Austin's review
Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein
Or maybe he keeps the Playboys in the attic, hence the sequel (or is it prequel) to this book? Anyhow, I haven't read Shel Silverstein in so long, but I used to love him as a kid. However, I have always imagined that a creepy, perverted old man lives inside me somehow (kind of like Tony in The Changeling maybe). Well, now I feel as if I've missed out on all the adult stuff about this book. Gotta read it again, now.
More to the point, you should read his Adult-Oriented stuff (Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book comes to mind). I suspect that he was never really "for kids," but that some of his stuff got marketed that way.
Just take a look as some of the stuff in any of these books. This isn't something that can be pigeonholed into either kids or adult reading. It is what it is, and I love it.
Austin's review
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Austin's review
rating:
recommended for: Everyone
Every child eventually discovers the perverted old man who wrote songs for Johnny Cash, did illustrations for Playboy, appeared on the Dr. Demento show numerous times, and managed to get a few books published along the way.
For some reason, parents never seem to think this creepy old guy who was so fond of children was in any way "disturbing," something I'm continually impressed with in the "ban now, ask questions later" climate of modern culture. If there are people who don't like Shel Silverstein, I don't want to meet them. Or, more to the point, you shouldn't meet them if that is an option.
Children need to experience this kind of creepy / weird / funny / sad stuff, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of having a conduit through which they can make sense of most of the rest of the world. Knowing that Shel sees things this way, too, makes it all easier to take, and makes your own oddness that much more tolerable. We, as humans, need ...more
For some reason, parents never seem to think this creepy old guy who was so fond of children was in any way "disturbing," something I'm continually impressed with in the "ban now, ask questions later" climate of modern culture. If there are people who don't like Shel Silverstein, I don't want to meet them. Or, more to the point, you shouldn't meet them if that is an option.
Children need to experience this kind of creepy / weird / funny / sad stuff, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of having a conduit through which they can make sense of most of the rest of the world. Knowing that Shel sees things this way, too, makes it all easier to take, and makes your own oddness that much more tolerable. We, as humans, need ...more
Or maybe he keeps the Playboys in the attic, hence the sequel (or is it prequel) to this book? Anyhow, I haven't read Shel Silverstein in so long, but I used to love him as a kid. However, I have always imagined that a creepy, perverted old man lives inside me somehow (kind of like Tony in The Changeling maybe). Well, now I feel as if I've missed out on all the adult stuff about this book. Gotta read it again, now.
More to the point, you should read his Adult-Oriented stuff (Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book comes to mind). I suspect that he was never really "for kids," but that some of his stuff got marketed that way. Just take a look as some of the stuff in any of these books. This isn't something that can be pigeonholed into either kids or adult reading. It is what it is, and I love it.