This person died in 2012, age 83. As he grew up – working class, Jewish, gay — he felt shunted to the margins. His book’s characters were described as headstrong and sometimes obnoxious. In the second half of his career, he was renowned as a designer of theatrical sets. In 1963 he published the children’s picture book sensation “Where the Wild Things Are.” Today’s dead celebrity is Maurice Sendak. 
Links: Transcript of this episode Maurice Sendak Obituary in the New York Times Famous & Gravy official website Follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn HPB.com Maurice Sendak books at Half Price Books Stephen Colbert interviews Maurice Sendak Maurice Sendak on Fresh Air Film trailer for Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are
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