7 Mar 2021 – A Tribute to Dr Seuss Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991)
Wed&Thu: replying mail, messages, updating notes etc. Some music humour came to mind as I was sorting out music books, manuscripts, notes, scores + old LPs.
Fri-Sat-Sun: have been following the news with the controversial on six of Dr. Seuss (1904-1991) books. Being an admirer&fan of him, but have not read all his books (60+) nor any of these six that will no longer be in print, but I can see&understand from today’s circumstances & conditions as to why this is happening.
Glad to read that NY+some other public libraries will not be removing these books. Enjoyed going into Youtube online to listen to the readings and to see the illustrations (see below).
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dr-seuss-books-public-libraries-removal/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/04/books/dr-seuss-books.html
One of my favourites is Oh, the Places You’ll Go! His last book which I gifted away to some of the high-school grads when L&M graduated high school – the words are so simple and yet meaningful&profound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abw43kcLrbg
- And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937)*
- If I Ran the Zoo (1950) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl6wD6EGOVk
- McElligot’s Pool (1947) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlsA3hb6a5c
- On Beyond Zebra! (1955) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnsM5VxAR68
- Scrambled Eggs Super! (1953) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLKnal92y7w
- The Cat’s Quizzer (1976) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yeNj1akz30
*And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street – a character described as Chinese has two lines for eyes, carries chopsticks and a bowl of rice, and wears traditional Japanese-style shoes..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYEvhFUsLlY
Just cannot get enough of his wacky, whimsy&witty words combined with amazing illustrations from such an imagination written in 1937. As a Chinese of race, I do not feel or see any prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people of a particular racial or ethnic group. To me it is just to show the colourful difference of life. Considering the era it was written in 1937, would like to believe&think that it was not done with any intentional hidden agender or motives, unlike today’s sensitive culture regarding race, religion, etc.
Of all his book, The Lorax in the movie is where I find a stereo-typing of an Asian race looking character, O’Hare who has big ideas for making money.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdWesdMfyd4
A very dear elderly friend, AlonzoDawe (1927-2019) who was a wonderful artist with a great sense of humor and up to today, I still miss his humour teasing me about eating soup with sticks and walking to nowhere – hahaha! Another example of innocent humour from another gentleman from about that era.
