THE COMPLETE MAUS

New York: Pantheon Books, 1997. First edition thus. Near fine in near fine jacket.. First single-volume hardcover edition of the complete graphic novel, originally serialized between 1981 and 1990 and previously issued by Pantheon in two separate volumes. Spiegelman's Holocaust memoir in graphic novel format was groundbreaking and controversial in both genres, retaining its power to shock and move audiences even after winning an array of literary honors that included a National Book Critics Circle Award, an Eisner Award, a Harvey Award, and most notably, a Pulitzer Prize. As recently as 2022, a Tennessee school board removed MAUS from its middle-school curriculum, in the interests of protecting children from memory, art, and history. Their concerns were not new: back in 1987, Spiegelman was asked by a German reporter "if a cartoon about Auschwitz was in bad taste. 'No, I thought Auschwitz was in bad taste,' Spiegelman replied." (Alter). 9'' x 6.25''. Original black and grey boards. Pictorial endpapers. In original unclipped ($35.00) dust jacket. 295, [1] pages. Previous owner emboss to first leaf. Small stain to bottom edge of text block. Minor edgewear to boards and jacket.