THE SEUSS, THE WHOLE SEUSS, AND NOTHING BUT THE SEUSS: A Visual Biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel

"He was an unusual man, particularly with respect to his memory and vision, and his penchant for storytelling and practical jokes often led people astray from the facts," notes Cohen, who in this hefty, assiduously researched (and well-documented) volume, sets out to demystify the genius of Theodor Seuss Geisel. The biographer separates fact from fiction and reveals a significant sampling of this celebrated author and artist's little-known early work, balancing his own chronicle of Geisel's life and career with copious excerpts from his subject's writing and crisp reproductions of his wide-ranging artwork. These include cartoons Geisel drew for the Dartmouth literary magazine (which provide first glimpses of some of the zany creatures that would later appear in his picture books), advertisements he created for a variety of companies (beginning with his widely popular ads for Flit bug spray, with their wonderfully Seussian humor and images) and cartoons he published in a variety of magazines. Cohen aims primarily at dedicated Seuss aficionados with his in-depth reportage and analyses of events that inspired Geisel's work through the decades. He devotes relatively little space to the author's creation of picture books. Instead, the biography provides intriguing insight into the workings and evolution of a remarkable creative mind, as Cohen allows the story to unfold largely through Dr. Seuss's own words and pictures. Oh, the places he has gone—and continues to transport readers. This elegantly designed volume instills gratitude for both. All ages. (Feb)