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Ballantine Books Peanuts #4
It's A Dog's Life, Snoopy
Presenting a collection of old favourites, this book brings Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole Peanuts gang together again for more great times and hilarious fun!
160 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1962
27 people are currently reading
500 people want to read
About the author
Charles M. Schulz
3,023 books1,636 followersCharles Monroe Schulz was an American cartoonist, whose comic strip Peanuts proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.
Schulz's first regular cartoons, Li'l Folks, were published from 1947 to 1950 by the St. Paul Pioneer Press; he first used the name Charlie Brown for a character there, although he applied the name in four gags to three different boys and one buried in sand. The series also had a dog that looked much like Snoopy. In 1948, Schulz sold a cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post; the first of 17 single-panel cartoons by Schulz that would be published there. In 1948, Schulz tried to have Li'l Folks syndicated through the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Schulz would have been an independent contractor for the syndicate, unheard of in the 1940s, but the deal fell through. Li'l Folks was dropped from the Pioneer Press in January, 1950.
Later that year, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate with his best strips from Li'l Folks, and Peanuts made its first appearance on October 2, 1950. The strip became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. He also had a short-lived sports-oriented comic strip called It's Only a Game (1957–1959), but he abandoned it due to the demands of the successful Peanuts. From 1956 to 1965 he contributed a single-panel strip ("Young Pillars") featuring teenagers to Youth, a publication associated with the Church of God.
Peanuts ran for nearly 50 years, almost without interruption; during the life of the strip, Schulz took only one vacation, a five-week break in late 1997. At its peak, Peanuts appeared in more than 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries. Schulz stated that his routine every morning consisted of eating a jelly donut and sitting down to write the day's strip. After coming up with an idea (which he said could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours), he began drawing it, which took about an hour for dailies and three hours for Sunday strips. He stubbornly refused to hire an inker or letterer, saying that "it would be equivalent to a golfer hiring a man to make his putts for him." In November 1999 Schulz suffered a stroke, and later it was discovered that he had colon cancer that had metastasized. Because of the chemotherapy and the fact he could not read or see clearly, he announced his retirement on December 14, 1999.
Schulz often touched on religious themes in his work, including the classic television cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), which features the character Linus van Pelt quoting the King James Version of the Bible Luke 2:8-14 to explain "what Christmas is all about." In personal interviews Schulz mentioned that Linus represented his spiritual side. Schulz, reared in the Lutheran faith, had been active in the Church of God as a young adult and then later taught Sunday school at a United Methodist Church. In the 1960s, Robert L. Short interpreted certain themes and conversations in Peanuts as being consistent with parts of Christian theology, and used them as illustrations during his lectures about the gospel, as he explained in his bestselling paperback book, The Gospel According to Peanuts, the first of several books he wrote on religion and Peanuts, and other popular culture items. From the late 1980s, however, Schulz described himself in interviews as a "secular humanist": “I do not go to church anymore... I guess you might say I've come around to secular humanism, an obligation I believe all humans have to others and the world we live in.”
Schulz's first regular cartoons, Li'l Folks, were published from 1947 to 1950 by the St. Paul Pioneer Press; he first used the name Charlie Brown for a character there, although he applied the name in four gags to three different boys and one buried in sand. The series also had a dog that looked much like Snoopy. In 1948, Schulz sold a cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post; the first of 17 single-panel cartoons by Schulz that would be published there. In 1948, Schulz tried to have Li'l Folks syndicated through the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Schulz would have been an independent contractor for the syndicate, unheard of in the 1940s, but the deal fell through. Li'l Folks was dropped from the Pioneer Press in January, 1950.
Later that year, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate with his best strips from Li'l Folks, and Peanuts made its first appearance on October 2, 1950. The strip became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. He also had a short-lived sports-oriented comic strip called It's Only a Game (1957–1959), but he abandoned it due to the demands of the successful Peanuts. From 1956 to 1965 he contributed a single-panel strip ("Young Pillars") featuring teenagers to Youth, a publication associated with the Church of God.
Peanuts ran for nearly 50 years, almost without interruption; during the life of the strip, Schulz took only one vacation, a five-week break in late 1997. At its peak, Peanuts appeared in more than 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries. Schulz stated that his routine every morning consisted of eating a jelly donut and sitting down to write the day's strip. After coming up with an idea (which he said could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours), he began drawing it, which took about an hour for dailies and three hours for Sunday strips. He stubbornly refused to hire an inker or letterer, saying that "it would be equivalent to a golfer hiring a man to make his putts for him." In November 1999 Schulz suffered a stroke, and later it was discovered that he had colon cancer that had metastasized. Because of the chemotherapy and the fact he could not read or see clearly, he announced his retirement on December 14, 1999.
