Obit: Robert McCloskey

Subject: Obit - McCloskey
From: fsharpdim7
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 11:17 AM

A great writer for kids and adults. I have his pictures in my mind, and the picture at home of the Doughnut Machine that we built for the 5th grade skit.
The obit shows his first book - Lentil - was about a kid learning to play the harmonica!
Has anybody read it?
Chris

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 11:50 AM

You'll find a brief biography of Robert McCloskey here (click), and an interview here (click). I read Homer Price out loud a number of times, and the sequel, Centerburg Tales at least twice. The stories and illustrations are great fun. The "Donut Machine" story is the one everybody remembers, but there are lots of others that are just as imaginative - kind of a mix between Walter Mitty, Rube Goldberg, and Garrison Keillor. The last time I read the books, my stepson Josh was twelve. The story of Miss Terwilliger and her knit dress that unravelled provided a perfect level of titillation for a 12-yr-old boy's mind.

McCloskey also wrote and illustrated highly-acclaimed books like Make Way for Ducklings and Lentil and One Morning in Maine and others, but my favorites will always be the two Homer Price books. I hope my kids give me grandchildren some day, so I have another audience to read the Homer Price books to.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: CarolC
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 12:48 PM

He was a wonderful writer, and will be sadly missed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 01:01 PM

He must have been as old as dirt when he died--he wrote and illustrated those books a long time ago! I hope it was a long and happy life. I loved those illustrations of his. My mother gave us an oversized copy of Make Way for Ducklings that my kids loved when they were small--as I did when I was small.

SRS

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: jeffp
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 01:07 PM

I loved Homer Price! One of my favorites was the competition to see who had the biggest ball of string. I also remember one story based on the Pied Piper tale. Great fun.

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 01:48 PM

As I one-time teacher of both primary kids and middle schoolers(not to mention being a parent) his books have been very important part of my life for many years. His stories were gentle, funny, and had a wonderful sense of amazement about them. His illustrationswere even more wonderful--
I saw a documentary about him made back in th 70's, and was delighted to discover that the places and people in his stories are real--Not so sure about the doughnut machine though--

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: Nancy King
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 08:34 PM

The doughnut machine might very well have been real. When I was a kid (a very long time ago), there was a Sears Roebuck store in Washington DC with parking on the roof of the building. Just inside the roof entrance, there was a fabulous doughnut-making machine, and I spent a lot of time just watching it do its thing. At one end, circles of dough were plooped into a container of hot fat shaped like a spoked wheel, where they slowly revolved as they cooked. Halfway around, a lever popped up and flipped them over. When they completed the circle, they were flipped out onto a long metal-mesh conveyor belt, and they moved along in full view while they drained and cooled, before being tipped onto trays at the end of the belt. They were good donuts, too -- we ALWAYS bought some. I wouldn't be at all surprised if McCloskey had encountered a similar machine at some point. It's a great and funny story in any case.

Last summer, Down East Magazine had an article about McCloskey and Bucks Harbor, the setting of "One Morning in Maine." They reproduced the illustration of the street scene showing Condon's Garage and other buildings, along with a photo of the same scene today. Amazing.   Condon's is still there, having changed hardly at all. I was in Bucks Harbor shortly thereafter, and it really still looks exactly like that drawing. The storekeeper in town says many families stop in when their children recognize the scene.

There's a statue of a family of ducks in Boston, commemmorating "Make Way for Ducklings."

Robert McCloskey was 88 when he died. His wonderful stories and illustrations are a magnificent legacy for generations of children.

Nancy

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: Nathan in Texas
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 10:40 PM

I'm a first-grade teacher and read Lentil to my kids most years. Click here for a site that gives information on McCloskey, including the fact that "Lentil" is at least partly autobiographical.

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: Nathan in Texas
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 10:42 PM

Whoops, NOW I see that my link duplicates Joe's, above. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: kendall
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 06:20 AM

Some years ago I narrated the film BURT DOW DEEP WATER MAN for Weston Woods studios in Connecticut, but, they didn't really want a REAL Maine voice, so, they hired an actor. I'm still pissed off at that.

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: RangerSteve
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 09:01 AM

I thought his books had gone out of fashion. It's good to see they're still read and remembered. Lentil is still my favorite, followed by the Homer Price books. Thanks, Mr. McCloskey, for all the great books.

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: Alba
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 09:19 AM

Sad to hear of Mr. McCloskey's passing. I only, a few weeks ago sent One morning in Maine to a Friend's little Boy for his Birthday.
Such Joy can be found within the pages of the Books he has written for both Young and Old alike. Thank you for sharing your Stories with us Sir.
A
Id still be a bit ticked off too Kendall, a Maine Author, a Story from Maine but an Actor doing a pseudo Maine accent! Bet he wasn't nearly as good as the genuine thing!:>)

Subject: RE: Obit: Robert McCloskey
From: kendall
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 01:29 PM

Actually, he is a friend of mine. I don't begrudge him the work, but, why did they waste my time. (2 days)
Real Mainers never watch "Murder she wrote" because of Tom Bosley's horrible put on accent. Fred Gwynn was just as bad in "Pet Semetary". I'm surprised that Steven King would stand for that.