Today’s Google doodle is the best I’ve seen yet. It’s an animated tour through the world of Maurice Sendak, the beloved author and illustrator who would have been 85 today had he lived (he died last year). I’m not familiar with all of Sendak’s work, as my childhood antedated his book, but i09 says this:
The animation takes us through Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen, and Sendak’s 2011 book Bumble-Ardy. Happy Birthday, Mr. Sendak.
Here’s a screenshot, but it doesn’t do it justice at all. It’s quite a long animation, and you must see it.
He was gay, of Jewish extraction, and an atheist. Wikipedia notes this:
Sendak was an atheist, and stated in a September 2011 interview with Terry Gross on National Public Radio’s Fresh Air that he didn’t believe in God. He went on to elaborate, and said among other things, “It [religion, and belief in God] must have made life much easier [for some religious friends of his]. It’s harder for us non-believers.”
I posted this wonderful video (an illustrated recording, actually) when Sendak died, but it’s worth hearing again. This is part of Terry Gross’s interview with Sendak, and he expresses his love of life and loss of his friends. It’s terribly moving.
As he said, “there are so many beautiful things in this world.” He was one of them.
h/t: SGM
Superb doodle and a wonderful tribute to Sendak.
Let the wild rumpus start.
There are a few public figures that feel like they belong, personally, to me.
Maurice Sendak was one of them.
I read Maurice Sendak’s books to my children when they were pre-school age. They requested “Where the Wild Things Are” almost every night. He was much loved in my family.
I read Maurice Sendak’s books to my children when they were pre-school age. They requested “Where the Wild Things Are” almost every night. He was much loved in my family.
I read Maurice Sendak’s books to my children when they were pre-school age. They requested “Where the Wild Things Are” almost every night. He was much loved in my family.
Damn. Don’t know why that posted three times.
I was young enough that what I remember most about those books is that the little boy was “anatomically correct” (as my parents put it).
It is strange what early childhood memories actually stick with you later in life.
Here’s a link to the Fresh Air interview, which is worth listening to more than once: http://www.npr.org/2011/09/20/140435330/this-pig-wants-to-party-maurice-sendaks-latest
I first encountered Sendak’s drawings in a reprint of George MacDonald’s 1867 fairy tail, THE GOLDEN KEY. The detailed yet weirdly-proportioned ink drawings (reminiscent of illustrations by Edward Gorey) were a perfect match for the story. The e-text of the story is here, but without pictures:
http://www.george-macdonald.com/etexts/the_golden_key.html
Eventually I was chagrined to discover that George MacDonald was a hard-core Christian who wrote several ghastly fundamentalist “fairy tales” that I wouldn’t inflict on any child. But The Golden Key is not overtly spiritual and I still love the story and Sendak’s odd pictures.
I was never a fan of Where the Wild Things Are, though my brother and father liked it very much. Too silly and boyish for me. I preferred Sendak’s illustrations for Randall Jarrell’s book, THE ANIMAL FAMILY.
“They leave me and I love them more.” My eyes welled up on that one.
I,sadly was not aware of Mr Sendak’s work, but do have fond memories of Thorton W Burgess.
The HBO documentary is also very good. If I remember well he had some interesting things to say about death.