The wisdom of Big Bird (and the dark genius of Oscar the Grouch)

This book! ❤️



Von, two, tree, four, five...Five giant stars! MwaHaHa!

(Ok, The Count doesn't make any appearances in this book, but his long-time, original performer, Jerry Nelson, is mentioned.)

This book is every bit as charming, lovable, warm and sweet as Big Bird himself. Really, how could it not be?

Sesame Street is, of course, intended for young children. I can't say I've really watched it since I was about seven. (I clung to it for a while after I'd realized I was "too old" for it, because turning away from it was not unlike parting ways with dear friends. Luckily for me, there was still Fraggle Rock, plus numerous Jim Henson movies yet to come.) This was not before it had had a profound impact on me.

The show that was - that remains - "an experiment" in children's educational programming, set out to not only help children learn to read and count, but to instill a social awareness and understanding that children in the audience may not otherwise be exposed to until later - all in an engaging and entertaining way. Ultimately they wanted to make the world a better place. No pressure or anything.

I consider myself very fortunate to have lived my formative years when there was such a positive influence, tailored to young minds. Sesame Street and The Muppet Show contributed to who I am. Caroll Spinney played no small part in that.

The Wisdom of Big Bird carries the reader back to that time from the perspective of the man inside The Bird (and The Grouch), allowing us to appreciate the magnificent vision of what Jim Henson, The Children's Workshop and everyone involved with them set out to do, all from the inside, behind the scenes.

With his beautifully personal telling, Mr. Spinney shares wonderful anecdotes from his life as two of the most iconic characters in children's entertainment, making this memoir a true treasure.

I found it fascinating that Big Bird was originally intended to be something of an idiot as a character (along the lines of Goofy, no offense to Goofy); that it was Mr. Spinney who decided to portray him with the outlook and personality of a child instead.

When Jim Henson invited him to become a part of this experiment of a children's show that he was working on, Mr. Spinney was working as several characters on The Bozo Show. It just so happened that he'd been feeling unfulfilled there because he wanted to do something that would have a bigger impact...that would be more important, more meaningful.

He. Had. No. Idea.

The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch) is most definitely going on my Favorites list. This is a book to be treasured. I'm sincerely grateful that Mr. Spinney shared his "Lessons from a Life in Feathers" with us.

I'd recommend it to anyone who watched Sesame Street as a child, especially to those who took its messages to heart and were influenced by it; to anyone who's a Jim Henson fan and appreciates his vision; and to anyone who needs a reminder that there are still genuinely wonderful, decent people in the world who try (and succeed) to make a positive difference.