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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Hardwood Creek Library (Forest Lake) | Q 921 SEUSS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Oakdale Library | Q 921 SEUSS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Park Grove Library (Cottage Grove) | Q 921 SEUSS | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Theodor Seuss Geisel, creator of Horton the Elephant, the Grinch, the Cat in the Hat, and a madcap menagerie of the best-loved children's characters of all time, stands alone as the preeminent figure of children's literature. But Geisel was a private man who was happier at the drawing table than he was across from any reporter or would-be biographer. Under the thoughtful scrutiny of Charles D. Cohen, Geisel's lesser known works yield valuable insights into the imaginative and creative processes of one of the 20th century's most original thinkers.
Author Notes
Charles D. Cohen is a graduate of Haverford College and the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and has been a practicing dentist for more than 18 years. Dr. Cohen first became enchanted with the works of Dr. Seuss as a child and he began purchasing early edition of Seuss books in college. Today, Dr. Cohen's trove of Seussiana is likely the most comprehensive private collection in the world. It is his hope to create a museum to preserve the full Seuss legacy by protecting the pieces for posterity. He is the author of the The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and Nothing But the Seuss , and lives in South Deerfield, Massachusetts.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
These two books about the prolific artist are vastly different in purpose, approach, and audience. Cohen's goal is to document Geisel's creative development, tracing his writing and artistic skills chronologically within a cultural context. Endnotes document his sources, but the text is woven with supporting visuals that work with his engaging style to achieve broad appeal. Nel aims to elevate Dr. Seuss to the level of icon and builds his case through a series of linked essays, each one examining Geisel through the differing critical lenses employed by Liberal Studies scholars. He provides extensive commentary, endnotes, and an annotated bibliography, increasing the value to academics. Although no one premise is fully argued, no one assertion fully supported, the book provides fertile ground for further study. Cohen's title is simpler, larger, and more complete.-Sue Burgess, Framingham State College, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
"He was an unusual man, particularly with respect to his memory and vision, and his penchant for storytelling and practical jokes often led people astray from the facts," notes Cohen, who in this hefty, assiduously researched (and well-documented) volume, sets out to demystify the genius of Theodor Seuss Geisel. The biographer separates fact from fiction and reveals a significant sampling of this celebrated author and artist's little-known early work, balancing his own chronicle of Geisel's life and career with copious excerpts from his subject's writing and crisp reproductions of his wide-ranging artwork. These include cartoons Geisel drew for the Dartmouth literary magazine (which provide first glimpses of some of the zany creatures that would later appear in his picture books), advertisements he created for a variety of companies (beginning with his widely popular ads for Flit bug spray, with their wonderfully Seussian humor and images) and cartoons he published in a variety of magazines. Cohen aims primarily at dedicated Seuss aficionados with his in-depth reportage and analyses of events that inspired Geisel's work through the decades. He devotes relatively little space to the author's creation of picture books. Instead, the biography provides intriguing insight into the workings and evolution of a remarkable creative mind, as Cohen allows the story to unfold largely through Dr. Seuss's own words and pictures. Oh, the places he has gone-and continues to transport readers. This elegantly designed volume instills gratitude for both. All ages. (Feb) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Although Cohen covers some of the same territory Philip Nel traversed in Dr. Seuss: An American Icon0 BKL F 1 04, this abundantly illustrated profile of the creator of Horton, the Grinch, and the Cat in the Hat has a more popular readership in mind. Crisp full-color illustrations on every page of the coffee-table volume will pull readers into Cohen's accessible recap of Theodore Geisel's career, which is enhanced with just enough personal information to bring everything together. Cohen doesn't ignore Geisel's writing (there's even a selection of early Geisel from his high-school paper), but his real focus is the art. And what a selection he has gathered: clear reproductions of posters, book illustrations, newspaper cartoons, and book pages, with intriguing background information that allows readers to follow the artist's varied careers (political cartoonist, filmmaker, children's book author, and a few more, too) as well as the evolution of some of his most popular book characters. Fun for browsers and Seussophiles alike. --Stephanie Zvirin Copyright 2004 Booklist
