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Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination
The definitive, fascinating, all-reaching biography of Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss is a classic American icon. His work has defined our childhoods and the childhoods of our own children. More than twenty-five years after his death, his books continue to find new readers, now grossing over half a billion dollars in sales. His whimsical illustrations and silly, simple rhymes are timeless favorites because, quite simply, he makes us laugh.
Theodor Geisel, however, led a life that goes much deeper than the prolific and beloved children's book author. In fact, the allure and fascination of Dr. Seuss begins with this second, more radical side. He had a successful career as a political cartoonist, and his political leanings can be felt throughout his books--remember the environmentalist of The Lorax? Geisel was a complicated man, who introduced generations to the wonders of reading while teaching young people about empathy and how to treat others well.
Coming right off the heels of multiple books-of-the-month- and year-winner GEORGE LUCAS and the bestselling JIM HENSON, Brian is quickly developing a reputation as a master biographer of the creative geniuses of our time.
Dr. Seuss is a classic American icon. His work has defined our childhoods and the childhoods of our own children. More than twenty-five years after his death, his books continue to find new readers, now grossing over half a billion dollars in sales. His whimsical illustrations and silly, simple rhymes are timeless favorites because, quite simply, he makes us laugh.
Theodor Geisel, however, led a life that goes much deeper than the prolific and beloved children's book author. In fact, the allure and fascination of Dr. Seuss begins with this second, more radical side. He had a successful career as a political cartoonist, and his political leanings can be felt throughout his books--remember the environmentalist of The Lorax? Geisel was a complicated man, who introduced generations to the wonders of reading while teaching young people about empathy and how to treat others well.
Coming right off the heels of multiple books-of-the-month- and year-winner GEORGE LUCAS and the bestselling JIM HENSON, Brian is quickly developing a reputation as a master biographer of the creative geniuses of our time.
19 pages, Audiobook
First published February 5, 2019
227 people are currently reading
6099 people want to read
About the author
Brian Jay Jones
6 books329 followersBrian Jay Jones is the award-winning, bestselling biographer of some of the world's most iconic creative geniuses, from American writer Washington Irving and Muppet master Jim Henson, to Star Wars creator George Lucas and children's writer/artist Dr. Seuss.
Brian's biography of Jim Henson won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Biography of 2013, an honor he still appreciates every day.
A note from Brian: "I've taken a somewhat different tact with this site, starting with a 'day one' approach where l've added books as I purchased and read them, rather than trying to recreate my entire library (apart from a few favorite biographies that I can't resist sticking on the shelf)."
Subnote: I'm also really bad about updating my books. Sorry about that.
Brian's biography of Jim Henson won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Biography of 2013, an honor he still appreciates every day.
A note from Brian: "I've taken a somewhat different tact with this site, starting with a 'day one' approach where l've added books as I purchased and read them, rather than trying to recreate my entire library (apart from a few favorite biographies that I can't resist sticking on the shelf)."
Subnote: I'm also really bad about updating my books. Sorry about that.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 356 reviews
March 14, 2019
3.5 Like many of us I grew up with his books, but it was my youngest daughter and my grandchildren who really loved his books. "Do you like my hat?" "I do not like your hat." will forever be stuck in my mind. His books were quirky, fun, for both adults and children.
A good biography gives us a good sense of what made the man and who he was, who he became. This book certainly did that. Reading about his youth it is easy to see Dr. Seuss in the young Theodor Geisel. A practical joker from the get go, he would learn as he went, in college writing for the humor magazine and Dartmouth. His career path was far from straightforward, continually changing. Writing for advertisers, magazines, it wouldn't be until much later before he found a publisher for his children's books. Some of his published jokes were misogynistic, bigoted by our view now, but it was acceptable at the time. He would later regret this period in his life.
We find out much about his personal and professional life. I thought his college escapades went on to long, a few other parts too, that period of time certainly showed us his early path to becoming Dr. Seuss. I was surprised to learn that this man whose books have made such an impression on generations, never had children of his own. He was happy that he could make reading fun, and he certainly did that.
ARC from Edelweiss.
A good biography gives us a good sense of what made the man and who he was, who he became. This book certainly did that. Reading about his youth it is easy to see Dr. Seuss in the young Theodor Geisel. A practical joker from the get go, he would learn as he went, in college writing for the humor magazine and Dartmouth. His career path was far from straightforward, continually changing. Writing for advertisers, magazines, it wouldn't be until much later before he found a publisher for his children's books. Some of his published jokes were misogynistic, bigoted by our view now, but it was acceptable at the time. He would later regret this period in his life.
We find out much about his personal and professional life. I thought his college escapades went on to long, a few other parts too, that period of time certainly showed us his early path to becoming Dr. Seuss. I was surprised to learn that this man whose books have made such an impression on generations, never had children of his own. He was happy that he could make reading fun, and he certainly did that.
ARC from Edelweiss.
January 16, 2020
Always keen to learn a little something about others, I eagerly reached out for Brian Jay Jones’ biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, to see what I could learn about this most inspirational man. Geisel, who was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, was from strong German stock and born in the early years of the 20th century. Accepting an anglicized version of his name, ‘Ted’ spent much of his youth as a dedicated young boy with a handful of friends, but was also keenly aware that his heritage would see him ridiculed and mocked, particularly during the Great War. Always ready with a joke, Geisel found a spot at post-secondary with ease and began writing for his college publication, using his imagination to liven up the stories and articles with some of his early ‘Seussian’ comments on life around him. It was only when he attended Oxford for a year of post-graduate studies—earning a spot through his father’s money, rather than academic prowess—that someone noticed his ability to sketch out drawings that could catch the eye. Geisel used this to his advantage, though he had little else on which to rely, as his academics were anything but stellar. Geisel used quirky drawings and punchy lines to get into the advertising business, landing a national campaign for an insecticide that lasted for years. All the while, he worked on a children’s book, with limited success until an old college chum pulled some strings. The gamble paid off, though not as successfully as Geisel might have hoped. Geisel had an idea about how to make things work for the intended audience and not just the publisher.
Working as an editorial cartoonist allowed Geisel to stretch his wings and dabble into the world of political satire. Geisel excelled here, but found that some of his opinions rubbed readers the wrong way. He used these strong opinions to pave the way into the US Army for the Second World War, serving to educate the troops on a number of topics. Brian Jay Jones offers a lengthy discussion of this time, which proved highly important in his overall success.
It was in a post-war era that Geisel found some success as he continued to espouse the importance of writing for and not at children. He was becoming a name in the publishing industry and his work was begin circulated as he taught up and comers how to secure their audience. Geisel’s successes began to appear at this time, including The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Jones describes the ongoing successes from there, including how Geisel created a type of early reader genre that would allow young readers to find their footing before progressing. Geisel was a tyrant when it came to this and his cut-throat antics are depicted repeatedly throughout the tome. However, his successes continued, as Geisel was able to find new and exciting ways to interest his readers, as well as their families. Juggling personal tragedy throughout, this childless man proved to be the father of modern children’s books and his successes continued, taking simply concepts and imbuing themes that spoke to all ages to promote some of his ideas.
Towards the latter portion of the book, Jay explores an older Geisel, whose successes continued as he refused to give up. Health concerns slowed him down, but Geisel wanted to keep working to appease the children. His books began to offer up some persona sentiments, layered in a children’s story, which left some to wonder if Geisel might be using his fame to peddle a specific agenda. As Geisel’s health deteriorated, he had to accept ahis limitations and was recognized for many of his key accomplishments. Jones explores how all this weighed on Geisel, as well as the decades of fans he acquired. By the final stages, Geisel’s legacy was firmly rooted in children’s literature, as well as his passion to ensure children loved to read. Even after his death, the Seuss legacy is strong and his impact resonates with generations, even today!
I cannot say enough about this piece, other than to admit that Dr. Seuss was much more complex than I first imagined. His life was full of the ups and downs one would expect from a man with such talent, something that Brian Jay Jones captured with great talent throughout. Geisel seemed to meander around, trying to find his niche, with a supportive wife there to keep him pointing forward, though even that did not always work to his advantage. While he always appeared to have wonderfully addictive story ideas and drawings, Jones depicts Geisel as being a man who was his own harshest critic and who could, at times, stumble as he fell into an abyss of his own making. Most astounding of all, Geisel had no formal training in writing for children and no little ones of his own, so this self-developed skill is even more astounding, as Jones depicts all his successes. Geisel could be harsh to those around him, though he always saw the benefit of the child and cherished their desire to learn. Geisel would never lose this passion, wanting perfection to advance the learning ability of children as they discovered books. Jones does not shy away from the darker side to Ted Geisel, showing that he was simply human and suffered defeat, loss, and even weaknesses, but the man also had boundless amounts of humour that helped him get through the valleys on his way to new peaks. The book paces itself so well, with a strong narrative that is full of information. I could not go more than a page or two without learning something that stuck with me. Jones uses detailed chapters, without drowning the reader in minutiae, to project a strong set of characteristics that made Ted Geisel the man he became. Extensive research surely went into this piece and anyone who takes the time to read it will bask in Geisel’s accomplishments. The world lost a legend when he passed on, but the Seuss legacy remains strong for children—and adults—of all ages!
