A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein

“Silverstein proved himself as a songwriter, a cartoonist, an author, a poet, a playwright and a screenwriter, and Rogak doesn't miss a beat.” —The Daily Californian

Few authors are as beloved as Shel Silverstein. His inimitable drawings and comic poems have become the bedtime staples of millions of children and their parents, but few readers know much about the man behind that wild-eyed, bearded face peering out from the backs of dust jackets.

In A Boy Named Shel, Lisa Rogak tells the full story of a life as antic and adventurous as any of his creations. Shel’s boundless creativity brought him fame and fortune—neither of which changed his down-to-earth way of life—and his children's books sold millions of copies. But he was much more than “just” a children's writer. He collaborated with anyone who crossed his path, and found success in a wider range of genres than most artists could ever hope to master. He penned hit songs like “A Boy Named Sue” and “The Unicorn.” He drew cartoons for Stars & Stripes and got his big break with Playboy. He wrote experimental plays and collaborated on scripts with David Mamet. With a seemingly unending stream of fresh ideas, he worked compulsively and enthusiastically on a wide array of projects up until his death, in 1999.

Drawing on wide-ranging interviews and in-depth research, Rogak gives fans a warm, enlightening portrait of an artist whose imaginative spirit created the poems, songs, and drawings that have touched the lives of so many children—and adults.

“Engaging.” —The New Yorker

“A tribute to the unusual life of an extraordinary man.” —The Daily Texan

© 2024 Thomas Dunne Books (Ebook): 9781429980562

Release date

Ebook: 4 September 2024