<p>Maurice Sendak (1928-2012) stands out as one of the most respected, influential authors of the twentieth century. Though primarily known as a children&#39;s book writer and illustrator, he did not limit himself to these areas. He saw himself first and foremost as an artist. In this collection of interviews, Sendak presents himself as a writer, illustrator, set designer, and librettist. From his early work with Randall Jarrell and Ruth Krauss through his later work with Tony Kushner and Spike Jonze, Sendak worked as a collaborator with a passion for the arts.</p><p>The interviews here, many of which are hard to find or previously unpublished, span from 1966 through 2011. They show not only Sendak&#39;s shifting artistic interests, but also changes in how he understood himself and his craft. What emerges is a portrait of an author and an artist who was alternately solemn and playful, congenial and irascible, sophisticated and populist. The man who showed millions of children and adults alike what&#39;s cooking in the night kitchen and where the wild things are, Sendak remains an American original who redefined the picture book and changed children&#39;s literature--and its readers--forever.</p>