Kudos, Mr. Jones, for this stunning biography. I will be looking into some of your other work in short order.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Working as an editorial cartoonist allowed Geisel to stretch his wings and dabble into the world of political satire. Geisel excelled here, but found that some of his opinions rubbed readers the wrong way. He used these strong opinions to pave the way into the US Army for the Second World War, serving to educate the troops on a number of topics. Brian Jay Jones offers a lengthy discussion of this time, which proved highly important in his overall success.
It was in a post-war era that Geisel found some success as he continued to espouse the importance of writing for and not at children. He was becoming a name in the publishing industry and his work was begin circulated as he taught up and comers how to secure their audience. Geisel’s successes began to appear at this time, including The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Jones describes the ongoing successes from there, including how Geisel created a type of early reader genre that would allow young readers to find their footing before progressing. Geisel was a tyrant when it came to this and his cut-throat antics are depicted repeatedly throughout the tome. However, his successes continued, as Geisel was able to find new and exciting ways to interest his readers, as well as their families. Juggling personal tragedy throughout, this childless man proved to be the father of modern children’s books and his successes continued, taking simply concepts and imbuing themes that spoke to all ages to promote some of his ideas.
Towards the latter portion of the book, Jay explores an older Geisel, whose successes continued as he refused to give up. Health concerns slowed him down, but Geisel wanted to keep working to appease the children. His books began to offer up some persona sentiments, layered in a children’s story, which left some to wonder if Geisel might be using his fame to peddle a specific agenda. As Geisel’s health deteriorated, he had to accept ahis limitations and was recognized for many of his key accomplishments. Jones explores how all this weighed on Geisel, as well as the decades of fans he acquired. By the final stages, Geisel’s legacy was firmly rooted in children’s literature, as well as his passion to ensure children loved to read. Even after his death, the Seuss legacy is strong and his impact resonates with generations, even today!
I cannot say enough about this piece, other than to admit that Dr. Seuss was much more complex than I first imagined. His life was full of the ups and downs one would expect from a man with such talent, something that Brian Jay Jones captured with great talent throughout. Geisel seemed to meander around, trying to find his niche, with a supportive wife there to keep him pointing forward, though even that did not always work to his advantage. While he always appeared to have wonderfully addictive story ideas and drawings, Jones depicts Geisel as being a man who was his own harshest critic and who could, at times, stumble as he fell into an abyss of his own making. Most astounding of all, Geisel had no formal training in writing for children and no little ones of his own, so this self-developed skill is even more astounding, as Jones depicts all his successes. Geisel could be harsh to those around him, though he always saw the benefit of the child and cherished their desire to learn. Geisel would never lose this passion, wanting perfection to advance the learning ability of children as they discovered books. Jones does not shy away from the darker side to Ted Geisel, showing that he was simply human and suffered defeat, loss, and even weaknesses, but the man also had boundless amounts of humour that helped him get through the valleys on his way to new peaks. The book paces itself so well, with a strong narrative that is full of information. I could not go more than a page or two without learning something that stuck with me. Jones uses detailed chapters, without drowning the reader in minutiae, to project a strong set of characteristics that made Ted Geisel the man he became. Extensive research surely went into this piece and anyone who takes the time to read it will bask in Geisel’s accomplishments. The world lost a legend when he passed on, but the Seuss legacy remains strong for children—and adults—of all ages!
Kudos, Mr. Jones, for this stunning biography. I will be looking into some of your other work in short order.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
June 19, 2019
Every year on March 2 the preschool teacher at our school stages Wacky Wednesday. Kids come to school in mismatched clothes and perform goofy tasks like straw racing and “eye ball” squishing. March 2 is the birthday of the one and only Dr. Seuss, who for more than fifty years encouraged children to read through his uniquely crafted books. When I discovered that Brian Jay Jones, a biographer of Jim Henson and George Lucas, had written a new biography on Dr. Seuss, I knew that it was a book that I must discover. Dr. Seuss was at his core about children discovering the world around them, so I embarked on a trip down memory lane through his beloved literature to discover the man behind a half century of encouraging children of all ages to read.
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts, the second child of Theodor Robert and Margaret “Nettie” Seuss Geisel. Springfield was a town of innovative thinkers in the early 20th century, the home of Smith and Wesson and the birthplace of a new game called basketball. The Geisel family ran a brewery and were highly regarded in the German community in Springfield and the Seuss, pronounced Soice, family ran a successful bakery. The marriage of Theodor, known as TR, and Nettie united the two families, and as the world headed into the 20th century, the future looked bright. After the birth of daughter Margaret, known to all as Marnie, in 1902 and son Theodor in 1904, the Geisel family, under the watchful eye of Theodor’s father Theodor Adolph Geisel, TA, appeared poised to become the leaders of Springfield.
The Geisels’ fortune changed with America’s entry into World War I as Americans discriminated against people of German heritage. Hotdogs got their iconic name during this period as the vernacular changed from frankfurters to hotdogs. Young Ted Geisel heard his fair share of barbs from classmates, a sleight that would stay with him for the rest of his life. He was not the best of students and the discrimination did not encourage him in school. During his formative years, Ted was encouraged to read by his mother Nettie and, as a result, developed a wild imagination. After the passing of Prohibition and the liquor industry moving underground, Theodor Robert Geisel took a position with the Springfield Parks Commission that would last fifty years. Between Nettie fostering a love for reading and TR encouraging a love of nature, Ted Geisel may not have been the best of students but he was developing into a young man with a unique flair for artistic talent and mature sense of humor.
Ted Geisel did not become Dr Seuss overnight although he developed the use of the moniker while an editor for student journal at Dartmouth College. Already Geisel showed signs of drawing animals unique to him as part of pointed political commentary of the era. He barely maintained a C average in college as he devoted all of his energy to the Jack-o publication, yet his father wanted his son to obtain a PhD in literature from Oxford, an undertaking Ted did not desire at all. While at Oxford, Ted met his wife Helen so all was not lost, and the couple would remain married for over forty years; however, one thing Ted Geisel was not was a serious student. Eventually he fashioned the title Dr Seuss as penance for his father who really desired that his only son become a doctor of fine arts. Although he never would officially earn the degree, TR Geisel foreshadowed a future in which his son would reach iconic status in the United States.
While The Cat and Hat, the Grinch, Horton, and other Seussian creations would comprise a part of my childhood that I still enjoy to this day, Dr Seuss would not discover his gift as a children’s storyteller until later in his career. His empire so to speak and the funds to buy the Tower in La Jolla, California came from his first career as an adman for Flit bug spray, a division of Standard Oil. His creations were so successful that the demand for the artwork lasted the entire year, even when there were no mosquitos present. The venture with Flit produced more ads for Essomarine that used an undersea theme as Geisel came up with certificates for the Seuss Army. At this time, he also freelanced in magazines, and his style of uniquely drawn animals continued to emerge. One thing Ted Geisel had not produced successfully, however, was a kids’ book, although the demand for his artwork was a hot commodity in the advertising world. This changed with To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, published in 1937. Mulberry Street was taken right from Seuss’ imagination of growing up in Springfield, yet at nearly $2.00 a copy during the Depression, the book did not bring Ted and Helen enough royalties to live off of. What Ted Geisel desired was a blockbuster book, and then World War II disrupted his nascent career.
Ted served under Frank Capra in the Movie Unit in Hollywood. I found this section most interesting as Jones explains how Capra taught Ted how to use storyboards and make his artwork come alive. Together with animator Chuck Jones, Geisel produced films for the army featuring Private Snafu and Ann the mosquito who spoke of the dangers of malaria. The average soldier found these films to be highly entertaining. It is uncanny how many film industry stars served in Hollywood during World War II and how many innovative ideas were produced for military usage only. This chapter of Seuss’ career is often overlooked, yet it important in that it set the stage for things to come. Following the allied victory in 1945, the Geisels settled into their Tower home in La Jolla, and it would be in this home overlooking the Pacific Ocean that Ted would live for the rest of his life. His second wife Audrey believed that there would be no Dr Seuss without his studio with a panoramic view of the sea, which lead to over half a century of unique ideas.