Schulz often touched on religious themes in his work, including the classic television cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), which features the character Linus van Pelt quoting the King James Version of the Bible Luke 2:8-14 to explain "what Christmas is all about." In personal interviews Schulz mentioned that Linus represented his spiritual side. Schulz, reared in the Lutheran faith, had been active in the Church of God as a young adult and then later taught Sunday school at a United Methodist Church. In the 1960s, Robert L. Short interpreted certain themes and conversations in Peanuts as being consistent with parts of Christian theology, and used them as illustrations during his lectures about the gospel, as he explained in his bestselling paperback book, The Gospel According to Peanuts, the first of several books he wrote on religion and Peanuts, and other popular culture items. From the late 1980s, however, Schulz described himself in interviews as a "secular humanist": “I do not go to church anymore... I guess you might say I've come around to secular humanism, an obligation I believe all humans have to others and the world we live in.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 6, 2023
NON MI ERO ACCORTO CHE IL MONDO FOSSE COSÌ MALRIDOTTO
... dice fra sé Linus leggendo la pagina dei cinema.
Nell'unica partita di baseball che ho giocato in vita mia, ricordo che la mia squadra stava vincendo e se io avessi conquistato la terza base avremmo eliminato gli avversari e io sarei stato l'eroe: sono stato a pensarci un po' su, mi sono guardato intorno, forse era meglio non rischiare e cercare di vincere solo di misura - ma poi ho capito che dovevo farlo e mi sono dato il via - via in una corsa folle - finita in una ignobile scivolata prima di raggiungere la meta - ho capito che invece di essere l'eroe, ero diventato il mentecatto, avevo rovinato tutto, partita persa, tutti i miei compagni di squadra delusi di me.
Vergogna e disperazione... poi mi sono ricordato di Charlie Brown, il buon vecchio Charlie Brown, e mi sono sentito meno solo.
Siamo tutti un po’ Charlie Brown.
... dice fra sé Linus leggendo la pagina dei cinema.
Nell'unica partita di baseball che ho giocato in vita mia, ricordo che la mia squadra stava vincendo e se io avessi conquistato la terza base avremmo eliminato gli avversari e io sarei stato l'eroe: sono stato a pensarci un po' su, mi sono guardato intorno, forse era meglio non rischiare e cercare di vincere solo di misura - ma poi ho capito che dovevo farlo e mi sono dato il via - via in una corsa folle - finita in una ignobile scivolata prima di raggiungere la meta - ho capito che invece di essere l'eroe, ero diventato il mentecatto, avevo rovinato tutto, partita persa, tutti i miei compagni di squadra delusi di me.
Vergogna e disperazione... poi mi sono ricordato di Charlie Brown, il buon vecchio Charlie Brown, e mi sono sentito meno solo.
Siamo tutti un po’ Charlie Brown.
November 14, 2015
No Matter how serious my life and my reading gets.....I always have time for a little Snoopy/Peanuts!
September 13, 2014
As much as I love the Fantographics Complete Peanuts, nothing will ever compare to these early paperback editions with the bright covers and the now somewhat yellowed paper innards. I'd give this all the stars in the sky if I could.
January 14, 2025
Was habe ich bloß all die Jahre verpasst! Die tollen Characktere sind sympathisch arbeitsscheu, lustorientiert und phantasievoll und die Geschichten einfach wahnsinnig lustig.
Mir macht es unglaublich viel Spaß mit einer Person, die ich sehr gerne mag, im Bett zu liegen und gemeinsam lachend die Peanuts zu lesen.
Mir macht es unglaublich viel Spaß mit einer Person, die ich sehr gerne mag, im Bett zu liegen und gemeinsam lachend die Peanuts zu lesen.
June 24, 2022
After having learned Italien for a bit over a year this little book fell into my hands. I thought I might try to read it. Well, not unexpectedly I could not. Maybe I should sue Duolingo.
It was still fun. I would google many words would try to guess the meaning of words and phrases or would just go on to the next strip.
This collection was from a time when the Peanuts were still excellent. We have the marvelous episode of Lucy burying Linus’ blanket for example or the bulldozer story. But the decline already started that would turn Peanuts into a bad joke with the introduction of Frieda. And the cat and stupid birds.
It was still fun. I would google many words would try to guess the meaning of words and phrases or would just go on to the next strip.
This collection was from a time when the Peanuts were still excellent. We have the marvelous episode of Lucy burying Linus’ blanket for example or the bulldozer story. But the decline already started that would turn Peanuts into a bad joke with the introduction of Frieda. And the cat and stupid birds.
August 3, 2025
Esta compilação de tiras de banda desenhada dos anos 1960 a 1962 mostra-nos as aventuras das personagens a que estamos habituados – Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Frieda e os amigos. Com um sentido de humor peculiar, o autor e ilustrador mostra as interações entre os amigos, com emoções por vezes exacerbadas pelos eventos dramáticos.
