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Shel Silverstein Biography (Poet)

Birthday: September 25, 1930 (Libra)

Born In: Chicago, Illinois, United States

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Sheldon Allan Silverstein, popularly known as Shel Silverstein, was an American poet, singer-songwriter, children’s author, cartoonist, and screenwriter. Born during the Great Depression into an immigrant Jewish family in Chicago, he was raised under difficult conditions for the first few years of his life. To keep his mind away from the trouble, he started doodling early in his childhood. Never good in studies, he could not adjust anywhere until he entered Roosevelt University, where his talent was recognized and nurtured by his English professor. But before he could graduate, he was drafted into the army to serve in the Korean War. It was while working for the military newspaper ‘Pacific Stars and Stripes’ that he first started drawing cartoons. On returning home he started submitting cartoons to various journals, ultimately joining Playboy as a cartoonist and roving reporter, making a name in the field. Slowly, he evolved as a successful singer-songwriter, holding copyright for more than 800 songs. His children’s books, translated into thirty languages, have sold over 20 million copies, and continue to dominate best-seller lists.

Image Credit http://www.hallabintkhalid.com/author/shel-silverstein/ Image Credit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw6q79glAUo( Brent E.) Image Credit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdLWrsBiKBU(Ronja´s Dr Hook Channel) Image Credit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlro6J7IlPo( Dusty Slay) Image Credit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlro6J7IlPo( Dusty Slay) Previous Next

Birthday: September 25, 1930 (Libra)

Born In: Chicago, Illinois, United States

32161 Poets #20 Writers #73 Poets #20 Writers #73 32161

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Also Known As: Sheldon Allan Shel Silverstein

Died At Age: 68

Family:

father: Nathan Silverstein

mother: Helen

siblings: Peggy

Born Country: United States

Poets American Men

Died on: May 10, 1999

place of death: Key West, Florida

City: Chicago, Illinois

U.S. State: Illinois

More Facts

education: Roosevelt University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Roosevelt High School (Chicago), Chicago College of Performing Arts, University of Illinois

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You wanted to know

• 1

  What is Shel Silverstein best known for?

  Shel Silverstein is best known for his work as a children's author, poet, and illustrator.

• 2

  Which famous book did Shel Silverstein write and illustrate?

  Shel Silverstein wrote and illustrated the popular book "The Giving Tree," which has become a classic in children's literature.

• 3

  How did Shel Silverstein's illustrations enhance his writing?

  Shel Silverstein's illustrations were known for their simple yet expressive style, which complemented his writing and brought his characters and poems to life.

• 4

  What impact has Shel Silverstein had on literature and readers?

  Shel Silverstein's work has had a lasting impact on literature, inspiring generations of readers with his imaginative storytelling, heartfelt messages, and memorable characters.

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Shel Silverstein was born on September 25, 1930, in Palmer Square, a middle-class neighborhood located within the Logan Square area of Chicago, Illinois. Both his parents, Nathan and Helen Silverstein, were of European descent.

Nathan Silverstein, a first-generation immigrant, was the co-owner of a bakery called Silverstein Brothers, which he ran with his elder brother, Jack Silverstein, at Walton Street. Later in 1930, as the business grew, the bakery was shifted to a larger premise on N. Western Avenue and renamed as Service Cake Company.

Shel was the elder of his parents’ two children, having a sister called Peggy, four years his junior. At the time of his birth, his parents lived with Helen’s mother at 1458 North Washtenaw. Her sister and brother-in-law also lived in the same house.

Living in an extended family, Shel was raised in a noisy environment. Other families living in the apartment building were equally boisterous. Clomping up and down the stairs, they very often knocked to see how the family was doing. The road downstairs was another source of the chaos.

The greatest source of their hardship was the Great Depression which started in 1929. By then, his father had invested a lot of money in acquiring a bigger commercial space. Soon, they started feeling the pinch. For dinner; they mostly had one-day-old bread and pastries brought home by Nathan.

The situation became worse when his sister was born in 1934. With another mouth to feed, Nathan remained tense and irritated the few hours he was at home. Shel now began to bury himself in comic books. With his mother, he also listened to the radio broadcasts a lot.

In 1935, as Nathan’s financial situation improved considerably, he moved his family out of his mother-in-law’s home into their own place at 2853 W. Palmer Street. In the same year, Shel began his formal education at Charles R. Darwin Elementary School, moving to Roosevelt High School, in 1944.

Shel was not at all studious, preferring to doodle, both at home and at school. While his father despised this, he was encouraged in his artistic pursuit by his mother, resulting in a conflict between his parents. To avoid such bickering, he immersed himself more into drawing.

From his early childhood, Shel also grew a fondness for country music, often listening to Earnest Tubb on the Grand Ole Opry radio show. Playing the ukulele, reading books, and watching White Sox games were some of his other favorite occupations.

In the fall of 1948, Shel Silverstein entered the University of Illinois, studying there till June 1949, after which he was expelled from the college, possibly because of maladjustment. Next, he entered the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, where he again failed to fit in.

Working alone, he had by then developed his own style. Ideas came to him fully developed and he steadfastly refused teachers’ help. Therefore, he had to leave within one year.

In 1950, after leaving the Art School, Silverstein entered Roosevelt University to study English. It was during this period that he had his initial works, both cartoons and writings, published in a student newspaper called Roosevelt Torch. He also helped to lay out the paper.

While studying at Roosevelt University, Shel Silverstein was influenced by his English teacher, Robert Cosbey, who, on recognizing Shel’s talent, tried to develop it. But, Silverstein could not finish his course here, as he was drafted into the United States Army in 1953.

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