The second half of the book sped by as Jones described one Seuss success after another. Ted made the decision to devote his career to children’s books following a 1949 conference in education when he was asked what made a successful writer for young audiences. It was there that he denounced what he called “Bunny Bunny” books like Dick and Jane and realized that subjecting children to books such as these was an insult to their intelligence. His one roadblock was a word list that this publishers at Random House asked him to use in producing books for younger readers. Although he despised this list, it inevitably lead to Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and other timeless favorites. Seuss’ abilities were most on display in his books for older readers where he was not restricted by a word list, and he spoke out on every issue from deforestation to nuclear war. While books like The Lorax were marketed to children, Seuss believed that adults would enjoy them as well because they contained important messages about the state of the world. Even books that received mixed reviews continued to be read by the millions for years.
At the time of his passing in 1991, Dr Seuss had been lauded as an American icon who encouraged multiple generations of children to read. His artwork had been on display in museums around the country and his collaborations on animated films the Grinch and the Cat in the Hat would become timeless classics. Those characters are still enjoyed by children and their parents and grandparents today. Books still finding space on my parents’ bookshelf include Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You and the Butter Battle Book even though my kids are well past the age of needing Beginning Reader books. Becoming Dr Seuss was indeed a trip of remembering my childhood favorite books as well as a testament to the legacy of Dr Seuss as innovative mind at the forefront of children’s literature.
4+ stars
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts, the second child of Theodor Robert and Margaret “Nettie” Seuss Geisel. Springfield was a town of innovative thinkers in the early 20th century, the home of Smith and Wesson and the birthplace of a new game called basketball. The Geisel family ran a brewery and were highly regarded in the German community in Springfield and the Seuss, pronounced Soice, family ran a successful bakery. The marriage of Theodor, known as TR, and Nettie united the two families, and as the world headed into the 20th century, the future looked bright. After the birth of daughter Margaret, known to all as Marnie, in 1902 and son Theodor in 1904, the Geisel family, under the watchful eye of Theodor’s father Theodor Adolph Geisel, TA, appeared poised to become the leaders of Springfield.
The Geisels’ fortune changed with America’s entry into World War I as Americans discriminated against people of German heritage. Hotdogs got their iconic name during this period as the vernacular changed from frankfurters to hotdogs. Young Ted Geisel heard his fair share of barbs from classmates, a sleight that would stay with him for the rest of his life. He was not the best of students and the discrimination did not encourage him in school. During his formative years, Ted was encouraged to read by his mother Nettie and, as a result, developed a wild imagination. After the passing of Prohibition and the liquor industry moving underground, Theodor Robert Geisel took a position with the Springfield Parks Commission that would last fifty years. Between Nettie fostering a love for reading and TR encouraging a love of nature, Ted Geisel may not have been the best of students but he was developing into a young man with a unique flair for artistic talent and mature sense of humor.
Ted Geisel did not become Dr Seuss overnight although he developed the use of the moniker while an editor for student journal at Dartmouth College. Already Geisel showed signs of drawing animals unique to him as part of pointed political commentary of the era. He barely maintained a C average in college as he devoted all of his energy to the Jack-o publication, yet his father wanted his son to obtain a PhD in literature from Oxford, an undertaking Ted did not desire at all. While at Oxford, Ted met his wife Helen so all was not lost, and the couple would remain married for over forty years; however, one thing Ted Geisel was not was a serious student. Eventually he fashioned the title Dr Seuss as penance for his father who really desired that his only son become a doctor of fine arts. Although he never would officially earn the degree, TR Geisel foreshadowed a future in which his son would reach iconic status in the United States.
While The Cat and Hat, the Grinch, Horton, and other Seussian creations would comprise a part of my childhood that I still enjoy to this day, Dr Seuss would not discover his gift as a children’s storyteller until later in his career. His empire so to speak and the funds to buy the Tower in La Jolla, California came from his first career as an adman for Flit bug spray, a division of Standard Oil. His creations were so successful that the demand for the artwork lasted the entire year, even when there were no mosquitos present. The venture with Flit produced more ads for Essomarine that used an undersea theme as Geisel came up with certificates for the Seuss Army. At this time, he also freelanced in magazines, and his style of uniquely drawn animals continued to emerge. One thing Ted Geisel had not produced successfully, however, was a kids’ book, although the demand for his artwork was a hot commodity in the advertising world. This changed with To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, published in 1937. Mulberry Street was taken right from Seuss’ imagination of growing up in Springfield, yet at nearly $2.00 a copy during the Depression, the book did not bring Ted and Helen enough royalties to live off of. What Ted Geisel desired was a blockbuster book, and then World War II disrupted his nascent career.
Ted served under Frank Capra in the Movie Unit in Hollywood. I found this section most interesting as Jones explains how Capra taught Ted how to use storyboards and make his artwork come alive. Together with animator Chuck Jones, Geisel produced films for the army featuring Private Snafu and Ann the mosquito who spoke of the dangers of malaria. The average soldier found these films to be highly entertaining. It is uncanny how many film industry stars served in Hollywood during World War II and how many innovative ideas were produced for military usage only. This chapter of Seuss’ career is often overlooked, yet it important in that it set the stage for things to come. Following the allied victory in 1945, the Geisels settled into their Tower home in La Jolla, and it would be in this home overlooking the Pacific Ocean that Ted would live for the rest of his life. His second wife Audrey believed that there would be no Dr Seuss without his studio with a panoramic view of the sea, which lead to over half a century of unique ideas.
The second half of the book sped by as Jones described one Seuss success after another. Ted made the decision to devote his career to children’s books following a 1949 conference in education when he was asked what made a successful writer for young audiences. It was there that he denounced what he called “Bunny Bunny” books like Dick and Jane and realized that subjecting children to books such as these was an insult to their intelligence. His one roadblock was a word list that this publishers at Random House asked him to use in producing books for younger readers. Although he despised this list, it inevitably lead to Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and other timeless favorites. Seuss’ abilities were most on display in his books for older readers where he was not restricted by a word list, and he spoke out on every issue from deforestation to nuclear war. While books like The Lorax were marketed to children, Seuss believed that adults would enjoy them as well because they contained important messages about the state of the world. Even books that received mixed reviews continued to be read by the millions for years.
At the time of his passing in 1991, Dr Seuss had been lauded as an American icon who encouraged multiple generations of children to read. His artwork had been on display in museums around the country and his collaborations on animated films the Grinch and the Cat in the Hat would become timeless classics. Those characters are still enjoyed by children and their parents and grandparents today. Books still finding space on my parents’ bookshelf include Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You and the Butter Battle Book even though my kids are well past the age of needing Beginning Reader books. Becoming Dr Seuss was indeed a trip of remembering my childhood favorite books as well as a testament to the legacy of Dr Seuss as innovative mind at the forefront of children’s literature.
4+ stars
October 9, 2019
Say this name to schoolteachers and children’s librarians and watch our faces light up, our backs grow a trifle straighter, our steps quicken. Dr. Seuss is the closest thing we have to a patron saint, and when I saw this biography, I wanted it as badly as I’ve wanted any galley. Big thanks go to Net Galley and Penguin Dutton, and many apologies for my tardiness. It’s a strange thing but true: when I must write an unfavorable book review, I know just what to say and can do it the same day I finish reading, but for a momentous work such as this one, I need some time for my thoughts to gel. Brian Jay Jones writes biographies of quirky visionaries such as Washington Irving, George Lucas, and Jim Henson, and he doesn’t cut corners. This biography is highly recommended to adult readers, but don’t go handing it off to your precocious fifth grader until you’ve read it yourself. Geisel’s life held some very deep shadows.
Geisel grew up with comfort and privilege as the heir to a family beer making business; the slings and arrows that came his family’s way during Prohibition taught him that small minds can do ugly things. Still, his youth was mostly untroubled; he attended Dartmouth , where he was voted Least Likely to Succeed, and then Oxford, where his studies in Medieval German floundered, his attention drifting to the margins of his notebook, where he drew fanciful creatures and turreted buildings that would later become iconic. It was Helen, his sweetheart, who suggested he follow his heart and pursue art for a living. His early success came in advertising for Flit bug spray. Once he and his bride became financially stable enough to move out of their low rent neighborhood and into a tonier area, he discovered he had no use at all for pretension, and he wrote:
"Mrs. Van Bleck
Of the Newport Van Blecks
Is so goddamn rich
She has gold-plated sex
Whereas Miggles and Mitzi
And Bitzi and Sue
Have the commonplace thing
And it just has to do."
He served in the military during World War II with Francis Ford Coppola making propaganda and training films. His pro-intervention cartoons are surprisingly hawkish—I have the collection titled Dr. Seuss Goes to War on my shelves—but he later realized that it was wrongheaded to demand the internment of Japanese Americans, and in some bizarre way, he intended Horton Hears a Who to be his apology for it.
His family was not Jewish, but his surname confused some people, and he received some anti-Semitic shade that inspired him to stand up for the rights of Jewish Americans.
