Artist of the Day - Day 19 - Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein; Poet, Writer, and Exactlywatt.

Growing up, there were two key writers that had a great influence on motivating me to read, Dr. Seuss and She Silverstein.  As a “youngin’”, I (with some parental help) read Seuss over and over again, building the drive and desire to read more.  Once I got a bit older and was able to tackle books by myself, I migrated to Silverstein.  Silverstein’s stories and poems were great fun to read.  He was a master of using language in such a way that his writings didn’t feel “dumbed down” for kids but were still fun to read, for the imagery and worlds they created.  At the same time the stories had elements that might be missed by younger readers that really engaged the adults (he had stories about children disobeying parents, death, etc.)  I would have a hard time finding someone who has read “The Giving Tree” not get emotional while reading it.  I also find it particular amusing, during the late 1950’s he was Playboy magazine’s top cartoonist.  Who knows where the roads we take will lead us… perhaps to the end of the sidewalk. 

Wikipedia
Shel Silverstein Homepage

Artist of the Day - Day 15 - Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe; Writer, Poet, Raven

Poe is, without a doubt, my favorite American author (followed closely by Mark Twain).  I have been enjoying his works since I was 8 or 9, and still to this day I get a certain joy out of reading him.  He was the first real “mystery and macabre” author – influencing folks like H. P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and Clive Barker.  He also invented the “detective” genre, and as a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I have yet another reason to love Poe.  The irony is, he really wasn’t that dark of a man (although many people from the time period tried to make it seem like he was).  Along with the mystery and detective stories, he also wrote about science fiction, mathematics (mostly focused on cryptography), humor, and political satire.  Most of his works are short stories or poems, so if you have a few spare moments, take a look at one (or more), I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  Unless you’re a Raven… in which case… “AHHH!!!!”

 
Wikipedia
Works of Edgar Allan Poe at Project Gutenberg

Artist of the Day - Day 7 - Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury; Author and Time Traveler

Ray Bradbury is one of my top 3 Sci-Fi writers (along with Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick), and I would say he’s close to being one of my favorite writers, regardless of genre.  I love that his “Sci-Fi” is subtle and not so over-the-top that it is easy to imagine it not so far-fetched, that you could easily see his visions coming true.  My particular book of choice of Mr. Bradbury is Fahrenheit 451.  If you haven’t read it, go right now!  I will say, the movie is pretty good, but you really should read the book.  Though the book was written in 1953, it is still poignant and relevant today.  In a nutshell: With the death of books and the written word, so dies independent thought and imagination.  I’d also recommend his short story collections, many of which have also been adapted to video (mostly 1 hour TV shows and miniseries).

Wikipedia
Official Site