What do you think?
Rate this book
The Real Hergé: The Inspiration Behind Tintin
Hergé created only twenty-four Tintin books which have been translated into more than seventy languages and sold 230 million copies worldwide.
The Real Hergé: The Inspiration Behind Tintin takes an in-depth look at the man behind the cultural phenomenon and the history that helped shape these books.
As well as focusing on the controversies that engulfed Hergé, this biography will also look at his personal life, as well as the relationships and experiences that influenced him.
The Real Hergé: The Inspiration Behind Tintin takes an in-depth look at the man behind the cultural phenomenon and the history that helped shape these books.
As well as focusing on the controversies that engulfed Hergé, this biography will also look at his personal life, as well as the relationships and experiences that influenced him.
7 pages, Audio CD
First published November 30, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 26, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy via netgalley!
This book was a pleasant surprise! Childhood memories of Tintin initially brought me towards this book. I knew that over the years there were controversies with some of his books, but that was the extent of what I knew. This book is so well researched and gives you such a great glimpse into who Hergé (Rémi!) was! Even thought, it is well researched, it is written in a simple and enchanting way that brings you back to the times this book was written to explain contextually to the reader when the book was written. Great read for anyone who’s ever read Tintin!
This book was a pleasant surprise! Childhood memories of Tintin initially brought me towards this book. I knew that over the years there were controversies with some of his books, but that was the extent of what I knew. This book is so well researched and gives you such a great glimpse into who Hergé (Rémi!) was! Even thought, it is well researched, it is written in a simple and enchanting way that brings you back to the times this book was written to explain contextually to the reader when the book was written. Great read for anyone who’s ever read Tintin!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2022
This book was recommended to me by a goodreads friend who knew I was taking a journey through the Tintin series. She said it presented a balanced view of the man behind the books, and I think she is right. It shows the strengths, and the weaknesses of the artist quite well.
The main problem people often have with Hergé is the racism that can be found in some of his books, for example Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Tintin in the Congo, and a few others. It is especially hard to look past it in Tintin in the Congo.
Siam Lye tells the reader that his defense was that he wasn’t a racist, but he was so open that the views of the people around him would end up on the pages. This sounds like a cop out, but actually if one reads the books there is some evidence that this might be the case.
The Chinese characters in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets are presented in a really racist way that was common in Europe at the time. Later when he was writing The Blue Lotus he had got to know a Chinese artist that was living in Belgium at the time. The out come of this friendship was that the way the Chinese characters in The Blue Lotus are depicted is quite free from that earlier racism.
But the Japanese characters in the book are nothing more that racist stereotypes, and that may have been the result of the way Hergé’s Chinese friend felt about the Japanese after the latter had invaded China. So maybe Hergé’s defense isn’t as silly as it might first sound.
Still, there is problem with this. Why does it sound as if Hergé felt sorrier for himself, and his friends, some of which were fascists, than the victims of the war? Why was he so eager to follow the Nazis, and fascists that made their way to Argentina after the war? Why was he so good at finding work for the blacklisted collaborators after the war? It does at the very least show the contradictions in his character quite well.
For most parts I thought this was a well written book. It is not a long book, but the author paints a balanced portrait of the artist, and does it in an interesting way. My main problem with this book is that it is a bit repetitious. It almost feels like it was originally a series of magazine articles that tell the story of his life. In that kind of writing the writer can’t be sure everyone reads every article, or it is being read over a long period, so the important things are sometimes repeated to make sure the reader has all the information he needs. That’s really my main problem with the book. It might also have been a little longer so it would have been possible to explore the subject further. That being said, I enjoyed the book, and I think I understand the man a little better having read it. What more can one ask of a biography?
The main problem people often have with Hergé is the racism that can be found in some of his books, for example Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Tintin in the Congo, and a few others. It is especially hard to look past it in Tintin in the Congo.
Siam Lye tells the reader that his defense was that he wasn’t a racist, but he was so open that the views of the people around him would end up on the pages. This sounds like a cop out, but actually if one reads the books there is some evidence that this might be the case.
