Maurice Sendak, writer and illustrator of beloved children’s books Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen and Chicken Soup with Rice, has a new book out. To promote Bumble-Ardy, the 83-year-old Sendak has been doing a lot of interviews, invariably saying some pretty wild and wonderful things. Here are some of my favourites:
“I refuse to lie to children,” says Sendak. “I refuse to cater to the bullshit of innocence.” (The Guardian)
“I have to accept my role. I will never kill myself like Vincent Van Gogh. Nor will I paint beautiful water lilies like Monet. I can’t do that. I’m in the idiot role of being a kiddie book person.” (The Guardian)
“I didn’t sleep with famous people or movie stars or anything like that. It’s a common story: Brooklyn boy grows up and succeeds in his profession, period,” he explains in his friendly growl. (CBC)
Most children–I know I did when I was a kid–fantasize another set of parents. Or fantasize no parents. They don’t tell their real parents about that–you don’t want to tell Mom and Dad. Kids lead a very private life. And I was a typical child (I think). I was a liar. I was out to protect my parents from hard truths. Although what I assumed was a hard truth was really–hard to realize what it could be now. (The Atlantic)
mp3: “Lose Your Shit” by Arabesque
Oh, screw the world. Why should the dumb world know what I think? (Globe & Mail)
Emmet Matheson is a freelance writer who blogs at A Bulldozer With a Wrecking Ball Attached. You can e-mail him at: bulldozerDOTwreckingballATgmailDOTcom
