swanky decor.
July 29, 2013
Man, I haven't been here in awhile...
Okay, So I finally read something... I've actually read a bunch of stuff, but this is the first review I've written in awhile so, let's take it slow and see where it goes.
FIRST: as always and some people have complained, this is a tiny review of a book mixed in a giant story about my life- "great, but where's the review of the book?"
JUST WAIT PAMELA!
So I recently-ish moved into a new apartment, and with this new apartment I bought a new set of bookshelves. I placed all my books into this new bookshelf and immediately thought, "Damn that's a bunch of books I own that I have not read."
So I decided to start at the beginning and work my way through...
Mr. Eric Chase Anderson- you're up! (I skipped Martin Amis' Dead Babies book because I was in a fragile state of mind and something entitled Dead Babies doesn't sound like a laugh riot. But I'll get back to it).
So- Chuck Dugan is Awol... I read the book thinking, "Oh this was published back in 2004, it has a very Wes Anderson feel to it- like even the drawings look like...
Wait a second... Eric Chase ANDERSON...
Okay, so I was a bit slow on the uptake.
Eric Chase Anderson is the brother of Wes Anderson, and you can see the resemblance in their artistic merit. This feel like a story that might maybe could be adapted into a movie, maybe... a very much in need of some meat movie...
It's not a bad book by any stretch... I've read bad. I've read things that I think are bad and people clearly think I have no taste when I say I don't like a book... but that's neither here nor there...
I would say this is a simple straight forward book. A quick read. A read for a kid really. There are pictures!
Duggan is a kid in the navy who doesn't like his soon-to-be father in law, who happens to be an ex naval officer who might have killed Duggan's father... (see I read it!)
There are a lot of frozen stage moments in the book- which makes me think Eric Chase Anderson wrote the book after working with his brother on a few movies because it seems like a fun story, but there isn't a whole bunch of animus to any of the characters beside their basic needs.
But it was fun... Plus there were pictures! And if there were a movie, I'd see it... So... good job Eric Chase Anderson!
I'm still only giving you an "it's okay" because we're at the beginning of the book shelf... prove yourself man!
Okay, So I finally read something... I've actually read a bunch of stuff, but this is the first review I've written in awhile so, let's take it slow and see where it goes.
FIRST: as always and some people have complained, this is a tiny review of a book mixed in a giant story about my life- "great, but where's the review of the book?"
JUST WAIT PAMELA!
So I recently-ish moved into a new apartment, and with this new apartment I bought a new set of bookshelves. I placed all my books into this new bookshelf and immediately thought, "Damn that's a bunch of books I own that I have not read."
So I decided to start at the beginning and work my way through...
Mr. Eric Chase Anderson- you're up! (I skipped Martin Amis' Dead Babies book because I was in a fragile state of mind and something entitled Dead Babies doesn't sound like a laugh riot. But I'll get back to it).
So- Chuck Dugan is Awol... I read the book thinking, "Oh this was published back in 2004, it has a very Wes Anderson feel to it- like even the drawings look like...
Wait a second... Eric Chase ANDERSON...
Okay, so I was a bit slow on the uptake.
Eric Chase Anderson is the brother of Wes Anderson, and you can see the resemblance in their artistic merit. This feel like a story that might maybe could be adapted into a movie, maybe... a very much in need of some meat movie...
It's not a bad book by any stretch... I've read bad. I've read things that I think are bad and people clearly think I have no taste when I say I don't like a book... but that's neither here nor there...
I would say this is a simple straight forward book. A quick read. A read for a kid really. There are pictures!
Duggan is a kid in the navy who doesn't like his soon-to-be father in law, who happens to be an ex naval officer who might have killed Duggan's father... (see I read it!)
There are a lot of frozen stage moments in the book- which makes me think Eric Chase Anderson wrote the book after working with his brother on a few movies because it seems like a fun story, but there isn't a whole bunch of animus to any of the characters beside their basic needs.
But it was fun... Plus there were pictures! And if there were a movie, I'd see it... So... good job Eric Chase Anderson!
