I’ve always loved Peanuts. Now that I’m middle-aged, though, I love it in a different way. Several years back, 3eanuts first introduced me to the depressive nature of the strip. That was the first time I started to relate to it in a deeper way. And the more I’ve learned about Charles Schulz, the more I identify with him as a creative person with a deep sense of inadequacy and a frequent lack of faith in the love shown to him by others. All of this together has made me approach Peanuts anew with a much deeper emotional connection. Then, too, there’s my strong desire to go home to New England. That’s not where Peanuts is set, but the interior world of Peanuts reminds me of the interior world of my childhood there and also of the feeling of groundedness I get when I’m home. These days I’m going through a major period of obsession with Peanuts, at the same time as a renewed desire (need?) to return home, and I now realize I’m going to have to own all of these, having finished the first volume tonight. I owned several volumes before, but lost them all in one of my many (mis)adventures. Thanks, Sparky. You really did a thing.
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