The Chinese characters in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets are presented in a really racist way that was common in Europe at the time. Later when he was writing The Blue Lotus he had got to know a Chinese artist that was living in Belgium at the time. The out come of this friendship was that the way the Chinese characters in The Blue Lotus are depicted is quite free from that earlier racism.
But the Japanese characters in the book are nothing more that racist stereotypes, and that may have been the result of the way Hergé’s Chinese friend felt about the Japanese after the latter had invaded China. So maybe Hergé’s defense isn’t as silly as it might first sound.
Still, there is problem with this. Why does it sound as if Hergé felt sorrier for himself, and his friends, some of which were fascists, than the victims of the war? Why was he so eager to follow the Nazis, and fascists that made their way to Argentina after the war? Why was he so good at finding work for the blacklisted collaborators after the war? It does at the very least show the contradictions in his character quite well.
For most parts I thought this was a well written book. It is not a long book, but the author paints a balanced portrait of the artist, and does it in an interesting way. My main problem with this book is that it is a bit repetitious. It almost feels like it was originally a series of magazine articles that tell the story of his life. In that kind of writing the writer can’t be sure everyone reads every article, or it is being read over a long period, so the important things are sometimes repeated to make sure the reader has all the information he needs. That’s really my main problem with the book. It might also have been a little longer so it would have been possible to explore the subject further. That being said, I enjoyed the book, and I think I understand the man a little better having read it. What more can one ask of a biography?
September 15, 2020
Wow!
Just one word to describe how I felt reading about the author of one of my favourite comics. I have grown up reading Tintin and Asterix. I was blessed. to have visited Belgium as my first international country visit and saw first hand the Tintin store there. I have passed on the love of Tintin to my children too and the TV series as well as Spielberg's movie has made them love it even more. I recently bought an entire set of Tintin comics as well!
This book about Hergé is extremely well written and brings out all the pain and happiness that went on in the creator's life which readers of the comic will never know. It was sad to read about the painful childhood, the controversies and the troubled married life that he experienced. What pained me most was his statement about hating Tintin - that revealed to me how much the creation was constraining the creator and he could not escape that.
The flow of the book is very easy and the author gives good historical context before delving into what happened with Hergé's life at that point. The situations with WWI and WWII are described in just enough detail to appreciate the context and not bore the reader who wants to know more about Hergé. I could read through the book almost completely on one holiday. It was shocking to read of the racist stereotypes that plagued some of the stories- I guess I never saw those versions in print, and so never had an issue with the series. But after reading about it here I can understand the trouble that would have caused especially when things change.
I would highly recommend this book to all Tintin lovers to get yourself to know the man behind the series better.
Just one word to describe how I felt reading about the author of one of my favourite comics. I have grown up reading Tintin and Asterix. I was blessed. to have visited Belgium as my first international country visit and saw first hand the Tintin store there. I have passed on the love of Tintin to my children too and the TV series as well as Spielberg's movie has made them love it even more. I recently bought an entire set of Tintin comics as well!
This book about Hergé is extremely well written and brings out all the pain and happiness that went on in the creator's life which readers of the comic will never know. It was sad to read about the painful childhood, the controversies and the troubled married life that he experienced. What pained me most was his statement about hating Tintin - that revealed to me how much the creation was constraining the creator and he could not escape that.
The flow of the book is very easy and the author gives good historical context before delving into what happened with Hergé's life at that point. The situations with WWI and WWII are described in just enough detail to appreciate the context and not bore the reader who wants to know more about Hergé. I could read through the book almost completely on one holiday. It was shocking to read of the racist stereotypes that plagued some of the stories- I guess I never saw those versions in print, and so never had an issue with the series. But after reading about it here I can understand the trouble that would have caused especially when things change.
I would highly recommend this book to all Tintin lovers to get yourself to know the man behind the series better.
November 23, 2023
Sometimes a biography of a person unknown to you is fascinating, and opens up a whole new world.