Este volume teve mais cenas prolongadas, um pouco como capítulos, que acompanham as mesmas personagens. O Snoopy foi um protagonista maravilhoso neste livro, e fez-me sorrir com as suas tiradas inteligentes em forma de pensamentos.
Como sempre, Charles M. Schulz passa mensagens inteligentes nas entrelinhas, com observações pertinentes sobre o mundo.
Uma banda desenhada divertida e leve, o tipo de leitura perfeita para aliviar a pressão dos tempos conturbados que vivemos. Recomendo «Peanuts» a todas as pessoas que, todos os dias, perdem um pouco de esperança na humanidade – vão recuperá-la! :)
Este volume teve mais cenas prolongadas, um pouco como capítulos, que acompanham as mesmas personagens. O Snoopy foi um protagonista maravilhoso neste livro, e fez-me sorrir com as suas tiradas inteligentes em forma de pensamentos.
Como sempre, Charles M. Schulz passa mensagens inteligentes nas entrelinhas, com observações pertinentes sobre o mundo.
Uma banda desenhada divertida e leve, o tipo de leitura perfeita para aliviar a pressão dos tempos conturbados que vivemos. Recomendo «Peanuts» a todas as pessoas que, todos os dias, perdem um pouco de esperança na humanidade – vão recuperá-la! :)
April 3, 2016
I think it was amazing because you get to see the old snoopy compared to today's snoopy
September 14, 2017
Happiness is reading this with daughter!
October 6, 2019
My favorite dog, ever.
May 1, 2025
Yes I’m counting this as a book & what about it? I love snoopy
December 30, 2015
Peanuts comics are the best!!!
May 24, 2023
This is a collection of Peanuts comic strips published in 2001, one year after the death of their artist, Charles M. Schulz. Based on the copyright markers as well as the weather and clothing of the characters, it appears to consist of strips roughly chronicling the year 1998, going from winter to spring to summer to autumn and back to winter again. In 160 pages full of Schulz’s trademark gentle humour, it could have been written 30 years earlier, as it depicts a simpler time when the height of technology was a television. The only thing that annoyed me was the character of Rerun, Linus and Lucy’s little brother, who was only a minor character from his introduction in 1972, but here he seems to have replaced his older brother Linus (who barely appears at all), with similar appearance, speech patterns and interactions with other characters. According to Wikipedia, Schulz himself admitted in a 1997 interview that “Rerun has almost taken over the strip.”
Personally I prefer the paperback collections from the 1960s and 70s, as I used to read those during my childhood. But this one was still fun, with 25-year-old strips I hadn’t seen before about familiar characters I’ve always enjoyed. Both fresh and old at the same time, it’s a strange feeling to read Charlie Brown and Snoopy comics as an adult.
Personally I prefer the paperback collections from the 1960s and 70s, as I used to read those during my childhood. But this one was still fun, with 25-year-old strips I hadn’t seen before about familiar characters I’ve always enjoyed. Both fresh and old at the same time, it’s a strange feeling to read Charlie Brown and Snoopy comics as an adult.
May 14, 2022
Mi padre leía pocos tebeos, pero de los peanuts tenía por lo menos quince libros en sus estanterías. En el proceso natural de absorción y descarte de las estanterías de mi padre descubrí a Charlie Brown, el antihéroe, y a Snoopy y a Woodstock, héroes peculiares, y a Linus y su manta, y a Schroeder y su piano, y a Lucy, enamorada de Schroeder, y a Patty y a Sally, y a todos los demás. De trazo simple, con líneas argumentales que oscilaban entre una y doscientas tiras, Charles Schulz creó durante 50 años (solo Ibáñez ha sido más prolífico durante más tiempo) un pequeño universo al que he vuelto alguna vez, para comprobar con gusto que, si bien ya no me llama como antes, no ha envejecido mal.
Hay tantas tiras (más de 18.000 en 50 años, se dice pronto) que, como dicen de los Simpson, toda cosa que pase ha salido ya probablemente en una tira de Charlie Brown. Las leí sobre todo entre mis 10 y mis 15 años, pero cuando me he cruzado con alguna en años posteriores ha seguido aguantando el tipo y, por supuesto, se aprecian má mensajes destinados al adulto. La maravilla de las cosas bien hechas, que apelan a todos los públicos. Altamente recomendable.
Hay tantas tiras (más de 18.000 en 50 años, se dice pronto) que, como dicen de los Simpson, toda cosa que pase ha salido ya probablemente en una tira de Charlie Brown. Las leí sobre todo entre mis 10 y mis 15 años, pero cuando me he cruzado con alguna en años posteriores ha seguido aguantando el tipo y, por supuesto, se aprecian má mensajes destinados al adulto. La maravilla de las cosas bien hechas, que apelan a todos los públicos. Altamente recomendable.
