“Of course, the boys have already been reading other books, but the truth is Calvin and Hobbes is the standard to which all other great literature is held.”
Testosterhome on her sons’ summer reading. She goes on to note that the boys will be required to report on their summer books — “I’m sure there will be ice cream or weapons involved in this equation as well.”
Taken as a whole, I think Calvin and Hobbes holds up remarkably well as commentary for the modern family and for American society. Watterson was remarkable prescient considering marketing (“We still have McDonalds”/”But they don’t come right into our home”) and the way the apathy directed at politics prior to 2004 and the rise of the Internet as a tool. And as a snapshot of Americana in the 1990s, it’s pretty awesome.
Yeah, I’m a fan. The collected works are heavy (literally) but wonderful.
Slate has more.