Jones deserves credit for confronting the anti-Japanese racism and xenophobia in this author’s early years; he doesn’t gloss over it, and he doesn’t turn it into something prurient either. He lays it straight out, along with Ted’s more enlightened thinking in his later years, and it strikes exactly the right tone. This isn’t comfortable material, but then it shouldn’t be.
The most amazing thing is to learn that Seuss—known to family and friends as Ted—wasn’t a successful author until well into middle age. He vacillated between advertising and “brat books” but hit it big when he submitted How the Grinch Stole Christmas to Bennett Cerf at Random House, which would be his second home for many years. Though he and his wife moved to Southern California and much of his work was mailed in, he became known for coming to read his book to the Random House staff in person when it was publication time. (He was also known for being difficult at times, micromanaging the publication of his work, and this may be part of the reason he wasn’t urged to attend business in person on a more regular basis.)
Ted and Helen were unable to have children, a painful fact that they chose not to share with the public. When asked during publicity tours why a man with such a great heart for children had none himself, Ted deflected it by saying others should have the children and he would write for them.
Helen’s illnesses and Ted’s infidelity were aspects of this author’s life I knew nothing about. It’s hard to read about, but again, Jones includes these things in the narrative not to shock us, but because they have to be there.
He was widely known and revered for his insistence that books should be fun for children to read and should not preach or moralize, but instead, should respect the readers. He was a pioneer in this regard, and I owe him a great debt for teaching me to love literature as a preschooler, and for providing such wonderful books for my own children and students later in my life. It is this legacy that remains when the rest falls away, that reading should open new worlds for its young readers; it should not trick or manipulate its audience, but instead should speak to children with respect using language they can understand.
Highly recommended to an adult readership.
Geisel grew up with comfort and privilege as the heir to a family beer making business; the slings and arrows that came his family’s way during Prohibition taught him that small minds can do ugly things. Still, his youth was mostly untroubled; he attended Dartmouth , where he was voted Least Likely to Succeed, and then Oxford, where his studies in Medieval German floundered, his attention drifting to the margins of his notebook, where he drew fanciful creatures and turreted buildings that would later become iconic. It was Helen, his sweetheart, who suggested he follow his heart and pursue art for a living. His early success came in advertising for Flit bug spray. Once he and his bride became financially stable enough to move out of their low rent neighborhood and into a tonier area, he discovered he had no use at all for pretension, and he wrote:
"Mrs. Van Bleck
Of the Newport Van Blecks
Is so goddamn rich
She has gold-plated sex
Whereas Miggles and Mitzi
And Bitzi and Sue
Have the commonplace thing
And it just has to do."
He served in the military during World War II with Francis Ford Coppola making propaganda and training films. His pro-intervention cartoons are surprisingly hawkish—I have the collection titled Dr. Seuss Goes to War on my shelves—but he later realized that it was wrongheaded to demand the internment of Japanese Americans, and in some bizarre way, he intended Horton Hears a Who to be his apology for it.
His family was not Jewish, but his surname confused some people, and he received some anti-Semitic shade that inspired him to stand up for the rights of Jewish Americans.
Jones deserves credit for confronting the anti-Japanese racism and xenophobia in this author’s early years; he doesn’t gloss over it, and he doesn’t turn it into something prurient either. He lays it straight out, along with Ted’s more enlightened thinking in his later years, and it strikes exactly the right tone. This isn’t comfortable material, but then it shouldn’t be.
The most amazing thing is to learn that Seuss—known to family and friends as Ted—wasn’t a successful author until well into middle age. He vacillated between advertising and “brat books” but hit it big when he submitted How the Grinch Stole Christmas to Bennett Cerf at Random House, which would be his second home for many years. Though he and his wife moved to Southern California and much of his work was mailed in, he became known for coming to read his book to the Random House staff in person when it was publication time. (He was also known for being difficult at times, micromanaging the publication of his work, and this may be part of the reason he wasn’t urged to attend business in person on a more regular basis.)
Ted and Helen were unable to have children, a painful fact that they chose not to share with the public. When asked during publicity tours why a man with such a great heart for children had none himself, Ted deflected it by saying others should have the children and he would write for them.
Helen’s illnesses and Ted’s infidelity were aspects of this author’s life I knew nothing about. It’s hard to read about, but again, Jones includes these things in the narrative not to shock us, but because they have to be there.
He was widely known and revered for his insistence that books should be fun for children to read and should not preach or moralize, but instead, should respect the readers. He was a pioneer in this regard, and I owe him a great debt for teaching me to love literature as a preschooler, and for providing such wonderful books for my own children and students later in my life. It is this legacy that remains when the rest falls away, that reading should open new worlds for its young readers; it should not trick or manipulate its audience, but instead should speak to children with respect using language they can understand.
Highly recommended to an adult readership.
March 13, 2019
I have always enjoyed Dr. Seuss’s books, especially The Lorax, but the man himself is an enigma. I found his wartime service, when he was recruited by none other than Frank Capra, to make military films, fascinating. I was kind of bored reading about his privileged college years, and was disturbed to learn that his first wife of many years committed suicide; he married the much-younger woman with whom he’d been having an affair shortly after. Personal judgments aside, this is a well written chronicle of a multi-faceted American icon.
September 19, 2019
He was born in 1904 and his father ran the family brewery where beer was delivered in horse drawn wagons; yet, he modernized children’s literature. His formula was simple; he would not talk down to his young readers. He was meticulous, pouring over every word and letter.
Not many biographers can bring their subject to life as Brian Jay Jones has done for Theodor S. Geisel. Through Jones’s narrative you see Geisel grow from an awkward “C” student to a national icon. You see him transform from creating ad campaigns of practical jokes and stereotypes in the 1920’s and 30’s to more nuanced text and characters for children and their parents. You learn of his personal life, the breadth of his success and his disappointment that his art was not fully appreciated by the literary establishment.
The book cleared up for me Geisel’s relationship to Bennett Cerf and Random House’s “Beginner Books” and the “Bernstein Bears” series. It also confirmed the rumor regarding the genesis of “Green Eggs and Ham”. On a more serious note, it explained what happened to his wife and literary partner, Helen Palmer Geisel.
I learned how Geisel worked with Frank Capra on GI training films and how he credited Capra’s guidance and how Geisel passed along his knowledge of writing to others in workshops and in advising new and potentially new writers for the "Beginning Books" series.
Jones shows how Geisel poured all his energies into each project. Books took months – some took years. He was equally precise as an editor. As one of 3 editors of “Beginner Books”, he could fight 3 days over a word. Animation projects were more difficult to control, but he tried.
The book has a slow start. Geisel’s family background is not presented as interesting – and it is. I went back to see why I thought this, but could not put my finger on it. After the childhood, Jones hits his stride and the later parts have you understanding Geisel such that in his last days, you feel you are losing a friend.
For those who want to understand the good doctor, this is an excellent place to learn about him and more fully understand his legacy.
Not many biographers can bring their subject to life as Brian Jay Jones has done for Theodor S. Geisel. Through Jones’s narrative you see Geisel grow from an awkward “C” student to a national icon. You see him transform from creating ad campaigns of practical jokes and stereotypes in the 1920’s and 30’s to more nuanced text and characters for children and their parents. You learn of his personal life, the breadth of his success and his disappointment that his art was not fully appreciated by the literary establishment.
The book cleared up for me Geisel’s relationship to Bennett Cerf and Random House’s “Beginner Books” and the “Bernstein Bears” series. It also confirmed the rumor regarding the genesis of “Green Eggs and Ham”. On a more serious note, it explained what happened to his wife and literary partner, Helen Palmer Geisel.
I learned how Geisel worked with Frank Capra on GI training films and how he credited Capra’s guidance and how Geisel passed along his knowledge of writing to others in workshops and in advising new and potentially new writers for the "Beginning Books" series.
Jones shows how Geisel poured all his energies into each project. Books took months – some took years. He was equally precise as an editor. As one of 3 editors of “Beginner Books”, he could fight 3 days over a word. Animation projects were more difficult to control, but he tried.
The book has a slow start. Geisel’s family background is not presented as interesting – and it is. I went back to see why I thought this, but could not put my finger on it. After the childhood, Jones hits his stride and the later parts have you understanding Geisel such that in his last days, you feel you are losing a friend.
For those who want to understand the good doctor, this is an excellent place to learn about him and more fully understand his legacy.
July 12, 2019
Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination
Ted was a regular guy. Kinda. Truly this is a story of what can happen out of an ordinary career path, and an extraordinary (but apparently unappreciated) skill. He could write, but was a less than stellar student, just not very invested. It took a long time for Dr. Seuss to come into being.
