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In the Great Green Room
In the Great Green Room: The Brilliant and Bold Life of Margaret Wise Brown | Amy Gary
20 posts | 14 read | 18 to read
For decades children and their parents around the world have cuddled together to read Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny. While the lulling words of these stories have formed nighttime rituals for millions, few know that these classic works were part of a publishing revolution led by Margaret Wise Brown, who was renowned not only for her prolific writing and creative genius, but also for her stunning beauty and thirst for adventure. In 1990, author Amy Gary discovered unpublished manuscripts, songs, personal letters, and diaries from Margaret tucked away in a trunk in the attic of Margarets sisters barn. Since then, Gary has pored over these works and with this unique insight in to Margarets world she chronicles her rise in the literary world. Clever, quirky, and wildly imaginative, Margaret embraced life with passion, threw wild parties, attended rabbit hunts, and lived extravagantly off of her royalties. She carried on long and troubled love affairs with both men and women, including the ex-wife of John Barrymore, and was engaged to a younger man (who was the son of a Carnegie and a Rockefeller) when she died unexpectedly at the age of 42. In the Great Green Room captures the exceptional spirit of Margaret whose unrivaled talent breathed new life in to the literary world.
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Amiable
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Pickpick

This bio about children‘s author Margaret Wise Brown (The Runaway Bunny, Goodnight Moon) is a soft pick. Interesting information about her life (much of it apparently taken from her own journals) but the tone of the book was oddly stilted and dispassionate. Even the description of Brown‘s death was so curt and matter-of-fact that I read right over it and had to go back. And several of Brown‘s life choices left me questioning her judgment.

monalyisha I just read a FABULOUS picture book biography “about” MWB! (edited) 1mo
Amiable @monalyisha Oh, thanks for the tip! 1mo
sarahbarnes I love Goodnight Moon so much! 💚 1mo
56 likes3 comments
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monalyisha
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The more I learn about Margaret Wise Brown, the more fascinating I find her.

Terribly interesting New Yorker article here:
https://tinyurl.com/NYmargaretwisebrown

I just ordered her 2017 biography (tagged). When I‘m done, I‘m going to visit her papers (I had no idea they were so close!)…& maybe even try to seek out her gravesite in Maine.

Moxie is upset about the grisly rabbit details…but we‘re trying not to dwell.

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IamIamIam
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Pickpick

A bright light snuffed out way too early, Margaret Wise Brown helped revolutionize education in New York by writing education materials for students and teachers, as well as the publishing industry by introducing elegant picture books meant to connect with children depending on their age and interests. Her personal life was fraught with complicated and scandalous relationships that affected her writing and gave us the stories we treasure today.

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IamIamIam
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I am fascinated by Brown's life and had to get some lesser known books out of the library! #Unpopularopinion but I DETEST Goodnight Moon. I now understand that Brown was inspired by Gertrude Stein's repetitive style and adapted it well for children's books. I do think she's got a wonderful imagination and The Color Kittens is an all time favorite! See below for a spoiler about Robin's Room...

IamIamIam Brown had a love affair with John Barrymore's widow Michael Strange, the pen name Blanche Oelrichs adopted to write erotic poetry. Robin's Room was written to help Michael cope after her son committed suicide after losing his boyfriend. Lots of scandalous relationships for people mingling in New York society in the 30s and 40s! 5y
28 likes1 comment
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IamIamIam
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Apparently Margaret Wise Brown was a New Yorker, which I didn't know. The book says she was born in Brooklyn and moved to Long Island at age 4. I got excited... then they said Beechhurst and I blurted out loud, "That's not the island, that's Queens!" Lol... technically still ON Long Island but a city borough, and a ritzy one at that. I'm not sure the island was separated as such in 1910.

IamIamIam *NOTE: her family moved to Great Neck after Beechhurst 5y
32 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BooksandBrie
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So excited to dive into my summer read stack- once my MLIS classes are complete, of course.

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tholmz
Pickpick

I love picking up a random book and learning so much about someone whose name I barley knew to begin with. An excellent read.

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Librarybelle
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Mehso-so

I knew nothing about Margaret Wise Brown before reading this, other than her connection to Hollins University. It was nice to learn more about her, but the writing style was too choppy, repetitive and disjointed for my taste.

I do want to visit her little writing oasis up in Maine! Sounds like the perfect getaway from reality.

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Librarybelle
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"The reviews of Goodnight Moon were positive...However, the head librarian at the New York Public Library...saw little need for a go-to-sleep book; she refused to purchase the book for her library."

Wow...

Tnovo The head librarian must not have had any kids. My daughter loved Goodnight Moon 🌙 8y
19 likes1 comment
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quietjenn
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Next read dictated by being the one thing I have checked out from the library that I can't renew.

heatherkaz Omg I read the title and then instinctually recited the next line of the story 😂 8y
emilyesears We have this on a display at my work too. I'm always meaning to stop and read the summary. Looks like a lovely book! 8y
37 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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kspenmoll
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"As she sped down the slope, the book crystallized in her mind. She settled into the warm, tiny shack and dashed off a story about a child who tells his mother he is going to run away."
The Idea & writing of the Runaway Bunny happened on a hike on Greylock Mountain, MA. A book that my son loved and we acted out over & over & over...This biography is evoking so many joyful memories of reading with my son.?❤️ #MargaretWiseBrown #childrensbooks

CherylDeFranceschi 💓💓 8y
Reviewsbylola My daughter loves her books. Her absolute favorite is 8y
ValerieAndBooks Many moons ago (sorry, couldn't resist) I read a bio about her (see tag). I wonder if this newer one covers any new ground. I remember when I had my first born, received four copies of Goodnight Moon! My kids loved it though. 8y
50 likes1 stack add4 comments
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kspenmoll
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#LitsyAtoZ challenge #LetterXdone . Now that I finished reading X (Sue Grafton) - fast paced, a few simultaneous mysteries, intriguing characters & puzzles to be solved- just the right familiarity for me to relax into- began reading this biography of Margaret Wise Brown. Forward & Note from the Author have reeled me in.

50 likes2 stack adds
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meichner87
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Things I wish this book did:
1) cite sources in text, not as backmatter
2) stop telling us how people with depression make everyone else miserable

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onesmartcupcake
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At a fav local indie bookstore for trivia tonight and could resist treating myself to this! Excited to read soon!

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kspenmoll
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#bookmail #BookIndulgence #booksale
Got these at a 20% off plus gift cards from B & N last week. Couldn't resist. Starting to feel overwhelmed by TBR stacks! Help! Definitely #BookAddiction
Plus I have library holds. 📚📚📚😵

ReadingSusan Great stack! 8y
54 likes1 comment
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pocketmermaid
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Loki has joined me for #LitsyPartofOne and we're going to try to finish "In the Great Green Room" tonight.

32 likes1 stack add
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pocketmermaid
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Hooray! It just arrived! So excited to start this later. 😃

22 likes4 stack adds
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pocketmermaid
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Okay, so, the best thing ever is when you get a book shipment notification while you're hanging out on Litsy. I'm so looking forward to reading this book!

RadicalReader @pocketmermaid absolutely the most wonderful notification to receive is that items have been shipped 8y
22 likes1 stack add1 comment