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Dr. Seuss 116th birth anniversary: Lesser-known facts and inspiring quotes from the bestselling author
Famous for writing some of the most loved children’s books and inspiring four generations of children, Dr Seuss created memorable characters like The Lorax, The Grinch, Horton, Whoville and more. On his 116th birth anniversary, here are lesser-known facts and beautiful quotes by the author.
Dr. Seuss was born as Theodor Seuss Geisel on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He began his career in the 1920s as a cartoonist, and eventually wrote his first book for children in 1936. This was the first of 46 works he published for children. The most famous titles include How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Cat in the Hat, and The Lorax, Green Eggs and Ham. He is known as one of the best children’s authors of the 20th century under his pen name, Dr. Seuss. The author is also hailed as the American Poet Laureate of Nonsense and the Modern Mother Goose, Dr. Seuss has encouraged reading for generations of people around the world and his teachings via his literary work are called Seuss-isms.
Here are some lesser-known facts about this prolific author and illustrator:
- ‘Dr. Seuss’ is one of the most mispronounced of all writers’ names. ‘Seuss’ is pronounced ‘zoice’ in German, but Geisel preferred to rhyme it with ‘Goose’, like Mother Goose.
- Dr. Seuss never had any biological children. Although he did have two step-children from his second wife.
- Dr. Seuss was not a qualified doctor. He added ‘Dr.’ to his pen-name because his father had wanted him to study medicine.
- His first book was rejected by 27 publishers.
- The first recorded use of the word ‘nerd’ was in his book titled, If I Ran a Zoo, in 1950.
- ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go’ sells about 200,000 copies each year. Its sales come from its popularity as a gift for high school or college students.
- To ensure he has his publisher’s attention, Dr. Seuss included the word ‘contraceptive’ in a draft of one of his books.
Here are some of the most-loved quotes by the author that are relevant across age groups:
* “Oh the things you can find, if you don’t stay behind!”
* “In the places I go there are things that I see that I never could spell if I stopped with the Z.”
* “Think and wonder, wonder and think.”
* “So be sure when you step, step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you’ll move mountains.”
* “You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”
* “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
* “With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.”
* “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”
* “Adults are just outdated children.”
* “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
* “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
* “It’s a troublesome world. All the people who are in it are troubled with troubles almost every minute. You ought to be thankful, a whole heaping lot, for the places and people you’re lucky you’re not.”
* “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
* “All alone! Whether you like it or not, alone is something you’ll be quite a lot!”
* “Words and pictures are yin and yang. Married, they produce a progeny more interesting than either parent.”
* “I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.”
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