Before reading the book, Dr. Seuss, had always been a hero to me, someone like Mr. Rogers, who “got” kids. Turns out not so much. Along that same lines – so many thought bubbles I pinned to this man were popped by this book. At first dismayed, and then comforted by his humanity, impressed by his energy and drive, and left with the irony of some of it has left me with a feeling not so different than my original opinion. He was a hero. Just for different reasons. Although the book changed the Dr. Seuss in my head, I’m glad to know the truth of his life and am happy to replace my false placeholder of who he really was.
Long seasons honing his craft, finding his voice and his “people” resulted in so many of the clever books that populated my own childhood bookshelves. The first favorite book in my life was One Fish Two Fish, followed by a collection of the poems of Eugene Field, and Custard the Dragon by Ogden Nash.
I appreciated the detail, but faded just toward the end. 4 stars from me.
Ted was a regular guy. Kinda. Truly this is a story of what can happen out of an ordinary career path, and an extraordinary (but apparently unappreciated) skill. He could write, but was a less than stellar student, just not very invested. It took a long time for Dr. Seuss to come into being.
Before reading the book, Dr. Seuss, had always been a hero to me, someone like Mr. Rogers, who “got” kids. Turns out not so much. Along that same lines – so many thought bubbles I pinned to this man were popped by this book. At first dismayed, and then comforted by his humanity, impressed by his energy and drive, and left with the irony of some of it has left me with a feeling not so different than my original opinion. He was a hero. Just for different reasons. Although the book changed the Dr. Seuss in my head, I’m glad to know the truth of his life and am happy to replace my false placeholder of who he really was.
Long seasons honing his craft, finding his voice and his “people” resulted in so many of the clever books that populated my own childhood bookshelves. The first favorite book in my life was One Fish Two Fish, followed by a collection of the poems of Eugene Field, and Custard the Dragon by Ogden Nash.
I appreciated the detail, but faded just toward the end. 4 stars from me.
July 25, 2019
This life story of Theodor Geisel, better known to most of us as Dr. Seuss, had it all for me: The subject himself is interesting to me, the information was well-researched and the telling of the story had an easy-going feel to it.
September 13, 2019
As a graduate student, my favorite course was “Dr Suess and Other Theologians of Note.” Needless to say, I had to read this book.
I loved it.
One of the first things that I found interesting was the reason behind the pseudonym. Just like Stan Lee, Theodor Geisel used a pseudonym because he aspired to write something grander than “brat books.”
There is so much to this book that is worth noting that I simply say, its worth reading!
Some of the interesting points that I learned:
1) As I’m going on my first cruise next year, I loved learning that the “I saw it on Mulberry Street” was inspired based upon the rhythmic patter of a cruiseline.
2) That Seuss lucked into his first national advertising sponsorship. He wrote a cartoon and had to decide between two insecticides to be the butt of his joke. A coin toss lead to his being signed to a lucrative contract.
3) Early on he wrote several comics that had racist imagery/jokes. Later in his career he lamented the fact that what was funny in the 1930s/40s didn’t stand the test of time and regretted them.
4) He joined the “America First” campaign, but quickly became disillusioned with it. He came to hate Charles Lindbergh and his isolationist ideals.
5) By the early 1940s, he became an absolute convert to progressivism. One of the comics he wrote was to the effect that if you really want to get harmony that you have to use both the black and white keys.
6) During WWII he was recruited by Frank Capra who helped him to pace and frame stories. While working for him and the Army, he wrote a military movie that won an academy award. He ended up writing or working on 3 different Oscar winners without actually winning one. While working for the army he wrote a pamphlet on mosquitos that became famous and the comic series Private SNAFU.
7) His release of the Grinch was his big break through. While he had successful books previously, the Grinch was the one ensured his future.
8) He was a story teller and often embellished the truth. In his later life, he complained, “all these clippings keep repeating these lies, which unfortunately I started.”
9) He liked to keep his editors on their toes. Once when writing a book, he included the line:
“When I read I am smart, I always cut whole words apart; Con-stant-nople, Tin-buk-tu, Con-tra-ceptive, Kang-a-roo.”
In another place he wrote:
“Big X, Little X,
X,
X,
X,
Someday kiddies, you’ll learn about sex.”
10) He struggled with the idea of being a “brat” author, but came to embrace it. But he was never a kid person.
11) He couldn’t believe that graduate students studied his books. (See my note above about my favorite graduate course.)
I loved it.
One of the first things that I found interesting was the reason behind the pseudonym. Just like Stan Lee, Theodor Geisel used a pseudonym because he aspired to write something grander than “brat books.”
There is so much to this book that is worth noting that I simply say, its worth reading!
Some of the interesting points that I learned:
1) As I’m going on my first cruise next year, I loved learning that the “I saw it on Mulberry Street” was inspired based upon the rhythmic patter of a cruiseline.
2) That Seuss lucked into his first national advertising sponsorship. He wrote a cartoon and had to decide between two insecticides to be the butt of his joke. A coin toss lead to his being signed to a lucrative contract.
3) Early on he wrote several comics that had racist imagery/jokes. Later in his career he lamented the fact that what was funny in the 1930s/40s didn’t stand the test of time and regretted them.
4) He joined the “America First” campaign, but quickly became disillusioned with it. He came to hate Charles Lindbergh and his isolationist ideals.
5) By the early 1940s, he became an absolute convert to progressivism. One of the comics he wrote was to the effect that if you really want to get harmony that you have to use both the black and white keys.
6) During WWII he was recruited by Frank Capra who helped him to pace and frame stories. While working for him and the Army, he wrote a military movie that won an academy award. He ended up writing or working on 3 different Oscar winners without actually winning one. While working for the army he wrote a pamphlet on mosquitos that became famous and the comic series Private SNAFU.
7) His release of the Grinch was his big break through. While he had successful books previously, the Grinch was the one ensured his future.
8) He was a story teller and often embellished the truth. In his later life, he complained, “all these clippings keep repeating these lies, which unfortunately I started.”
9) He liked to keep his editors on their toes. Once when writing a book, he included the line:
“When I read I am smart, I always cut whole words apart; Con-stant-nople, Tin-buk-tu, Con-tra-ceptive, Kang-a-roo.”
In another place he wrote:
“Big X, Little X,
X,
X,
X,
Someday kiddies, you’ll learn about sex.”
10) He struggled with the idea of being a “brat” author, but came to embrace it. But he was never a kid person.
11) He couldn’t believe that graduate students studied his books. (See my note above about my favorite graduate course.)
May 13, 2019
I am a big HUUUUUGE fan of Dr Seuss’s works. So when I saw this on NetGalley I knew I had to read it.
This biography is incredibly well-written and researched. I learned so much more about Dr Seuss and I am now even more in awe of his works.
With more than 60 books to his name, Dr Seuss became a household name for children’s books. Going against the grain of a typical children’s book during his time, he became an author in his own right, with his own style and voice.
It surprised me to know that he had never set out to be a children’s book author, in fact, he didn’t even like children, (nor had any of his own) what more writing for them, and when he finally did, it was more of a ‘monetary calling than a moral one‘. This decision not only changed his perspective of a children’s book author, but also the children’s books industry.
His writing speaks volumes of himself – fun (he’s such a great prankster too! Loved the pranks he pulled! Hilarious!), witty, whimsical, and spontaneous! He was also stubborn to a fault, with a devil may care attitude, which clearly showed by his reluctance to change his stereotypical illustration from his Mulberry Street book despite the pressure from his readers and those around him.
The book that catapulted him to fame is… yes, you guessed it, The Cat in the Hat, which resulted from a challenge he accepted, that was to write a book using just 225 words or less . It took him more than a year to illustrate and write it, and it wasn’t even his favorite book! Guess which was? The Lorax, which whole book was written on an afternoon on a laundry pad, after a writer’s block for a long 9 months.
In addition to his success as an author and illustrator, he was also a screenwriter and his last 3 films had each won an Academy Award. He was also a political cartoonist. Talking about talent! And after years of sweat, blood and cigarettes, he finally won the Pulitzer prize, much to his surprise.
There were many parts that I enjoyed reading, especially about his participation in war and that he was recruited by Frank Capra, a man whom he credited for forming and developing his skills as a storyteller.
I do not, however, enjoy reading about what happened to his first wife, Helen. It was utterly heartbreaking, as I really loved the chemistry between them.
You’ll also find out more about his other books (even those not written for children) and the inspiration behind them – like ‘The Butter Batter Book’ that he wrote which baffled many people, particularly his marketing team; ‘You’re Only Old Once!’ that was inspired by his hospital visits and the character he drew was of someone he knew, and ‘Green Eggs and Ham‘ which was written on a dare to use only 50 words or less. In writing this book, it ‘required him to create complicated charts, checklists. and multiple word counts as he struggled to keep track of exactly which and how many words he was using.’
