Maus
Score Classic
What it's about
Art Spiegelman tells the story of his father, Vladek, a Polish Jew who survived Hitler's Europe and Auschwitz, in comic form, with Jews drawn as mice and Nazis as cats. Alongside the wartime story runs a second one: Art in the present day, recording his father's memories and struggling with their difficult relationship and with the weight of what his family went through.
Why it's worth reading
It's the only graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize (a special citation in 1992), and it's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books. It proved that comics could tell the hardest stories in history.
You'll love it if you liked
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, The Diary of a Young Girl or Night
Good to know
This page covers the complete work, both volumes. The drawings are simple, but the story is devastating. Many readers finish it in a day or two.
Quick answers
Is Maus worth reading?
Yes. It's the only graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize (a special citation in 1992), and it's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books. It ranks #42 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 89.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Maus about?
Art Spiegelman tells the story of his father, Vladek, a Polish Jew who survived Hitler's Europe and Auschwitz, in comic form, with Jews drawn as mice and Nazis as cats. Alongside the wartime story runs a second one: Art in the present day, recording his father's memories and struggling with their difficult relationship and with the weight of what his family went through.
How long does it take to read Maus?
About 7 hours (295 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Maus won?
Pulitzer Prize (Special Citation) winner (1992).
What should I read after Maus?
If you liked it, try Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi, The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank or Night by Elie Wiesel.
By the numbers
- Readers99 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics85 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Pulitzer Prize (Special Citation) winner (1992). On the TIME All-TIME 100 Nonfiction list.
Where it ranks
- #8 of the 198 history books we rank
- #13 of the 763 classics we rank
- #42 of the 2,819 books we rank
Won
- Pulitzer Prize (Special Citation) winner (1992)
On the lists
- TIME All-TIME 100 Nonfiction
Reads as
True story
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