Shel Silverstein

Shel SilversteinJohn Haydon - Flickr [Public domain]Shel Silverstein was an amazing author whose writing truly influenced the minds of many. His array of writing not only appealed to the younger readers and writers, but also to those of older ages. Along with his talent for poetry, Shel was also a songwriter. Shel Silverstein was one of the first authors that I read when I was younger, and it was him that truly sparked my interest in poetry. Shel was able to capture raw emotion and turn it into a poem that someone of a younger age would actually find interesting! Before I began reading Shel Silverstein, I pictured all poetry to be extremely boring and a waste of time, unless it was Dr. Seuss and his entertaining rhymes. I never really appreciated poetry until I read Shel's work. It was from there that I grew as a reader as well as a writer, and became the poem lover I am today. I feel that a true writer does not stop at the mastery of one writing technique, but continues on to expand his writing. Shel Silverstein is a true writer because he never stopped writing, and that is why he is my hero.

On September 25th in 1930, Shel Silverstein was born to his parents, Nathan and Helen, in Chicago, Illinois.  Shel was a typical child in the early 1930s: one who dreamed of becoming a famous athlete and making it in the big time. In reality however, Shel struggled in school yet excelled in more creative fields such as art and writing. "I was lucky that I didn't have anyone to copy, be impressed by. I had developed my own style" (Shel Silverstein). Drawing cartoons would not gain him success in his education, as he got kicked out of college three times for unsatisfactory grades. Through all of his failures, however, Shel did get hired as a cartoonist for Roosevelt University's school paper The Torch, as well as on the Stars and Stripes publication during his time in the Army. "I should have been out living my life," says Shel Silverstein, when asked by Aardvark magazine to reminisce about his earlier years. "Imagine four years you could have spent travelling around Europe meeting people, or going to the Far East of Africa or India, meeting people, exchanging ideas, reading all you wanted to." And Shel did just that after serving his time during the Korean War. It may not have been the most dignified profession, acting as a cartoonist for Hugh Hefner's magazine, but it did allow him to travel all around the world to report stories and meet new people. It was from there that Shel soon became the famous author that we all know and love.

The reason Shel inspires me so much is because he rose from his failures and never gave up. Shel was crippled after his leg was shattered in a car accident, and although this prevented him from traveling the world, he took his downtime and turned it into an opportunity to write music. I feel a sense of admiration for Shel's decision to write music, because Shel acknowledged that it would be a challenge to take on a new type of writing, and even so, he wanted to do it. "I believe that a person who is truly observant in one of the arts will be truly observant and sensitive in the others as well." His first album Hairy Jazz was recorded in 1959, and he went on to write songs such as A Boy Named Sue for Johnny Cash as well as The Cover of the Rolling Stones for Dr. Hook. In 1960 Shel was convinced by his friend Tomi Ungerer to meet with Editor Ursula Nordstrom of Harper Collins. Four years later, Shel published his first book: my personal favorite, The Giving Tree. This book is one of my absolute favorites because it is a perfect example of how Shel is able to address a more serious topic in a fun way. In this heartwarming book, Shel creates the image of a boy growing up and how "his tree" is forever there for him. I feel like this story not only shows how one has to live with the consequences their actions bring, but also how just because you love something doesn't mean it will always be yours. Love is such a serious emotion, and Shel managed to take this emotion, compress it, and fit it into a story that a younger person can read. When I read this for the first time, I felt bad for the tree and also admired the artwork within the book.  Thinking about it now, however, I realize that this story is very depressing, and it amazes me how I am able to understand the deeper meaning of a child's book at an older age. That's the magic of Shel Silverstein's writing; he may write poems and stories intended for young children, but it takes someone of an older age to look back on his writing and truly understand the meaning. Shel Silverstein published his first collection of poetry, Where the Sidewalk Ends, in 1974 and two more followed close behind it. Each book gained more and more success than the book before it, with A Light in the Attic staying on The New York Times bestseller list for 182 weeks in 1981. Shel retired to Key West, Florida in his 60s but didn't stop writing. Shel continued writing songs, poems, and books up until his death in 1999 at age 69.  

Shel Silverstein - Where the Sidewalk EndsAntonio Delgado - Flickr [Public domain]Shel is my hero because he is literally unforgettable, as his work continues to be translated into more than 30 different languages and sold all over the globe. He is my hero for many reasons, but particularly because of his ability to succeed even when all odds were against him. Shel took the path less traveled and sought out a career that would allow his creativity to shine. He chose his life not based on the expectations of the people around him, but on what he felt was right. His confidence inspires me to pursue my love of reading and writing, and I hope that one day I can be as successful as he was. Shel Silverstein may be gone, but his writing will live on forever, touching the hearts of future generations. 

Works Cited

Mercier, Jean F. "Shel Silverstein: An Interview by Publisher's Weekly." Shel Silverstein. 24 Feb. 1975. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. .

"Shel Silverstein Biography." Famous Poets and Poems - Read and Enjoy Poetry. Web. 07 Dec. 2011. .

"Shel Silverstein.com." ShelSilverstein.com - The Official Site for Kids. Web. 07 Dec. 2011. .

"Shel Silverstein Poems and Poetry." Famous Poets and Poems - Read and Enjoy Poetry. Web. 07 Dec. 2011. .

Silverstein, Shel. A Light in the Attic. New York, NY: Harper & Row, 1981. Print.