Sometimes it is not.
Sometimes it is not.
August 23, 2020
A very good biography this, from the point of view at least of someone who has read Tintin books now and again, but never looked up the author. We get his personal life, from his father's debatable origins on up, to his Scouting, which bizarrely led to his life in publishing. And this is where it gets doubly interesting – not only do we have the allegations of racism against those in the Congo, or Soviets, and Jews, we also have the fact he was being published to great success throughout the War by 'pirate newspapers' – those bearing the name of legit publications, but run practically on behalf of the Nazi occupiers. The fact the fallout of all that was nowhere near as bad for Herge as the others in the same boat, could conceivably be a problem for his mental well-being, but the constant quibbling about being unable to work, from guilt, tiredness and everything else, in the years to follow, must have made him a frustratingly flawed craftsman.
But to review the book more than the man, it is still most interesting to see his biography reflected on the pages of his output – Tintin in Tibet met in his private life with recurrently white dreams, presumably due to some kind of response to his philandering at the time with what he hoped to be a "secondary wife". This biographical detail is what we come here for – although at times the constant summarisation of private letters, in the style of our author here, was a bit much. I also didn't get much of an impression about this providing anything new – a lot I would have thought quite plausibly in the public domain already, and several Herge biographies have come before. But he doesn't deserve to have exclusively high-falutin', discursive, forensic life-ofs, and this more gentle, average-browser-friendly book certainly has a place out there. I wish it success.
But to review the book more than the man, it is still most interesting to see his biography reflected on the pages of his output – Tintin in Tibet met in his private life with recurrently white dreams, presumably due to some kind of response to his philandering at the time with what he hoped to be a "secondary wife". This biographical detail is what we come here for – although at times the constant summarisation of private letters, in the style of our author here, was a bit much. I also didn't get much of an impression about this providing anything new – a lot I would have thought quite plausibly in the public domain already, and several Herge biographies have come before. But he doesn't deserve to have exclusively high-falutin', discursive, forensic life-ofs, and this more gentle, average-browser-friendly book certainly has a place out there. I wish it success.
June 26, 2021
The Adventures of Tintin have sold over 250 million copies and been translated into over 110 languages. But Herge himself is a complicated figure. While his books bring joy, his life involved a series of scandals, from marital infidelity to accusations of sexism, racism, and anti-Semitism, including possible collaboration with the Nazis during World War Two. Sian Lye wrestles with these flaws in her new biography, The Real Hergé: The Inspiration Behind Tintin. Lye examines Hergé’s life with all the controversies that surround it. She also looks at the personal relationships and experiences that influenced his attitudes and his works.
It is certainly possible to enjoy the Tintin books without knowing Hergé. But they are more interesting after learning about this complex, sometimes frustrating, man. We can learn from him, even if we learn from his mistakes.
It is certainly possible to enjoy the Tintin books without knowing Hergé. But they are more interesting after learning about this complex, sometimes frustrating, man. We can learn from him, even if we learn from his mistakes.
September 22, 2025
The Real Hergé was a surprisingly great biography! I thoroughly enjoyed all of it, and I've never read a single Tintin comic. (But I will now!) Hergé lived an interesting life in an interesting time. It was sweet to read about how his comic characters were sometimes shaped by his family, who he loved. Hergé was also shaped by the times he lived in. Sian Lye did a good job representing the humanity of Hergé as he wrote strips touching on current events that then shaped up differently than expected. Hergé proved himself over and over able to self-correct and adjust his own course. Hi aim was always to entertain but also to commentate. He wanted to serve his community and country.
In his private life, Hergé struggled. He married fairly young and remained in love with his dutiful wife throughout his life. Unfortunately, he also struggled with deep depression and also with some adultery. He was far from perfect, but his wife stuck with him and even helped greatly with his career.
Hergé was an interesting man, and Lye does a good job telling his story.
