Children react to the sight of the U.S. President during his State of the Union address.

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These are now two of my prize possessions, thanks to the birthday generosity of my wife and two daughters. Even if you don't love the Peanuts, you've got to admire the design, care and attention to detail of these books. That is if you have a thing for books, which I most definitely do.

Schulz was a genius, and probably my first, unforgettable encounter with such. I collected the Fawcett paperbacks as 9-10 year old kid.



I identified a bit too heavily, no doubt, with Charlie Brown. Hey, I was and am the youngest of five kids; losing was my lot, and I just didn't get it. Like Charlie Brown, I was perpetually befuddled by others' behavior.

Owning these books is like finally kicking the football, a reminder that things do take flight, even for Charlie Brown, because he -- and Charles Schulz -- put in the hours, the effort, and against the odds, struck a blow.