I'm still only giving you an "it's okay" because we're at the beginning of the book shelf... prove yourself man!
January 18, 2022
There was too much action in this book. My favorite parts were the ones where pages and pages were devoted to a single event, rather than 10 events happening in just a few pages. This book literally had someone , , , , and — all in the span of a few pages. Or, 6 pages (illustrations included) between and That's some ill-informed decision-making based on , Captain. The maps and illustrations were great, but again, almost too much. It was hard, whilst attempting to track the ludicrous quantity of action, to stop the reading momentum in order to study a map of the layout of a house, when the layout of that house isn't particularly relevant to the story.
November 5, 2025
Chuck Dugan is a simple book with simple drawings. It’s trying very hard to capture the feel of a Wes Anderson movie, which makes sense, since the author is the filmmaker’s lesser known brother.
The title attempts to prime the reader’s pump for quirkiness but the book doesn’t deliver. It’s just a kind of dry, bare bones story that the author is hoping you’ll read in a Wes Snderson-esque narrator’s voice.
The title attempts to prime the reader’s pump for quirkiness but the book doesn’t deliver. It’s just a kind of dry, bare bones story that the author is hoping you’ll read in a Wes Snderson-esque narrator’s voice.
February 23, 2023
4.1 stars.
Love when an artist’s vision comes together. The drawings, characters and writing just form such a complete vision, I can’t help but be impressed.
Read it with my son and had a blast. Just a fun ass adventure book.
Love when an artist’s vision comes together. The drawings, characters and writing just form such a complete vision, I can’t help but be impressed.
Read it with my son and had a blast. Just a fun ass adventure book.
September 23, 2017
Rewatching 'Moonrise Kingdom' this morning I wondered if I'd remembered to note this book as 'read,' and by golly I totally hadn't.
May 5, 2020
I read this one primarily for the illustrations, which I would give five stars. The story itself was the sort of quick fun I needed as a break from reading research papers, but not much else.
August 31, 2023
cute fun read. i like the illustrations a lot
August 13, 2025
An apparent homage to series like the Hardy Boys. I love it for what it is: wholesome, quirky, and such a mood.
August 26, 2010
Lucy Longstocking review http://www.wcl.govt.nz/blogs/kids/ind...
Do you like video games?
Would you sometimes rather play video games than read a book?
Yeah?
Oh well, I like books so I am going to wah on to you about them.
BUT, pull your eyes away from your games for just a minute because… this book is a lot like a video game. Not a very flash one mind, maybe one from the 90’s, but it’s fast paced, it’s adventurous and it’s addictive. You’ll want to keep reading and reading until you get to the next level – I mean, um, chapter.
Player One: Chuck Dugan is AWOL. AWOL means Absent With Out Leave. Chuck is AWOL because he powers up and escapes in the night from his fancy pants navy school. Wagging school is a bit of a cheat but he has very good reasons. Lots of books are about evil stepmothers – well, Chuck is about to upload an evil stepfather called The Admiral, who is a rogue and a scoundrel and a meany. Chuck has to insert all his coins to stop his mother marrying, and find his real father’s secret treasure before The Admiral and his sons/goons can get their greedy mitts on it (and clock the game). Chuck encounters knifes, pistols, drowning, beatings, fireworks (yes, fireworks in the eye! Yow!) And all the other nasty tricks in the brothers’ inventory.
Chuck is always an optimist though, even when he is down to one life and hardly any strength bar. He is a brave boy with big ears who has seen “snakebite, fear, and a man shot in the knee”. Chuck is always willing to beat his own high score.
Are you a junior inventor? A master of disguise? A red head? Chuck is, and these mad skills – maybe not the red hair – help him to defeat the baddies. This multileveled adventure includes boats, flying bicycles (the popcycle), pirates, boats, spy gadgets, deep sea diving, butlers, secret passages and more boats.
Oh and I almost forgot to tell you: BONUS POINTS! This book has MAPS. Eric Chase Anderson is a brilliant illustrator and he has decorated his book with cool maps of all sorts of things. (If you have drawn a map please show me, I love maps but alas I am hopeless with a ruler).
