Peanuts and Philosophy

The Simpsons is often heralded for discussing God, religion, and philosophy in an intriguing and accessible way, but they are amateurs compared to Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comics and movies. Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and all of the other characters in the rich Peanuts pantheon handled heavy topics with a humor and heart that wasn’t seen before and hasn’t been seen since.

Peanuts and Philosophy brings that deft touch to light by examining how different Peanuts characters and stories explored philosophical concepts like skepticism, dependence, and aspiration. This is a great book that reaffirmed the intriguingly deep morality and thoughtfulness that makes Peanuts such a singular creation.

Reading this book and being reminded of so many curious and clever Peanuts moments gave me a greater appreciation for movies and strips I hadn’t thought about in years, enriching my memories of those classic stories and resurrecting a lost part of my childhood. To do all that while still engaging me as an adult reader (and not miring down in philosophical jargon) is quite a feat, a testament to both the individual article authors and the editors who guided them.

Peanuts and Philosophy is much like Peanuts itself: vivid, inspiring, and patient.