I got this audiobook free through the Audiobook Sync program, which is unfortunately discontinued. This was an awesome program that gave teens (or, like me, the adults who work with teens) free audiobooks all summer long. I'm still working my way through the stockpile I downloaded when the program was still going.
In his private life, Hergé struggled. He married fairly young and remained in love with his dutiful wife throughout his life. Unfortunately, he also struggled with deep depression and also with some adultery. He was far from perfect, but his wife stuck with him and even helped greatly with his career.
Hergé was an interesting man, and Lye does a good job telling his story.
I got this audiobook free through the Audiobook Sync program, which is unfortunately discontinued. This was an awesome program that gave teens (or, like me, the adults who work with teens) free audiobooks all summer long. I'm still working my way through the stockpile I downloaded when the program was still going.
July 22, 2022
An entire one of these four stars is for the audiobook narrator Simon Vance who is one of my favorites and does a brilliant job here. The material is always interesting but sometimes very frustrating because it turns out Herge was a pretty through going jerk. The author did well at sharing the information that leads me to this conclusion while also sharing the information that any fan would want about the process of writing the books... But the result is rather uncomfortable and dissonant. I normally don't read the biographies of people of weak character (though sometimes I have read those of strong characters who do a few horrible things, that is rather different) ...and it feels weird to finish up a book thinking, "Well, at least he had SOME good things about him.... But ugh.". Still, I appreciated this book and especially the way Simon Vance's vocal inflection filled in the emotional nuance of some of the more unpleasant things the author was understandably trying for neutral reporting about.
June 1, 2022
I don’t think I’m the target audience for this book. While Tintin looks familiar when I google, it’s not something that I’ve ever really been exposed to. So it makes the biography of the artist a little less gripping. I’m not even really sure what I was supposed to get out of knowing his personal life. It seems I’m glad to have not known him personally (he seems like a bit of a whiney jerk) to the people closest to him. The big question, it seems, is whether he was actually a racist Nazi sympathizer. It seems clear that he used racist and stereotypical tropes frequently. And that he often learned more later and backtracked, probably sincerely. Cool.
The book does make me somewhat compelled to be exposed to the Tintin stories, but I still doubt I’ll go out of my way. Fans of his work will probably really appreciate this book.
The book does make me somewhat compelled to be exposed to the Tintin stories, but I still doubt I’ll go out of my way. Fans of his work will probably really appreciate this book.
November 13, 2020
Thank you to the author, Pen & Sword and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
From my years living in Belgium, I have a love for comics - and my favorite is Tintin. While these are books I read again and again, I had only the vaguest notion of the author/artist behind the books. This biography goes behind the scenes and delves into the family background of the man we know as Hergé, and what shaped him into the person he became. The book also sheds light on the impact of history, and specifically the events around WWII, on Hergé.
Parts of this book are interesting, parts are a bit long-winded, parts are terribly sad - it left me with a new appreciation for the creator of Tintin and Milou, and the myriad of other memorable characters that populate that universe.
From my years living in Belgium, I have a love for comics - and my favorite is Tintin. While these are books I read again and again, I had only the vaguest notion of the author/artist behind the books. This biography goes behind the scenes and delves into the family background of the man we know as Hergé, and what shaped him into the person he became. The book also sheds light on the impact of history, and specifically the events around WWII, on Hergé.
Parts of this book are interesting, parts are a bit long-winded, parts are terribly sad - it left me with a new appreciation for the creator of Tintin and Milou, and the myriad of other memorable characters that populate that universe.
June 16, 2022
Wow! I didn’t know any of the story behind beloved Tin Tin. After reading the back story, I’m not so sure I find his stories as charming as previously. Herge was quite possibly a nazi sympathizer, at the least a foolish man who destroyed his marriage with multiple infidelities. This book is purely secular but I found the book strangely curious spiritually. It couldn’t have been clearer that Tin Tins author was endlessly searching for a satisfaction to life that can only be found in Jesus Christ. He never found it in success, money, women or even other spiritual teachings. Sadly, he never found his peace in Christ.
