Maurice Sendak, who lived from 1928 to 2012, was an American illustrator and writer of children's books, best known for his books Where the Wild Things Air and the somewhat controversial In the Night Kitchen. Sendak also illustrated many works by other authors.

This gorgeous coffee-table style book includes the story of Sendak’s life, background about his drawings, and best of all, many plates showing the illustrations themselves.

In an Introductory Note, the author quotes Sendak as saying “If I have an unusual gift, it’s not that I draw particularly better or write particularly better than other people - I’ve never fooled myself about that. Rather, it’s that I remember things other people don’t recall: the sounds and feelings and images - the emotional quality - of particular moments of childhood.”

This book has 94 glorious full-color illustrations and over 165 black-and-whites. It ends with a chronology of his books, for anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of perusing all of them. ( )

Just stunning. The biographical information is nice (even with the occasional psychoanalyzing), but the art alone -- including preliminary sketches and full-color reproductions -- is worth five stars all by itself. ( )

"Dear Mr. Sendak, How much does it cost to get to where the wild things are? If it is not expensive, my sister and I would like to spend the summer there."
-From a letter sent by an eight year old reader to Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak was an artist in love with the world and with things that go bump in the night. Sendak looked deeply at the world around him. His vision included the visible nature of our existence and the invisible, but no less real, world of dreams. Sendak's beautifully crafted artworks for his books began with simple pencil sketches that were then enlarged and fleshed out with pen and ink which was then layered with glowing watercolor washes. The "Art of Maurice Sendak" by Selma Lanes gathers images of many of Sendak's cherished works into one volume. This massive book is a treasure-house for the imagination.

The finished paintings on paper reflect what Dave Eggers described in a Vanity Fair article on Sendak as the "unhinged and chiaroscuro subconscious of a child." Sendak's books and images appealed to readers of all ages. Sendak took the deep mysteries of life head-on and allowed us all to journey to where the wild things are.

We are fortunate that Maurice Sendak's love for beauty and the mystery of existence forged a unique vision that led to his magical books and images. He will be greatly missed. Selma Lanes' book is a reminder of what we have lost and also a touchstone that preserves Sendak's genius. ( )

Here is a big, coffee-table-size book, with breath-taking illustrations that are full- and double-page, and even some 4-page fold outs that anyone can enjoy thumbing through. And it is especially fascinating to fans of Maurice Sendak's illustrated works. His life and his unique world of imagination are explored in affectionate and minute detail.
A chronology of his books is included, starting in 1947 and ending in 1981. The book was first published in 1980, and my copy was reissued in 1993. The book also contains a comprehensive index. ( )

This book was a gift. Maurice Sendak wrote a brief sentence and signed and dated it in 1982. ( )