This is a must-read for all Dr Seuss’s fans! Jones’ brilliant writing made this tome a pleasure to read.
*Quotes included here are from an advanced readers copy and are subject to change upon final publication.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing me a free eARC of this book! All opinions are mine.
This biography is incredibly well-written and researched. I learned so much more about Dr Seuss and I am now even more in awe of his works.
With more than 60 books to his name, Dr Seuss became a household name for children’s books. Going against the grain of a typical children’s book during his time, he became an author in his own right, with his own style and voice.
It surprised me to know that he had never set out to be a children’s book author, in fact, he didn’t even like children, (nor had any of his own) what more writing for them, and when he finally did, it was more of a ‘monetary calling than a moral one‘. This decision not only changed his perspective of a children’s book author, but also the children’s books industry.
His writing speaks volumes of himself – fun (he’s such a great prankster too! Loved the pranks he pulled! Hilarious!), witty, whimsical, and spontaneous! He was also stubborn to a fault, with a devil may care attitude, which clearly showed by his reluctance to change his stereotypical illustration from his Mulberry Street book despite the pressure from his readers and those around him.
The book that catapulted him to fame is… yes, you guessed it, The Cat in the Hat, which resulted from a challenge he accepted, that was to write a book using just 225 words or less . It took him more than a year to illustrate and write it, and it wasn’t even his favorite book! Guess which was? The Lorax, which whole book was written on an afternoon on a laundry pad, after a writer’s block for a long 9 months.
In addition to his success as an author and illustrator, he was also a screenwriter and his last 3 films had each won an Academy Award. He was also a political cartoonist. Talking about talent! And after years of sweat, blood and cigarettes, he finally won the Pulitzer prize, much to his surprise.
There were many parts that I enjoyed reading, especially about his participation in war and that he was recruited by Frank Capra, a man whom he credited for forming and developing his skills as a storyteller.
I do not, however, enjoy reading about what happened to his first wife, Helen. It was utterly heartbreaking, as I really loved the chemistry between them.
You’ll also find out more about his other books (even those not written for children) and the inspiration behind them – like ‘The Butter Batter Book’ that he wrote which baffled many people, particularly his marketing team; ‘You’re Only Old Once!’ that was inspired by his hospital visits and the character he drew was of someone he knew, and ‘Green Eggs and Ham‘ which was written on a dare to use only 50 words or less. In writing this book, it ‘required him to create complicated charts, checklists. and multiple word counts as he struggled to keep track of exactly which and how many words he was using.’
This is a must-read for all Dr Seuss’s fans! Jones’ brilliant writing made this tome a pleasure to read.
*Quotes included here are from an advanced readers copy and are subject to change upon final publication.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing me a free eARC of this book! All opinions are mine.
May 1, 2019
Brian Jay Jones, in my opinion, is the definitive biographer of the modern era. His books on Washington Irving, George Lucas, and Jim Henson were unfathomably well researched and detailed and his latest work about Dr. Seuss is no different. Dr. Seuss has long been one of the defining creators that has inspired my life (Henson being another) and so I knew much of his backstory and yet there was still so much to unpack in this book. If you only know Dr. Seuss for his children's books, this book will shine a light on so much more about what defined his life. For instance, he didn't actually have a bestselling children's book until he was in his 50s. What came before is every bit as fascinating.
This book is perfect for lovers of biographies, Dr. Seuss, politics, war history, and just well-written books. A must read.
Disclaimer: I interview Brian for an upcoming episode of the Professional Book Nerds podcast.
This book is perfect for lovers of biographies, Dr. Seuss, politics, war history, and just well-written books. A must read.
Disclaimer: I interview Brian for an upcoming episode of the Professional Book Nerds podcast.
May 27, 2019
Who doesn't like Dr. Seuss? I really enjoyed the author's previous book Jim Henson: The Biography (another case of "Who doesn't like?") which was the only recommendation for me to pick up this book.
Jones did not disappoint me. He portrays Geisel from his childhood in Springfield, MA through his time in advertising which slowly adapted into his writing books for people for all ages. Several of the books became movies or TV episodes in which he wrote the songs. He kept a tight control on his creations.
Very interesting.
Jones did not disappoint me. He portrays Geisel from his childhood in Springfield, MA through his time in advertising which slowly adapted into his writing books for people for all ages. Several of the books became movies or TV episodes in which he wrote the songs. He kept a tight control on his creations.
Very interesting.
September 30, 2021
I wasn't a huge fan of Dr. Seuss books as a kid - I thought The Cat in the Hat was creepy and couldn't imagine eating Green Eggs and Ham. But when we brought our first child home, a bag from the hospital included The Foot Book, which eventually became rather popular at bedtime. Somehow Oh, the Places You'll Go! appeared on the bookshelf and the bedtime routine. But when I looked at the library for more to read the book hungry child, I realized I'd had Happy Birthday to You! and McElligot's Pool when I was a kid and that I'd loved them both. (Although the thought of being whisked away and swimming in your birthday suit with a weird bird was slightly unsettling.) My kids and I didn't love all his books - many were too basic and some too absurd for us, I guess - but some we enjoyed quite a bit.
Theodor Seuss Geisel never intended to become a children's book author. But while studying literature at Dartmouth College, he started drawing cartoons for the school's humor magazine, even becoming the chief editor. Eventually, he landed a career doing cartoons and drawings for magazines and became rather successful in advertising, including a few mildly successful children's books. But his work with Frank Capra during WWII on training films helped him to refine his storytelling abilities and enhanced his artwork. A contract with Random House to publish some "brat books," as he called them, eventually led to his being head of "Beginner Books" and reimagining the kind of books that helped kids to read (instead of the much-maligned Dick & Jane books).
Although I wasn't a huge fan of Dr. Seuss books, somehow this biography landed on my to-be-read list and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Brian Jay Jones does a good job showing the different events that shaped Geisel's career and led him to become the most influential person in children's books. It was interesting to learn that Geisel and his wife never had children, but it was because they weren't able to (in spite of the witty comments he usually made to reporters). And while Jones is obviously a fan of Seuss, he doesn't shy away from the less flattering history. Although Geisel and his wife Helen were married for 40 years, in the last few he had begun having an affair with a friend of theirs which led to Helen's suicide. (That didn't stop the cad from promptly marrying his mistress several months later, however.) But Jones focusses more on steps that led Dr. Seuss to become the most trusted name in children's literature. It's an entertaining story although occasionally a bit repetitive and sometimes a bit too fawning. Still, I found it interesting to see the somewhat meandering path that led Geisel to what he became, and the enormous influence he had on children's books and literacy.
Theodor Seuss Geisel never intended to become a children's book author. But while studying literature at Dartmouth College, he started drawing cartoons for the school's humor magazine, even becoming the chief editor. Eventually, he landed a career doing cartoons and drawings for magazines and became rather successful in advertising, including a few mildly successful children's books. But his work with Frank Capra during WWII on training films helped him to refine his storytelling abilities and enhanced his artwork. A contract with Random House to publish some "brat books," as he called them, eventually led to his being head of "Beginner Books" and reimagining the kind of books that helped kids to read (instead of the much-maligned Dick & Jane books).
Although I wasn't a huge fan of Dr. Seuss books, somehow this biography landed on my to-be-read list and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Brian Jay Jones does a good job showing the different events that shaped Geisel's career and led him to become the most influential person in children's books. It was interesting to learn that Geisel and his wife never had children, but it was because they weren't able to (in spite of the witty comments he usually made to reporters). And while Jones is obviously a fan of Seuss, he doesn't shy away from the less flattering history. Although Geisel and his wife Helen were married for 40 years, in the last few he had begun having an affair with a friend of theirs which led to Helen's suicide. (That didn't stop the cad from promptly marrying his mistress several months later, however.) But Jones focusses more on steps that led Dr. Seuss to become the most trusted name in children's literature. It's an entertaining story although occasionally a bit repetitive and sometimes a bit too fawning. Still, I found it interesting to see the somewhat meandering path that led Geisel to what he became, and the enormous influence he had on children's books and literacy.
December 6, 2020
“Look at me!”
Look at me!
Look at me now!
It’s fun to have fun…
But you have to know how…”
So, with fun in mind on this journey I set out,
To learn, early on, a man’s art far out.
His rhymes SO DELIGHTED, no child could pout.
For whom that hath read of a bird in kilt and tam,
Could ever be sad, be they Dick, Jane or Pam?
For this was the story of a man who drew for Standard Oil,
Then shocked all when on children’s books he would toil.
And a home he found in the place Random House,
Where he fought time again with the old boss’s spouse.
For whom was this man, the inventor of “nerd?”
Who saw HUMANS in all he drew, bee or bird?
