Maurice Sendak's Death

The children’s author Maurice Sendak died at the age of 83. Here is all you want to know, and more!

Biography - A Short Wiki

Popular children’s author and illustrator who is best known for the classic book, Where the Wild Things Are. His numerous literary honors include the Caldecott Medal, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, and the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

He was born in New York City to Sadie Schindler Sendak and Philip Sendak, Jewish immigrants whose extended families were later killed in the Holocaust. He lived with life-partner, Dr. Eugene Glynn, for fifty years.

Quotes

"

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.

"

That always seemed to be the most critical test that a child was confronted with – loss of parents, loss of direction, loss of love. Can you live without a mother and a father?

"

I became a set designer for opera. I’m a great opera buff, I love classical music, and I needed a time-out.

"

You know who my gods are, who I believe in fervently? Herman Melville, Emily Dickinson – she’s probably the top – Mozart, Shakespeare, Keats. These are wonderful gods who have gotten me through the narrow straits of life.

"

There must be more to life than having everything.