November 23, 2022
I've loved Peanuts ever since I was a little girl. I always could relate to Charlie Brown. Like him, I was socially awkward as a kid...didn't have many friends and was unpopular in high school. And I also had a crush on a red-head, but he was deaf and didn't like me in that kind of way...I was told that he was only into deaf girls. :-(
But all of the Peanuts gang had experiences that could make anybody crack up laughing. Example: Sally always calling Linus her "Sweet Babboo" and getting him all embarrassed.
But all of the Peanuts gang had experiences that could make anybody crack up laughing. Example: Sally always calling Linus her "Sweet Babboo" and getting him all embarrassed.
June 18, 2018
Nothing like a good Nostalgia read of the old versions Of Snoopy
December 18, 2018
Still a fun read even tho I've read a few of the strips compiled in this book. I had just notice Linus' younger brother Rerun and he's SO adorable!!
July 22, 2019
Read, reread, repeat. Snoopy is one of many simple things I associate with Christmas memory during my childhood. No heavy feeling like Gundam or War or Global Warming.
February 14, 2020
Best book about Snoopy!!!!!
September 25, 2020
“The ‘D Minuses’ are out to get me” 😂❤️
Read
December 8, 2023garfield better
Read
May 29, 2024Read many years ago
Currently reading
December 7, 2024great
September 12, 2025
Giggles.
December 19, 2024
Apparently there are many Peanuts comics facsimiles out there, I found some physical copies for sale and I chose this one as my first because of the title (and honestly the cover). It seems it’s listed several times here as the 13th facsimile for some reason, but the back of mine claims it to be the fourteenth in the Titan Comics series and says it covers the strip from 1960 to 1962. Not sure what that’s about.
Anyway, the stories here are cute, funny and even annoying (looking at you, Lucy!). There’s plenty of philosophical moments, baseball, Snoopy, and even a cat, oh and of course Beethoven - I actually ended up listening to his Piano Sonata No. 11 thanks to Schroeder’s suggestion.
Anyway, the stories here are cute, funny and even annoying (looking at you, Lucy!). There’s plenty of philosophical moments, baseball, Snoopy, and even a cat, oh and of course Beethoven - I actually ended up listening to his Piano Sonata No. 11 thanks to Schroeder’s suggestion.
August 4, 2021
It's hard not to love this little book that is filled with classic Peanuts strips; my favorites being. the ones featuring Snoopy of course. But another thing I love is the way that Charles Schulz created a whole story line based on comic strips, such as the story line where Lucy took away Linus' blanket. Frieda and her naturally curly hair, as well as five year old Sally and her crush on older man Linus are featured on several pages. As with all of Charles Schulz's strips, some of these made me laugh out loud and some had me overcome with emotion. You were a genius, Charles Schulz.
July 30, 2015
95minutes
Selfishness
Optimism
Good friends
Funny guys
dog
Yellow bird
Doghouse
I am a fan of Snoopy. I have a lot of book about Snoopy. Snoopy is not only fun but also teach us important things. I learned that it is important to take good care of my friends from this story. Snoopy always teach me anything important, so I am a fan of snoopy.
It is difficult to deal with Snoopy well because he is selfishness!!
Selfishness
Optimism
Good friends
Funny guys
dog
Yellow bird
Doghouse
I am a fan of Snoopy. I have a lot of book about Snoopy. Snoopy is not only fun but also teach us important things. I learned that it is important to take good care of my friends from this story. Snoopy always teach me anything important, so I am a fan of snoopy.
It is difficult to deal with Snoopy well because he is selfishness!!
June 4, 2024
an entertaining quick read, full of nostalgia and relatedness to charlie brown as a freshly new adult! i have absolutely loved and still do love all the charlie brown chronicles xx
-2 stars because it had no substance that would necessarily affect or influence me but isn't that the point of this book anyway? to be consumable rather than consuming? ITS A GOOD BOOK but also some of the scenes were boring 😃
-2 stars because it had no substance that would necessarily affect or influence me but isn't that the point of this book anyway? to be consumable rather than consuming? ITS A GOOD BOOK but also some of the scenes were boring 😃
September 10, 2011
It´s Peanuts... what can else say? I love the characters, I like the design of characters and that it isn´t a black and white comic strip... but above all, Snoopy and the gang have been part of my childhood and teens, so they´re so dear to me. A fun read.
February 15, 2015
This is a great book if you are a fan of Shulz. Who is a great writer and animator since as long as I can think back to my own mothers childhood. Snoopy is a unique and mischievous dog, and he will never change.. Check out the movie coming out November 3rd, 2015!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews