Jeannie Schulz on SCHULZ AND PEANUTS book

Jeannie Schulz talks to Jeet Heer about her reaction to the SCHULZ AND PEANUTS book by David Michaelis.

"David Michaelis said in an interview that he couldn’t decide if Sparky had been happy his last 25 years. All he had to do was ask. The last two years of Sparky’s life were measurably different from the years leading up to them, as Sparky didn’t always feel well those last two years and the pressures on him from fans and business were a tremendous stress. But the 25 years I knew him he loved to laugh and tease, and did a lot of both."

There are links to more family members' reactions as well.

Michaelis's book, and the PBS American Masters special, for which Michaelis acted as consultant, follow the template that Schulz was a cold man, who felt empty/bitter because he could not show his love. The family has disputed this, as well as many of the factual details in the book, a major Holiday release from Harper Books.

To paraphrase a vice presidential debate: Well, Mr. Michaelis, these people KNEW Schulz. I agree with Mark Evanier, who also picked this up today, when he commented that the author is on thin ice.