He’s the man they call Ted, the creator of Grinch,
Whose books, beit simple, were sure not a cinch!
For it was a wager of fifty that set him on his course,
To a world of kid’s tales, where he’d be such a force!
For even his “bone pile” of broken parts of stories,
Came reading delights, earning him worldwide glory!
It was “Fox in Socks” his book quite a danger,
That would forever be my favorite, a joy in the major!
He said if our country stopped laughing, we would ALL BE IN TROUBLE,
And I believe he was RIGHT, and that’s our current STRUGGLE!
So, hurray for this wonderful, much needed tome,
Of Seussian delights, written by Brian Jay Jones!
Look at me!
Look at me now!
It’s fun to have fun…
But you have to know how…”
So, with fun in mind on this journey I set out,
To learn, early on, a man’s art far out.
His rhymes SO DELIGHTED, no child could pout.
For whom that hath read of a bird in kilt and tam,
Could ever be sad, be they Dick, Jane or Pam?
For this was the story of a man who drew for Standard Oil,
Then shocked all when on children’s books he would toil.
And a home he found in the place Random House,
Where he fought time again with the old boss’s spouse.
For whom was this man, the inventor of “nerd?”
Who saw HUMANS in all he drew, bee or bird?
He’s the man they call Ted, the creator of Grinch,
Whose books, beit simple, were sure not a cinch!
For it was a wager of fifty that set him on his course,
To a world of kid’s tales, where he’d be such a force!
For even his “bone pile” of broken parts of stories,
Came reading delights, earning him worldwide glory!
It was “Fox in Socks” his book quite a danger,
That would forever be my favorite, a joy in the major!
He said if our country stopped laughing, we would ALL BE IN TROUBLE,
And I believe he was RIGHT, and that’s our current STRUGGLE!
So, hurray for this wonderful, much needed tome,
Of Seussian delights, written by Brian Jay Jones!
August 12, 2020
This was an incredible biography of one of the my favorite people in the world --- Dr Seuss! Added to that, it was written byBrian Jay Jones, who wrote one of my other favorite biographies of a favorite person-- Jim Henson: The Biography!
The insight into his life was enlightening, but the real treat was the insight into the creation of some of my favorite books and characters. His background, his politics, his personal life, his dedication to his characters, and most of all the fact that he treated his audience as individuals, and not just children. If you love Seuss books or if you want to write for children, this book is for you!
The insight into his life was enlightening, but the real treat was the insight into the creation of some of my favorite books and characters. His background, his politics, his personal life, his dedication to his characters, and most of all the fact that he treated his audience as individuals, and not just children. If you love Seuss books or if you want to write for children, this book is for you!
January 24, 2020
Oh, Dr. Seuss! Incredible imagination, for sure!
June 12, 2021
I didn't think I would enjoy this book as much as I did, but I'm glad I hung in there... the audio version is 19 hrs. long, but it's well worth it!
May 9, 2019
I was approached by Penguin Random house to read and to review Brian Jay Jones' story on the man who became known as Dr. Seuss. I give this novel a strong 4/5 stars. Normally, I don't read non-fiction, but I gave it a try this time. I wasn't disappointed. How the man, Theodor Geisel, became known as the American classic as Dr. Seuss and how his more radical side help created the stories we know today. The writing on his life was quite interesting. I had no idea that Theodor Geisel was a political cartoonist and an advertiser. He was a writer that took pride in his work and also gave a good product. If you like non-fiction/biographical novels and/or like Dr. Seuss, I would strongly recommend this novel. Knowing who/where these stories come from is quite fascinating. Also, it'll make you appreciate the stories that we read and heard as children.
September 1, 2019
This is a comprehensive biography about a complex person - a worldwide celebrity beloved by children with a spotty past and lots of vices. Although the author tends to err on the side of giving Ted Geisel the benefit of the doubt more than is comfortable to me, it is on the whole, a fair, interesting and informative book.
October 6, 2025
Whimsical and eye opening, this book was surprising from start to finish. Knowing about Dr. Seuss only through selected books, I thought I had a grasp who he was. I was sorely mistaken. He was a person who sought to spread joy and the love of reading. Of course, mistakes were made and acknowledged along the way. However his endurance and whimsy to make reading something wonderful is something I will always hold on to.
April 11, 2020
Fantastic Book! I would rate at a 4.8 so I have to move to a five. I enjoyed every page. This book is not only a great history lesson but the way Geisel's career was intertwined with world events is just proof that things are just meant to be. And oh, the places you can go!
If you enjoy biographies, this a great the book for you.
If you enjoy biographies, this a great the book for you.
March 8, 2020
Dr. Seuss wrote so many great books for children, but in all truth, he was kind of a jerk.
June 9, 2023
The Seussian Story:
Run, Spot, run... Here comes the Cat in the Hat!
Whatever your favorite books are, you are sure to be unsure of having just one favorite Dr. Seuss. There are just too many great works. While Ted was writing books well before The Cat in the Hat appeared, he was given the job of writing books to teach reading to school children in the late fifties. These were intended to challenge the status quo of the turgid children's primers like the 'Fun with Dick and Jane' series. If you were like me, your school didn't immediately jump on the Seuss wagon, so I found myself in the library reading Curious George in between the sappy graded readers. You see, George was a curious monkey who often misbehaved, unlike Dick, Jane, and Sally and their 'perfect little family.'
Ted wanted to create a character that children could enjoy reading. Inspired by George Herriman's Krazy Kat and by Felix the Cat drawn by cartoonists Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer; Geisel created the Cat in the Hat. (He also had a hobby of collecting hats himself.) This was the blockbuster success that launched his career as a sensation that has only been rivaled in Children's literature by the Harry Potter books today. As he said, "Kids wanted to read about the antics of the cat."
His academic work, especially his philology studies, and his military career all had some effect on his work. But, there was much more on the table for the man who would become Dr. Seuss. From the comics, to his "Quick Henry the Flit" commercials, to his screenwriting efforts; this biography covers his working life. It also covers the personal, as in the story of the imaginary child he and his wife shared, and his problems. He was a man of extraordinary talent, dedication, and imagination.
He lived through both World Wars and segregation. He was a strong definitive force in America while she was dropping bombs on Japan and landing men on the moon. Some of his work was amazingly predictive of the bomb, and was buried by the military without explanation because of the final stages of the preparation for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He made training films for the military during WWII. His approach to dealing with Germany was different from his approach to Japan. Our Job in Japan was again buried until later, but it is over on Youtube. Just be aware that it has graphic images of war and is unsuitable for children.
Many of Dr. Seuss's books are read aloud on Youtube by a variety of readers. One in particular that I enjoy is The Great Amazing Book Show This book is well worth reading if you enjoy biographies; and all of the Dr. Seuss books are worth sharing with children of all ages. I'm including a chronological list of his books with a few video links for some.
- And To Think That I Saw it On Mulberry Street (1937)
- The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1938)
- The King’s Stilts (1939)
- Horton Hatches the Egg (1940)
- McElligot’s Pool (1947)
- Thidwick The Big-Hearted Moose (1948)
- Bartholomew And The Oobleck (1949)
- If I Ran the Zoo (1950)
- Scrambled Eggs Super! (1953)
- Horton Hears A Who! (1954)
- On Beyond Zebra (1955)
- If I Ran The Circus (1956)
- The Cat in the Hat (1957)
- How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1957)
- Yertle The Turtle And Other Stories (1958)
- The Cat In The Hat Comes Back! (1958)
- Happy Birthday To You! (1959)
- Green Eggs And Ham (1960)
- One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (1960)
- The Sneetches And Other Stories (1961)
- Seuss’s Sleep Book (1962)
- Seuss’s ABC (1963)
- Hop on Pop (1963)
- Fox In Socks (1965)
- I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew (1965)
- The Cat in the Hat Song Book (1967)
- The Foot Book (1968)
- I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! And Other Stories (1969)
- My Book About Me (1969)
- I Can Draw It Myself (1970)
- Brown Can Moo! Can You? (1970)
- The Lorax (1971)
- Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! (1972)
- Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? (1973)
- The Shape Of Me And Other Stuff (1973)
- Great Day For Up (1974)
- There’s a Wocket in my Pocket! (1974)
- Oh, The Thinks You Can Think! (1975)
- I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! (1978)
- Oh, Say Can You Say? (1979)
- Hunches In Bunches (1982)
- The Butter Battle Book (1984)
- You’re Only Old Once! (1986)
- I am Not Going to Get Up Today (1987)
- Oh, The Places You’ll Go! (1990)
Run, Spot, run... Here comes the Cat in the Hat!
