Only What's Necessary - by Chip Kidd (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Charles M. Schulz (1922-2000) believed that the key to cartooning was to take out the extraneous details and leave in "only what's necessary." For fifty years, from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, Schulz wrote and illustrated Peanuts, the single most popular and influential comic strip in the world. In all, 17,897 strips were published, making it "arguably the longest story ever told by one human being," according to Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University. For Only What's Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts, renowned designer Chip Kidd was granted unprecedented access to the extraordinary archives of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California. Reproducing the best of the Peanuts newspaper strip, all shot from the original art by award-winning photographer Geoff Spear, Only What's Necessary also features exclusive, rare, and unpublished original art and developmental work--much of which has never been seen before"--

Book Synopsis

From award-winning author/graphic designer Chip Kidd, Only What's Necessaryis the Eisner Award-nominated tribute to Charles M. Schulz celebrating the art of Peanuts.

Introduction by Jeff Kinney
Preface by Jean Schulz
Essay by Paige Braddock and Karen Johnson

Charles M. Schulz believed that the key to cartooning was to take out the extraneous details and leave in only what's necessary. For 50 years, he wrote and illustrated Peanuts, the single most popular and influential comic strip in the world. Chip Kidd was granted unprecedented access to the extraordinary archives of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.

Only What's Necessary reproduces the best of the Peanuts newspaper strip, all shot from the original art by award-winning photographer Geoff Spear, and features exclusive, rare, and unpublished original art and developmental work--much of which has never been seen before.

About the Author

Charles M. Schulz (1922-2000) is the legendary cartoonist and creator of the iconic comic strip Peanuts. He was twice honored with the Reuben Award by the National Cartoonists Society. His archives are located at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.

Chip Kidd is an award-winning graphic designer, writer, and editor-at-large at Pantheon. He lives in New York City.

Geoff Spear is an award-winning photographer who has collaborated with Chip Kidd on over a dozen books and numerous book covers. He lives in New York City.

Jeff Kinney is the #1 bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and a six-time Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award winner for Favorite Book. Jeff has been named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. He is also the creator of Poptropica, which was named one of Time's 50 Best Websites. Jeff lives with his wife and two sons in Massachusetts, where they own a bookstore, An Unlikely Story.

Jean Schulz is the widow of Charles M. Schulz and the Founder and President of the Board of Directors of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.