The Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler’s Europe, and his son, a cartoonist coming to terms with his father’s story. Maus approaches the unspeakable through the diminutive. Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice), shocks us out of any lingering sense of familiarity and succeeds in “drawing us closer to the bleak heart of the Holocaust” (The New York Times).
Maus is a haunting tale within a tale. Vladek’s harrowing story of survival is woven into the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father. Against the backdrop of guilt brought by survival, they stage a normal life of small arguments and unhappy visits. This astonishing retelling of our century’s grisliest news is a story of survival, not only of Vladek but of the children who survive even the survivors. Maus studies the bloody pawprints of history and tracks its meaning for all of us, (Goodreads).
Every second Tuesday of the month, we’ll discuss original texts from groundbreaking authors who are reframing the course of the literary world as we know it.
Book discussions are in-person and do not require registration. Copies of all book discussion books are available at the Adult Services Desk, starting approximately one month prior to the discussion date. Ebooks and audiobooks are available via OverDrive/Libby and Hoopla. Questions? Email RSVP@orlandparklibrary.org or call (708) 428-5150.
The Orland Park Public Library is subject to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individuals who require an accommodation for a disability to any library presentations should contact the library at (708) 428-5114 at least five (5) working days prior to the event.