Whatever your favorite books are, you are sure to be unsure of having just one favorite Dr. Seuss. There are just too many great works. While Ted was writing books well before The Cat in the Hat appeared, he was given the job of writing books to teach reading to school children in the late fifties. These were intended to challenge the status quo of the turgid children's primers like the 'Fun with Dick and Jane' series. If you were like me, your school didn't immediately jump on the Seuss wagon, so I found myself in the library reading Curious George in between the sappy graded readers. You see, George was a curious monkey who often misbehaved, unlike Dick, Jane, and Sally and their 'perfect little family.'
Ted wanted to create a character that children could enjoy reading. Inspired by George Herriman's Krazy Kat and by Felix the Cat drawn by cartoonists Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer; Geisel created the Cat in the Hat. (He also had a hobby of collecting hats himself.) This was the blockbuster success that launched his career as a sensation that has only been rivaled in Children's literature by the Harry Potter books today. As he said, "Kids wanted to read about the antics of the cat."
His academic work, especially his philology studies, and his military career all had some effect on his work. But, there was much more on the table for the man who would become Dr. Seuss. From the comics, to his "Quick Henry the Flit" commercials, to his screenwriting efforts; this biography covers his working life. It also covers the personal, as in the story of the imaginary child he and his wife shared, and his problems. He was a man of extraordinary talent, dedication, and imagination.
He lived through both World Wars and segregation. He was a strong definitive force in America while she was dropping bombs on Japan and landing men on the moon. Some of his work was amazingly predictive of the bomb, and was buried by the military without explanation because of the final stages of the preparation for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He made training films for the military during WWII. His approach to dealing with Germany was different from his approach to Japan. Our Job in Japan was again buried until later, but it is over on Youtube. Just be aware that it has graphic images of war and is unsuitable for children.
Many of Dr. Seuss's books are read aloud on Youtube by a variety of readers. One in particular that I enjoy is The Great Amazing Book Show This book is well worth reading if you enjoy biographies; and all of the Dr. Seuss books are worth sharing with children of all ages. I'm including a chronological list of his books with a few video links for some.
- And To Think That I Saw it On Mulberry Street (1937)
- The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1938)
- The King’s Stilts (1939)
- Horton Hatches the Egg (1940)
- McElligot’s Pool (1947)
- Thidwick The Big-Hearted Moose (1948)
- Bartholomew And The Oobleck (1949)
- If I Ran the Zoo (1950)
- Scrambled Eggs Super! (1953)
- Horton Hears A Who! (1954)
- On Beyond Zebra (1955)
- If I Ran The Circus (1956)
- The Cat in the Hat (1957)
- How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1957)
- Yertle The Turtle And Other Stories (1958)
- The Cat In The Hat Comes Back! (1958)
- Happy Birthday To You! (1959)
- Green Eggs And Ham (1960)
- One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (1960)
- The Sneetches And Other Stories (1961)
- Seuss’s Sleep Book (1962)
- Seuss’s ABC (1963)
- Hop on Pop (1963)
- Fox In Socks (1965)
- I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew (1965)
- The Cat in the Hat Song Book (1967)
- The Foot Book (1968)
- I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! And Other Stories (1969)
- My Book About Me (1969)
- I Can Draw It Myself (1970)
- Brown Can Moo! Can You? (1970)
- The Lorax (1971)
- Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! (1972)
- Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? (1973)
- The Shape Of Me And Other Stuff (1973)
- Great Day For Up (1974)
- There’s a Wocket in my Pocket! (1974)
- Oh, The Thinks You Can Think! (1975)
- I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! (1978)
- Oh, Say Can You Say? (1979)
- Hunches In Bunches (1982)
- The Butter Battle Book (1984)
- You’re Only Old Once! (1986)
- I am Not Going to Get Up Today (1987)
- Oh, The Places You’ll Go! (1990)
November 6, 2019
It was interesting and I learned a lot. I wouldn't call it compelling but I enjoyed it. Here are some of the things you might find interesting: He enjoyed working almost until he died at age 87. In my current situation of wanting to continue to work myself, it was validating. He was a chain smoker and drank a lot because his dad was a brewer before prohibition. He had a studio overlooking the ocean in La Jolla California. He had an affair when he was in his 60s and his wife committed suicide at age 69 because she couldn't stand life without him. It was sooooo sad because they'd had a beautiful and happy relationship all those prior years. He took great pride in writing children’s books, finally winning a Pulitzer Prize for his body of work. He was not a good student at Dartmouth and dropped out of Oxford where his dad sent him for an advanced degree. It was so fun to read about the making of grinch into a cartoon movie and how Seuss wrote the lyrics. His ideas never came easy. He busted his brains out and worked hard every day. His books still sell tons and are rivaled today only by J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter. His first wife could never have kids (her ovaries were both removed). So Seuss never had biological kids--just 2 stepkids from his 2nd marriage. He felt strongly that children should not be talked down to. He was a perfectionist at his craft. Most of his books adhered to a strict word list of between 50 to 250 words since they were for beginning readers. It was at a university of Utah workshop that his life was transformed into becoming a childrens book author exclusively. Before then he only dabbled and his jobs were in advertising copywriting and political cartoonist. He never wanted to moralize in his books though he did later in life.
October 6, 2023
The most frustrating thing about the book is how often Jones describes wonderful Seuss drawings and watercolors, and how the book (must be for licensing reasons) doesn't have any. Most of the stuff he describes (and I'm not talking about the pictures in the actual books, because duh, they would be super-copyright-protected) you can't even find online. So it's frustrating to read about early animal creations that are the forefathers of different monsters that appear in his books or whatever and not get to see them. There's a thin section of black and white photos in the book with one political cartoon Geisel drew for a newspaper in World War II, that I'll hazard is public domain.
But the life told in this book is great. It's fascinating to learn he kind of accidentally ended up being a children's author. He wanted to be a cartoonist and/or writer, yes, but not for kids. But he wrote a children's book and came to love writing them - the challenge of them. Much harder than writing for adults apparently.
And thanks for helping push aside all the maudlin fussy boring books for kids, Doctor. Very cool of you.
Oh and props for overcoming racism. Most people don't.
But the life told in this book is great. It's fascinating to learn he kind of accidentally ended up being a children's author. He wanted to be a cartoonist and/or writer, yes, but not for kids. But he wrote a children's book and came to love writing them - the challenge of them. Much harder than writing for adults apparently.
And thanks for helping push aside all the maudlin fussy boring books for kids, Doctor. Very cool of you.
Oh and props for overcoming racism. Most people don't.
April 22, 2020
As a child who was in elementary school when Dr. Seuss died, his books have always been a part of my world. They were just always there, and I never gave much thought about the man who wrote some of the most iconic Children’s books of all times. Turns out, he’s pretty interesting! I started this book not expecting much, but Jones makes you feel like you know “Ted” aka Theodor Geisel. I know about his stuffed bear, college hijinx, why he never had kids, his favorite drink and political views. As the book got rolling, I could not stop reading. Geisel really changed Children’s literature, and I totally have a newfound respect for him and his works.
October 21, 2019
4.5
This is a very comprehensive and thorough biography!
One of my favorite quotes from Theodor Geisel is "You and I are citizens in the world together. Children were to be talked to directly as absolute equals with no pandering or condescension. Kids know if you condescend or write down to them, that's the problem with children's books for years. Grimm and Andersen never talked down to their audience."
"Geisel seemed to recognize almost intuitively and it would set the work of Dr. Seuss apart from the vast bulk of children's books for more than a generation." says Brian Jay Jones
This is a very comprehensive and thorough biography!
One of my favorite quotes from Theodor Geisel is "You and I are citizens in the world together. Children were to be talked to directly as absolute equals with no pandering or condescension. Kids know if you condescend or write down to them, that's the problem with children's books for years. Grimm and Andersen never talked down to their audience."
"Geisel seemed to recognize almost intuitively and it would set the work of Dr. Seuss apart from the vast bulk of children's books for more than a generation." says Brian Jay Jones
April 6, 2023
Brian Jay Jones’ biography-crafting skills are simply top notch yet again. For anyone who wishes to learn more about the man whose works have had such an oversized impact upon our childhoods, this is as exhaustive and thorough a work as one could ask for. I feel like the only way I could possibly know Ted Geisel even better is by inventing a time machine so I can sit down and have a one on one conversation with the man.
October 2, 2023
This book was SO interesting! Like many others, I grew up adoring Dr. Seuss’ books. I can remember being small and my mom taking me to the library—I’d always pick a stack of Dr. Seuss. I’d feel so proud reading them out loud. But, I’ll be honest, I never really gave much thought to the man behind the stories. I’m so glad I read this! It wasn’t always easy—this biography is well-researched and heavy on the details with some parts dragging more than others. As a whole, though, I found this book and the man whose life it details to be completely fascinating.
June 7, 2020
I learned so many things about Theodore Geisel. I ended up ordering 4 more of his books for my grandkids and me!!!
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