Trivia: Eric Chase Anderson is Wes Anderson’s brother. Wes Anderson made the film “Fantastic Mr Fox”, based on the Roald Dahl book. Have you seen it? It is rad. Eric Chase Anderson is the voice of Kristofferson Silverfox in the film.
I really liked “Chuck Dugan is AWOL” and I hope you will put down your controller and pick this book up soon.
GAME OVER……. DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE?…….yes please.
Do you like video games?
Would you sometimes rather play video games than read a book?
Yeah?
Oh well, I like books so I am going to wah on to you about them.
BUT, pull your eyes away from your games for just a minute because… this book is a lot like a video game. Not a very flash one mind, maybe one from the 90’s, but it’s fast paced, it’s adventurous and it’s addictive. You’ll want to keep reading and reading until you get to the next level – I mean, um, chapter.
Player One: Chuck Dugan is AWOL. AWOL means Absent With Out Leave. Chuck is AWOL because he powers up and escapes in the night from his fancy pants navy school. Wagging school is a bit of a cheat but he has very good reasons. Lots of books are about evil stepmothers – well, Chuck is about to upload an evil stepfather called The Admiral, who is a rogue and a scoundrel and a meany. Chuck has to insert all his coins to stop his mother marrying, and find his real father’s secret treasure before The Admiral and his sons/goons can get their greedy mitts on it (and clock the game). Chuck encounters knifes, pistols, drowning, beatings, fireworks (yes, fireworks in the eye! Yow!) And all the other nasty tricks in the brothers’ inventory.
Chuck is always an optimist though, even when he is down to one life and hardly any strength bar. He is a brave boy with big ears who has seen “snakebite, fear, and a man shot in the knee”. Chuck is always willing to beat his own high score.
Are you a junior inventor? A master of disguise? A red head? Chuck is, and these mad skills – maybe not the red hair – help him to defeat the baddies. This multileveled adventure includes boats, flying bicycles (the popcycle), pirates, boats, spy gadgets, deep sea diving, butlers, secret passages and more boats.
Oh and I almost forgot to tell you: BONUS POINTS! This book has MAPS. Eric Chase Anderson is a brilliant illustrator and he has decorated his book with cool maps of all sorts of things. (If you have drawn a map please show me, I love maps but alas I am hopeless with a ruler).
Trivia: Eric Chase Anderson is Wes Anderson’s brother. Wes Anderson made the film “Fantastic Mr Fox”, based on the Roald Dahl book. Have you seen it? It is rad. Eric Chase Anderson is the voice of Kristofferson Silverfox in the film.
I really liked “Chuck Dugan is AWOL” and I hope you will put down your controller and pick this book up soon.
GAME OVER……. DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE?…….yes please.
July 7, 2007
The main draw to this book was that Eric Chase Anderson wrote it, but more importantly, illustrated it. Eric is the brother of Wes Anderson (The Life Aquatic, Rushmore, The Royal Tenebaums) and since Wes is one of my favorite directors and TLA is one of my favorite movies, I ran to the store to get this book. The illustrations are wonderfully childish and all are based on diagrams and maps and little notations. Unfortunately, the writing itself was also childish and very anti-climatic (not to mention hard to read in all Courier New font). ***** for the illustrations and minus ** for the writing.
June 1, 2012
**STARRED REVIEW**
Quick Reaction: Thank you to Mrs. Lyn for letting us read this book. It's fantastic. Truly. If you're looking for a clever, witty, hilarious, insightful, resourceful, and engaging adventure on the high (and low) seas, Chuck Dugan is AWOL, with its detailed and beautifully-crafted maps is one journey ye don't wanna miss, matey.
**Actual, full reaction POSSIBLY to come**
Quick Reaction: Thank you to Mrs. Lyn for letting us read this book. It's fantastic. Truly. If you're looking for a clever, witty, hilarious, insightful, resourceful, and engaging adventure on the high (and low) seas, Chuck Dugan is AWOL, with its detailed and beautifully-crafted maps is one journey ye don't wanna miss, matey.
