Between Worlds

by Leo Lionni

Here, sumptuously illustrated, is a superbly written account of a remarkable life--a life spent divided between Europe and America, between art and commerce--by the famous artist, art director, and children's book author Leo Lionni.

Born in Holland, half Jewish, raised in Amsterdam, Brussels, Genoa, Philadelphia--Lionni is a man of many languages and cultures but no real home. His story is one of a constant search, a search that takes him from an ideal early childhood to a strict education in Italy that proved largely irrelevant to his future, and then to exile from Fascist Italy in America; from being a highly political aspiring artist to becoming a highly successful advertising director (he invented the famous "Never underestimate the power of a woman"  campaign) and a powerful force in the world of graphics as the art director of Fortune magazine; from life in the affluent commuter world of Connecticut to a return to Italy and the life of an artist. After all this--a full life by any account--he finds yet another successful vocation as the author and illustrator of children's books that have sold millions of copies throughout the world.

Lionni tells his story--it encompasses his early romance and happy marriage, and his countless extraordinary friends and acquaintances--in the most elegant and persuasive prose, the kind of English that only a distinguished European can write. And since his story is also the story of a lifetime of creativity, throughout the book are examples, in color and black-and-white, of his remarkable body of work--painting, sculpture, ceramics, mosaics, photography, graphics, and, of course, illustration. This is an autobiography both of great intellectual and artistic sophistication and of large human appeal.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

295 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Leo Lionni wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children's books. He received the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was a four-time Caldecott Honor Winner--for Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Leo Lionni died in October of 1999 at his home in Tuscany, Italy, at the age of 89.

Leo Lionni has gained international renown for his paintings, graphic designs, illustrations, and sculpture, as well as for his books for children. He was born in Holland in 1910 of Dutch parents, and although his education did not include formal art courses (in fact, he has a doctorate in economics from the University of Genoa), he spent much of his free time as a child in Amsterdam's museums, teaching himself to draw.

Lionni's business training gradually receded into the background as his interest in art and design grew. Having settled in Milan soon after his marriage in 1931, he started off by writing about European architecture for a local magazine. It was there that he met the contacts who were to give him a start as a professional graphic designer. When he moved to America in 1939, Lionni was hired by a Philadelphia advertising agency as art director. Later he became design director for the Olivetti Corporation of America, and then art director for Fortune magazine. At the same time, his reputation as an artist flourished as he began to exhibit his paintings and drawings in galleries from New York to Japan.

Lionni launched his career as an author/illustrator of books for children in 1959. Originally developed from a story he had improvised for his grandchildren during a dull train ride, Little Blue and Little Yellow was the first of what is now a long list of children's picture books, including four Caldecott Honor Books.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

i almost filed this under "time travel" because Lionni switches around in his life and others so often that it was hard to follow. read the first hundred and last fifty pages. Most interesting he created the cover for "The Family of Man" and becoming a children's book writer/artist was a late life decision and fortunate accident. he was already successful as an artist, an adman and an editor.
the one story i really liked from the book: Lionni goes to Brentano's (remember that great bookstore? B&N is still just a sad knock-off) the morning his first book goes on sale looking for the promised window display, it isn't there, But the book is stacked next to the counter, he hangs back close enough to see who might buy it, far enough away no would think him the author or a stalker. "...a young woman who looked like the mother of a six year-year old child was moving from book to book with a fastidiously serious expression passing judgement on each one. When she picked up (Little Blue and Little Yellow) I looked away. I couldn't take it. ...she begins to purchase it... The saleslady sprang out of her chair...knocking the book out of the customer's hand. I automatically picked it up and was about to hand it to the young woman when i heard myself say "Forgive me, I am the author of the book you are about to buy. If you don't mind I'd like to autograph for you because it is the first copy to be sold." There were many ohs and ahs, my heart was doing somersaults in my chest, but I left the store feeling like I'd won the Pulitzer Prize." p219
if i'd ever finished one of the book i've started and it were published i imagine doing the same thing (alsa Stacey's has gone the way of Brentanos so perhaps at Alexander Book Co.)

[Danni Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this would be more about the author's creative process and the stories behind his beloved children's books. It was really more of just a straightforward narration of his life from beginning to end. It wasn't a bad book, it just didn't feel like it was really a book written for someone who loves this author's other work, and I guess I just wasn't really sure who the book was meant for.

[Ginna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely blown away by how interesting and well written this was! What an incredible life--

[Roberto/Isairon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cronistoria di una vita. Interessante ma fino ad un certo punto. Letto fino a pagina 198 poi semplicemente sfogliato. Le pagine più interessanti da pagina 234 a 240 dove parla di "un piccolo miracolo" come dice l'autore, cioè del suo libro "Piccolo blu e piccolo giallo". 6 pagine su 360 poche per dire che mi è piaciuto. Oltretutto stampato su carta lucida, pesantissima, anche in questo senso un "peso" portarselo dietro.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly talented man surrounded by other incredibly talented people. Never would I have known the breadth of his accomplishments if I hadn't gone to the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst Mass -- a must for anyone interested in art (To think that children's illustration isn't art is to be very close minded.) I would have enjoyed the book much more if the writing -- not the writer -- were a little humbler, although I forive him. Here is to Lioni for taking all his priviliges and talent and opportunities and creating such wonderful art with it. He seemed to have endless energy and ideas, and I love Frederick and Swimmy even more.

[Steffi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Durchaus lesbare Autobiografie, wenn auch oft etwas langatmig. Enttäuscht hat mich, dass der Mann, der mit seinen Kinderbüchern berühmt wurde, stets nach der Geburt seiner Kinder – wenn auch mit gutem Grund – ins Ausland verschwand und sich scheinbar wenig Gedanken um den Nachwuchs machte. Insgesamt schreibt er nicht sehr viel über seine Kinder und in seine Frau hat er sich verliebt, weil sie nicht so sehr dem Intellektuellen zugeneigt war. Naja…

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The level of detail was just too much for me to continue, perhaps another day!