Maurice Sendak dies 83

[Alucard]

'Where the Wild things Are' author/artist died. My face is very sad.

Maurice Sendak, widely considered the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century, who wrenched the picture book out of the safe, sanitized world of the nursery and plunged it into the dark, terrifying and hauntingly beautiful recesses of the human psyche, died on Tuesday in Danbury, Conn. He was 83 and lived in Ridgefield, Conn.

The cause was complications from a recent stroke, said Michael di Capua, his longtime editor.

Roundly praised, intermittently censored and occasionally eaten, Mr. Sendak’s books were essential ingredients of childhood for the generation born after 1960 or thereabouts, and in turn for their children. He was known in particular for more than a dozen picture books he wrote and illustrated himself, most famously “Where the Wild Things Are,” which was simultaneously genre-breaking and career-making when it was published by Harper & Row in 1963.

Among the other titles he wrote and illustrated, all from Harper & Row, are “In the Night Kitchen” (1970) and “Outside Over There” (1981), which together with “Where the Wild Things Are” form a trilogy; “The Sign on Rosie’s Door” (1960); “Higglety Pigglety Pop!” (1967); and “The Nutshell Library” (1962), a boxed set of four tiny volumes comprising “Alligators All Around,” “Chicken Soup With Rice,” “One Was Johnny” and “Pierre.”

In September, a new picture book by Mr. Sendak, “Bumble-Ardy” — the first in 30 years for which he produced both text and illustrations — was issued by HarperCollins Publishers. The book, which spent five weeks on the New York Times children’s best-seller list, tells the not-altogether-lighthearted story of an orphaned pig (his parents are eaten) who gives himself a riotous birthday party.

A posthumous picture book, “My Brother’s Book” — a poem written and illustrated by Mr. Sendak and inspired by his love for his late brother, Jack — is scheduled to be published next February.

heeeeaaaps more info at the link on the legend.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/bo...ies-at-83.html

[Einhander]

I loved In The Night Kitchen as a kid.

[calintz]

[Drunken Savior]

He had a good run.

[javi]

Yeah, I liked Where the Wild Things are, but I still don't know if I liked the movie or not.

[camac]

Yeah, the guy said he was sad and ready to die. So good for him on that, he's made a great impact on the world.

lol he also said fuck ebooks, they can't be the future of books, but he'll be dead anyways so he wont give a shit. Haha that guy was great.

[Badrats Studio]

Obama reads "Where The Wild Things Are" , Sam said.



RIP. His legend lives.

[Sinful Sam]

Very well respected. RIP

[eastx]

Always sad to lose a talented artist.

Originally Posted by javi

Yeah, I liked Where the Wild Things are, but I still don't know if I liked the movie or not.

I hated the film (except for the visuals). The kid is a little jerk and the story goes absolutely nowhere. I haven't read the book though.

[Alucard]

Movie was ok though I expected better.

[calintz]

Originally Posted by Maurice Sendak

“Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.”
Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received.
He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.”