Maus I & II Paperback Box Set

Very clever way to present the tragedy not only of Auschwitz but the impact on survivors and the author, a son of survivors. Especially poignant is the section in Volume 1 called, "Prisoner on the Hell Planet." As I understand it, this product was the genesis for the later books. I found some new details that I haven't read before in other Holocaust literature. Troubling, always, the depravity of man and the insensibility of the Holocaust. We may never understand the psychologies of hate and destruction and the forces that led to Germans (and Poles) of that time in history to act out with such disregard for others. I hope we never can "understand" this incomprehensibility but successfully evolve away from cultural, political, religious, economic hegemonic leadership and ideologies.

I am going to preface this review by saying that I have a general disdain for graphic novels. There was a time that I would never elect to read one of my own volition. That all changed when I was assigned Maus for an English class. Upon hearing that our syllabus included a graphic novel, I groaned in tacit protest. I read both volumes of Maus cover to cover before the assigned completion date, and was very moved by the story, which is about a son trying to understand his Holocaust-survivor father. There are no images of humans in this book--the Jews are portrayed as mice, the Nazis as cats, and the Poles as pigs. The protagonist has always felt a void between he and his father, but develops some understanding and compassion as he begins interviewing him about his experiences in the Holocaust. In terms of Holocaust literature, I would deem this a "must-read".

Awesome book. My 3rd time ordering this to give to friends. However, the book was shipped in the box with zero packing material. Plenty of room for book to shift and move around and it resulted in a rip to the jacket. Amazon's packing process has gotten worse over time.

I am reviewing the paperback set, which includes both volumes I and II. That's important. You really need to read both volumes. While they were published separately and years apart, only by reading both will you read the entire story. First, shame on me for not having read this years ago. I recall having heard the words, "You have to read Maus!" but I never acted on it. Perhaps that was during my "contempt for graphic novels" phase, before I understood that there is some information that can best be conveyed using a graphic novel format. (The book that converted me was a graphic novel adaptation of the 9/11 commission's report.) These two books are a must read for any educated person. You will come away from the reading experience not so much with new insights on the Holocaust but with a deeper understanding. What more is there to say about the Holocaust? Plenty. Personalizing it, putting a face on it, always drives home what happened a good deal more than just hearing the numbers; that's the reason The Diary of Anne Frank remains so widely read. And the images, disturbing yet "graphic", will expand your understanding. This is the first place I have encountered a diagram of the infamous gas chambers and how they operated. There are actually two stories in Maus, The first story is the tale of the author's father Vladek as he navigates the years before, during, and immediately after WWII. The second story is the tale of the author's challenging relationship with his father, who is a manipulative hustler. The very quality which enabled him to survive WWII also makes him a somewhat contemptible human being. At one point, the author's wife suggests that perhaps not all of Vladek survived the war, but I rather think that Vladek's character was very much in existence from the start. For example, early on when Vladek decides to get married, he callously throws aside his girlfriend of 4 years, blaming her for the relationship's very existence because she threw herself at him in the beginning. But his reason for not marrying her is simple: she has no money. Instead, he marries Anja, the author's mother, whose father is a millionaire. This works out for him immediately, when his new father-in-law asks about his career plans. Vladek says he will go back to selling textiles, but his father-in-law gives him a textile factory instead. As the war begins and Jews start to find themselves increasingly ostracized and bereft of jobs and professions, Vladek takes to the black market. Over and over throughout the two books, we see him find a way, less resourceful than hustler, no doubt frequently at the expense of others, even of others' lives. For example, in a cattle car in which he has physically found a way to elevate himself above the others (enabling him to become one of the only survivors), he is able to reach snow (read: wat...

An amazing graphic novel. So powerful and an important teaching tool for children so they can learn history. The fact that school boards have banned this book in backwards states is horrifying.