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From: Sharron L. McElmeel <mcelmeels>
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2006 14:04:21 -0600
Lee -- in my book 100 Most Popular Children's Book Authors (Libraries Unlimited, 2000) pages. 177-183, based on my research, I say "On October 23, 1967, Helen Palmer Geisel died. She and Geisel had no children. The following year, on August 5, 1968, Theodor Seuss Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond, who had two daughters."
So I do know that Audrey's birth name seems to be Stone (just read your second e-mail so we agree on that) -- and the Rosetta Stone book was published in 1975 but I have never read if it indeed was a nod to Audrey's birth name or what -- I can make that inference but not verify it. The pseudonym would have been somewhat more subversive if he had published that title with the Stone pseudonym sometime prior to 1967.
Interesting also to me is that one of Geisel's stepdaughters, sculptor Lark Grey Diamond-Cates was the sculptor of the statues erected in the Dr. Seuss National Memorial in Springfield, Massachusetts. Have only read descriptions of the six statues but it doesn't seem that children are included in any of the plans -- books and Seuss characters; so that would fit with your comment about children.
Wonder what his relationship was with his stepdaughters -- perhaps they were older when he and Audrey married.
What is there about the inner workings of author's lives that intrigue? Perhaps its because we are always searching for clues as to what fuels their creativity and what inspires authors and illustrators.
Sharron McElmeel
p.s. and is it coincidence that Roald Dahl also succumbed to a an affair with a "family friend" and left behind Patricia O'Neal once their children were grown-- and he too is rumored to not have been too enamored with children, including his own even though he did tell them bedtime stories. He often secluded himself in a writing retreat
-- a brick hut, 200 years behind his "Gipsy House" - the family's main house. For over thirty years he wrote there surrounded by dust balls and mementos. At one time it was said that his hut had not been swept or cleaned in fifteen years... I wrote more about this in a now o.p. title Bookpeople: A Second Album (Teachers Idea Press/Libraries Unlimited, 1990). His creative spirit seems even more elusive as it seems his humor is always at the expense of someone who is the subject of some type of "abuse."
At 9:56 AM -0500 02/07/06, Lbhcove at aol.com wrote:
>Since I don't have access to my files on Seuss where I'm at right now,
>I would have to research the idea of Rosetta Stone being a takeoff on
>Audrey, his second wife's name.
>
>I don't remember when his wife committed suicide over the torrid affair
>between him and Audrey, although I know he knew her for quite a while.
>She was a 'family friend!'
>
>There are some excellent adult bios of Geisel which might also lead to the
>Stone clue.
>
>Now you have my curiosities going full steam.
>
>The one thing I remember well is Geisel's attitude toward children. "You
>have'em," he said. I'll amuse 'em." He was very uncomfortable even being
>around children.
>
>LBH
>
>www.leebennetthopkinsbooks.com
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2006 14:04:21 -0600
Lee -- in my book 100 Most Popular Children's Book Authors (Libraries Unlimited, 2000) pages. 177-183, based on my research, I say "On October 23, 1967, Helen Palmer Geisel died. She and Geisel had no children. The following year, on August 5, 1968, Theodor Seuss Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond, who had two daughters."
So I do know that Audrey's birth name seems to be Stone (just read your second e-mail so we agree on that) -- and the Rosetta Stone book was published in 1975 but I have never read if it indeed was a nod to Audrey's birth name or what -- I can make that inference but not verify it. The pseudonym would have been somewhat more subversive if he had published that title with the Stone pseudonym sometime prior to 1967.
Interesting also to me is that one of Geisel's stepdaughters, sculptor Lark Grey Diamond-Cates was the sculptor of the statues erected in the Dr. Seuss National Memorial in Springfield, Massachusetts. Have only read descriptions of the six statues but it doesn't seem that children are included in any of the plans -- books and Seuss characters; so that would fit with your comment about children.
Wonder what his relationship was with his stepdaughters -- perhaps they were older when he and Audrey married.
What is there about the inner workings of author's lives that intrigue? Perhaps its because we are always searching for clues as to what fuels their creativity and what inspires authors and illustrators.
Sharron McElmeel
p.s. and is it coincidence that Roald Dahl also succumbed to a an affair with a "family friend" and left behind Patricia O'Neal once their children were grown-- and he too is rumored to not have been too enamored with children, including his own even though he did tell them bedtime stories. He often secluded himself in a writing retreat
-- a brick hut, 200 years behind his "Gipsy House" - the family's main house. For over thirty years he wrote there surrounded by dust balls and mementos. At one time it was said that his hut had not been swept or cleaned in fifteen years... I wrote more about this in a now o.p. title Bookpeople: A Second Album (Teachers Idea Press/Libraries Unlimited, 1990). His creative spirit seems even more elusive as it seems his humor is always at the expense of someone who is the subject of some type of "abuse."
At 9:56 AM -0500 02/07/06, Lbhcove at aol.com wrote:
>Since I don't have access to my files on Seuss where I'm at right now,
>I would have to research the idea of Rosetta Stone being a takeoff on
>Audrey, his second wife's name.
>
>I don't remember when his wife committed suicide over the torrid affair
>between him and Audrey, although I know he knew her for quite a while.
>She was a 'family friend!'
>
>There are some excellent adult bios of Geisel which might also lead to the
>Stone clue.
>
>Now you have my curiosities going full steam.
>
>The one thing I remember well is Geisel's attitude toward children. "You
>have'em," he said. I'll amuse 'em." He was very uncomfortable even being
>around children.
>
>LBH
>
>www.leebennetthopkinsbooks.com
-- =================================== Sharron L. McElmeel University of Wisconsin - Stout School of Education Teaching Children's Literature in the Classroom http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/childrenslit/ Teaching Young Adult Literature in the Classroom http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/yalit/ 3000 N Center Point Rd Cedar Rapids, IA 52411-9548 ph. (319) 393-2562 mcelmeel at mcelmeel.com http://www.mcelmeel.com Author of Authors in the Kitchen: Recipes, Stories, and More (Libraries Unlimited, 2005), Best Teen Reads: 2005 (Hi Willow), Children's Authors and Illustrators Too Good to Miss (Libraries Unlimited); 100 Most Popular Children's Authors (Libraries Unlimited), 100 Most Popular Picture Book Authors and Illustrators (Libraries Unlimited), Character Education: A Book Guide for Teachers, Librarians, and Parents (Libraries Unlimited) and other titles (http://www.mcelmeel.com/writing). Forthcoming: Authors in the Pantry: Recipes, Stories, and More (Libraries Unlimited) =================Received on Tue 07 Feb 2006 02:04:21 PM CST
