Dr. Seuss: American Icon

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating account of a genius at work
Review: As far as I am aware, this is the first book-length study of the work of Dr. Seuss, and Philip Nel has done an excellent job. If the word 'study' makes you nervous, rest assured: this is not a jargon-filled, pretentious analysis. It is, instead, a nicely written work that views Seuss from several different angles: as a poet, a visual artist, a cartoonist, and so on. Nel writes intelligently on how Seuss fits into the canon of nonsense poets, and provides good background on the roots of Seuss's visual style. Some of the WW2/political cartoon material I had read about before, but Nel covers it thoroughly. The most fascinating chapter to me deals with the marketing of Seuss, particularly since his death. Nel holds forth strongly on the abominable 'Grinch' movie (and I trust he feels the same way about the 'Cat in the Hat' film too), and gets into a very interesting discussion of the possible motivations behind the ever-expanding empire of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. (And no, I don't believe it is purely about the profits!)

Two small quibbles prevent me from awarding five stars. Firstly, I would have liked the book to be a little longer. The in-depth bibliography is interesting in itself and will be a goldmine to future researchers, but I'm sure Nel could have found a few more things to say - perhaps about Seuss's gender politics. Secondly, the dust jacket on my copy was a little loose.

Rating:
Summary: Essential for every personal and Public Library
Review: If people become the books they read and if "the child is father to the man," then Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) is the most influential author, poet, and artist of modern times. For me, a daddy to a large family who learned to read with Dr. Seuss and who has memorized too many of the books via repeated readings to young children, Prof. Nel's brilliant 'American Icon' is a long awaited treat. At last a serious treatment of this remarkable genius that is both an engaging read and filled with remarkable insights! I especially enjoyed (and learned more than I care to admit from) Prof. Nel's discussions of the Disneyfication of Seuss - which Nel links to failings in American copyright law, "the other sides of Dr. Seuss" - all of which sides were new to me, and the political genesis of his secular morality in the WWII cartoon work he did at PM magazine. The chapters on Geisel's poetry and artwork and the link Nel makes between Seuss and the historical avant guarde alone make this book a "must buy" for parents and serious readers, not to mention public libraries. Readers of Nel's other books will find the same engaging writing style that makes the book a fun read while imparting a mountain of information and important ideas. This is simply the best and most comprehensive book yet written on the work of Seuss Geisel and what will certainly be the standard for many years to come. Thank you, Prof. Nel, wherever you are, from a reader who grew up with the good doctor and who is growing up with him again years later. Your book, written from your encyclopeadic knowledge of children's literature and the media of this genre - from scanning verse to cubist painting! - explains the power, limits, and popularity of the Seuss phenomenon.