Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, is a rather shy person who personifies the American Dream. (p. 181)

Peanuts is now so ubiquitous that it is literally part of the fabric of modern American society, and Schulz is the spokesman for millions of mute Americans. (p. 182)

Because the comic strip does not have much status as an art form, and because the characters in Peanuts are little children and a dog, we tend to underestimate Schulz's achievement, even though almost everybody admires his work. I believe that Schulz is one of the greatest humorists of the twentieth century…. [He] has developed a distinctive style of art work, an incredible assortment of characters, and a positively amazing command of the techniques of humor.

His ouvrage is monumental. And though his earlier work was not particularly exceptional, he has developed his talent to an extraordinary level over the years. We find...