October 20, 2022
The is a behind the scene look at the creator of Tintin (one of the most popular cartoons ever). He's a complex character with maybe more in the negative column than the positive. He often had breakdowns from over working himself. He seemed to not be an easy person to work with. He had affairs. He may have been racist and possibly had connections to the Nazis. Then there are cases where he was really close to someone of a different race. No one seemed to ever be able to know exactly where he stood on much, but most appreciated his cartoons.
June 5, 2024
I don't think I have ever seen or read a tin tin story of any kind. So I didn't know what to expect here. I knew of the movie that Spielberg or somebody did several years ago that I really did. Enjoy. But this was interesting to just hear the background of this guy and living through the war and trying to ride and live in a world. That was awful. Also. He was very immature so tough for him to grow up mentally. But then in the end, having that younger wife who stuck with him and must have really loved him and took care of him through the end of his life and took care of the foundation.
April 22, 2021
Really good. Really interesting. I LOVE Tintin but often heard "bad things" about the author.
This books gives you a really interesting insight in who Herge really was. I'm not going to put spoilers in but it clears up some prejudices against the author but shows different, complicated aspects of his personality.
This books gives you a really interesting insight in who Herge really was. I'm not going to put spoilers in but it clears up some prejudices against the author but shows different, complicated aspects of his personality.
January 23, 2025
Admittedly, as a fan of Tintin in my younger years, I approached this book with some bias. However, I found it fascinating to discover the genius behind those beloved adventure stories, along with his flaws. This may have influenced my rating, making it a bit higher than it might have been if I weren't a fan.
August 3, 2022
This surprised me, as I wasn't a huge fan of Tintin and didn't know of thr controversy. This informative book gave interesting insights into the man behind the stories, his ups and downs, and the time he lived in and how his experiences shaped him. Quite interesting.
June 4, 2025
Very thorough and detailed. If you're a big fan of Herge/Tintin, you'll probably really enjoy this. If you aren't (me), you can acknowledge that it's a well-researched book, but dull (again, for me, the non-fan).
May 25, 2026
I found this really interesting!! But I think this needed much more detail. Hergé is not interrogated enough for his complicity in the regime in the war, and neither is his racism and orientalism. Also I would have loved to hear more about each book, instead of that being the background
September 1, 2026
A straight forward biography. And it felt like it didn't shy away from the controversial parts, like claims of racism, nazi support and his infidelity. Maybe I would have wanted a little bit more details behind the stories he wrote. Also I wanted more about his non-Tintin albums.
April 11, 2021
Very interesting to get to know more about the man behind the great cartoon series. Loved it
Read
June 7, 2022Audiobook Sync, summer 2022
June 9, 2022
AudioSync2022
June 11, 2022
4.5 stars
Read
June 21, 2022Audio
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2023
While there is a lot of detail, there is also not enough information about Herge's collaboration with the Nazis. Also, his racism and misogyny are not well confronted. They are glossed over.
September 23, 2020
The book does a fair job if you are looking to understand a bit more about the circumstances that inspired the Adventures of Tintin.
We learn about Herge, his childhood and how over the years and experience he develops from an amateur to an iconic figure. The European guru of graphic novels.
I would think that this book would be made richer if we could have dissected the world affairs and its subsequent reflection in the cartoon strips more thoroughly. Yet, there is enough to get one interested into the backstage works that went into Tintin.
A full review with exclusive book club questions will be included on review site: thebookbuff.com
You can also follow the promotion that would appear on Instagram: @therealbookbuff
We learn about Herge, his childhood and how over the years and experience he develops from an amateur to an iconic figure. The European guru of graphic novels.
I would think that this book would be made richer if we could have dissected the world affairs and its subsequent reflection in the cartoon strips more thoroughly. Yet, there is enough to get one interested into the backstage works that went into Tintin.
A full review with exclusive book club questions will be included on review site: thebookbuff.com
You can also follow the promotion that would appear on Instagram: @therealbookbuff
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews