Site Read—Maus?

I'm finishing up the State of the Thing and thinking I'll propose a "One Book, One LibraryThing Read"—Art Spiegelman's classic Maus. If you don't know it, Maus is an absolute classic, and the only graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize. It depicts Spiegelman interviewing his father about his experiences during the Holocaust. While sparing little, Spiegelman depicts Jews as mice, Germans as cats, Poles as pigs, etc.

As you may have heard, Maus, a Tennessee school board recently removed it from the eighth grade curriculum over several "cuss words" and one instance of (mouse) nudity. In other statement the board cited its violence, which one would rather expect in a book about the Holocaust.

Anyway, I haven't read it in 30 years. It's well-known and a lot of people have it, or can get it. Several staff members are into it too. Anyone else for it?

NPR Story https://www.npr.org/2022/01/27/1076180329/tennessee-school-district-ban-holocaus...

I'm in.

I’m in - I was already planning to re-read it this weekend because of the banning and because Holocaust Remembrance Day was this week. It’s a fantastic book that I wept my way through reading the first time, which is around 10-12 years ago.

If I can find my copy...

Great idea. I'm in.

Apparently banning Maus has made it a bestseller.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/28/maus-amazon-bestseller-after-tennessee-school-ba...

Best Streisand effect ever.

>7 paradoxosalpha: Yep, but it might make getting hands on a copy a little difficult.

I'm in. I think I can reach out and find it on the nearest shelf :-)

I've been in since Thursday. Heh heh. I read the news and wondered what particular "cuss words" are considered too noxious for 8th grade ears. I also wondered what titillating nudity would be seen in a Holocaust history. So far, I've found two "shits".

It's a reread, of course.

>10 weird_O: The “nudity” is two pages (from Auschwitz) where the mice are forced to get undressed to shower and to be inspected. There are little blobs indicating penises. *That’s* the nudity they’re complaining about.

I once mentioned in passing to my father about Maus, that I should get it and read it. For Christmas that year, I received both volumes. That was a nice gift.

>11 PawsforThought:
In an MSNBC interview this week, Spiegelman said they had objected to the "nudity" in a panel showing a lady mouse (his mother) attempting suicide in a bathtub.

I still can't believe the school board vote to remove the book was 10-0.

>13 paradoxosalpha: Ah. It’s very telling that they’re not objecting to the fact that it’s portraying a suicide attempt, but the fact that she’s naked during it.

I read somewhere that they also objected to the fact that Spiegelman drew for Playboy. I don't remember where because I read many articles.

I found it comforting to listen to some of the students and parents who spoke out at the meeting - including folks who'd lost elections to be on the school board.

Okay, I've started it here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/339164

Thanks all!

>1 timspalding: I was just looking at my copy a few weeks ago and saying I really needed to read it. I am in.

>17 clamairy:

Yay! :)