Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom

And impeccable editing. This is high on the enjoyment scale for just about any bibliophile. Nordstrom's own words and correspondence reveal her to be a marvelous editor, no-nonsense, witty, a careful and loyal nurturer of her garden of authors.

I stumbled upon the existence of this book at an exhibition of illustrations of Maurice Sendak. Ursula Nordstrom was his editor and she is credited with transforming children's literature, mentoring authors such as Sendak, Shel Silverstein, Margaret Wise Brown, etc.She wrote letters as a mainstay of her relationships with budding authors and this collection brings it all to life. When I'm finished with it, the book will be shared with others who love children's literature.

A treasure of a book. If you want to read letters of great authors- you will enjoy this.

Fascinating behind-the-scenes peak into the foundational cornerstone of the world of kid lit. Inspiring if you're writing for children & YA. You can even riffle through the book and glean comments and splice them together for your own "you can do it!" letter from Ursula Nordstrom.

i will read many times

I received this as a gift and absolutely love it! What a gift to get such insights into the editorial process that helped shape so many remarkable writers and illustrators. Ursula Nordstrom was not only a genius, but a hilarious one as well. I have so thoroughly enjoyed reading her entreaties to her writers. When they shine she is full of witty praise. When they don't, she charms and cajoles them into trying another direction. And you can tell she was always moving a hundred miles and hour trying to keep everything and everyone on track. Here's one of my favorites to Ruth Krauss who is not sure she wants to write another picture book: "But after all, we should not take our personal problems into consideration but think instead of the CHILDREN. Think of all the babies born in 1949 who, but the fall of 1953, will be just the right age to love your 1953 book. Good Heavens, think of all the babies being born AT THIS VERY MINUTE on May 1, 1952! They too will be wandering around in 1956 looking for a new Krauss book. Several have been born since I stopped typing that last sentence, wondering how the dickens to wind up this crazy but heartfelt paragraph." Anyone who enjoys or is curious about the creative process of book writing - or anything really - will love this book. Genius rarely comes out of nowhere and it's a great reminder that we all need a great coach or a great editor to keep doing our best.

To know of Ursula Nordstrom is to long for an editor worth writing. Nordstrom, the director of Harper's Department of Books for Boys and Girls from 1940-1973, is responsible for the careers and celebrity of many writers and artists during her tenure. From Maurice Sendak, who she "discovered" in an FAO Schwartz window, to E.B. White, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Shell Silverstein, and more, there are her collected letters in Dear Genius. Thanks to Leonard S. Marcus, the title is apt, as review of a few of the telegrams, dictations, and hasty directions show. Nordstrom's words and sentiments are the stuff of balm and gust. From a letter to E.B. White, October 23rd, 1952:Dear Andy:Thanks for your letter...I am absolutely sure that most children will love the book, even more than Stuart Little. The children I know love it, including one tough nine-year-old boy who states it is his favorite book. Please don't worry at all about the children.Rumors have reached me that Miss Anne Carroll Moore has certain reservations about Charlotte's Web. As her reservations about Stuart Little preceded a wonderful success for that book I am taking all this as good news for Charlotte's Web. (I would not mention this but someone may quote Miss Moore to you.) Well, Eudora Welty said the book was perfect for anyone over eight or under eighty, and that leaves Miss Moore out as she is a girl of eighty-two.I will stop writing you so many letters soon.Yours,Nordstrom was not only quelling the criticism of Miss Carroll Moore, then, a powerful voice from the American Librarians Association, but also dropping a bit of a plum from Welty's positive review in the New York Times of Charlotte's Web from four days earlier. E.B. White, we know living somewhat isolated at this time, may or may not have seen Welty's review so quickly.I've read the entirety of Dear Genius, and while Nordstrom was obviously being paid to cajole and communicate, her artful compliments leave me shame-faced. I suspect I write quadruply longer emails and find not half so much opportunity to hone my skills at complimenting others.Expanded review of the written letter as book format: [...]

Leonard S. Marcus deserves serious recognition for putting together this invaluable and really enjoyable collection of Nordstrom's letters. The book contains a great deal of fascinating advice and insight from the one of the children's publishing world's best, most daring and most entertaining editors. Well worth a read.

An amazing journey of communication with all sorts of (mostly) creative types - writers, illustrators of Children's books in the US from the 1940s-70s... toplined by such amazing talents as Maurice Sendak (Where the wild things are ) and EB White (Charlotte's web) which in a way also documents the process of these and more classics of children's literature - a sort of 'editors point of view -behind the scenes'... The navigation of creative egos and the creation of meaningful content while being competitive with other children's publishers formed the main focus of Ms. Nordstroms life and it was a very full one indeed! Great to get to know her- kind, sympathetic, self-deprecating, witty and sharp at her job- these qualities kept her at the top of her game and these make for a great insight in living a creative life! Recommended for all creative people especially in the children's book business and especially editors and publishers!

Wonderful book! Explores the good old days of editor/creator experiences. All the books you loved as a child, from Laura Ingalls Wilder to Maurice Sendak. What an expansive, impactful career.

Incredible read.

児童書の名編集長が、作家や挿絵画家達に宛てた数々の手紙をまとめたもの。どの手紙もウイットに富み印象深いが、中でも一番数が多く一番親しみに満ちているのは、モーリス・センダックに宛てたもの。この絵本界の権威も、若い頃は自信を失い落ち込んでいた日々があったようだ。「トルストイやメルヴィルは素晴らしい。でもトルストイにだって、センダックの絵は描けないのですよ」とノードストロムは書き送る。これを読むと、作家の才能の何割かは、名編集者あってこそ育まれるものなのだという気がしてくる。ただ、決して堅い文章ではない。彼女は天性のユーモアの持ち主。あまりの楽しさに、ときには吹き出したりしながら、一気に読み終えることが出来た。短文のメールのやり取りが主流になっている今、どんな用件も（無用の用も含めて）労をいとわず気軽に手紙で伝え合っていた時代が輝いて見える。受け取った人たちは、どんなに嬉しかったことだろう。書簡集だけに比較的やさしい英文で、おしゃべりするような調子で綴られている。英語の手紙やメールを書く際にも、またとないお手本になってくれそうだ。