**Actual, full reaction POSSIBLY to come**
February 29, 2008
Yeah, it's basically a junior high story. Any six grader would love it. But it fulfills my "Chuck" requirement. (Which I've been pretty lax on.) Anyway, this is written and drawn by Wes Anderson's bro so the artwork is familiar. Nothing too unexpected here, it's a fantasy story with an fantasy protagonist. Although I will allow the almost-drowning prose was written with some good tension.
August 3, 2016
The story was fine, if thin. But the illustrations are worth the price of admission. In fact, I think I like the book for what I imagine it could have been, more than what it was. Yet, I'm still happy to own it and have kept it long after I've given 'better' reads away. Wrap that up and do with it as you will. I'm a sucker for maps.
April 25, 2011
Not a great book in the traditional sense -- plot, character, pacing all wanting. But it is one of the coolest-looking and best-executed book ideas I've seen in a long time. Similar to Griffin and Sabine in that there is a lot to enjoy here design- and concept-wise even though it's not a particularly compelling story.
September 10, 2011
I am a fan of Wes Anderson's movies. His younger brother, Eric, wrote this book. Or should I say, drew this book. A fun story told with the flair and intricate description of a precocious teenage boy, Chuck Dugan is a must read for any Anderson fan. The detailed maps, the simple story telling of a young sailor and the intrigues he discovers. Just fun.
August 28, 2007
If you like the artwork on the Life Aquatic DVD, then here you go. Anderson's novel is like reading a film by those very talented Anderson/Wilson boys. Could be in the blood.
Costumes, water, danger, etc.
Costumes, water, danger, etc.
June 18, 2008
This book is fantastic. A wonderful read for the beach, not too thorough, not too deep, just fun and the drawings are great! If you enjoyed the graphic art on the packaging of The Royal Tennenbaums, you will at least enjoy the books' mighty array of 'maps'. Eric Chase Anderson is hilarious. :)
March 24, 2010
I'm not sure how long it's been since I read something I wanted to call "charming."
This book is charming!
Also quite clever and well-written.
You could enjoy it yourself, then hand it to any kid with a literary bent and you'll both be better off.
Cheers.
This book is charming!
Also quite clever and well-written.
You could enjoy it yourself, then hand it to any kid with a literary bent and you'll both be better off.
Cheers.
September 21, 2011
Fun, light-hearted adventure read. I had hoped to snag Noah's attentions with the frequent illustrations, but 2 & 1/2 might be too young still. I will probably hold on to it with the hopes of reading it to my children in the future.
June 27, 2007
A birthday gift that's been lingering on my shelf - It seemed like the perfect book to kick off summer, and it didn't disappoint. A sweetly innocent adventure story.
July 3, 2007
Read this book over a couple lunches in late 2005. A children's book for grow's'ed up nerdish hipsters. I really loved the illustrations.
March 5, 2014
A charming and quick adventure tale that's both helped and hindered by its drawings, pace and Anderson-ian-ness. Enjoyable but not great.
September 11, 2007
this book is awesome. also awesome is the quote on the back from owen wilson.
October 2, 2007
oh, so charming. damn you anderson boys and your attention to detail.
November 26, 2007
Lovely maps.
August 9, 2008
you can buy it for $0.87 on amazon if anyone needs to buy me a present.
more books should incorporate maps into the narrative. i'd be a happier chickadee.
more books should incorporate maps into the narrative. i'd be a happier chickadee.
September 14, 2008
An adventure story! With maps! Fun, quick to read, and engaging.
It's also printed on nice, thick paper. And the maps are witty.
I wish Chuck Dugan was my friend.
It's also printed on nice, thick paper. And the maps are witty.
I wish Chuck Dugan was my friend.
November 10, 2008
Super cute story with hilarious maps! It's an adventure for all ages. Very creative, easy to read. I think I finished it in a few hours!
April 24, 2010
like a wes anderson movie but a book. sort of. but not really.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews