Buzz
For many of us, Dr. Seuss was the author who first sparked our love for reading. Although we’ve previously discussed the tragic affair that led to his wife’s suicide, there are still many untold stories about Dr. Theodor 'Seuss' Geisel, the legendary figure considered the greatest children's author of all time.
10. His Disheartening Encounter with President Roosevelt
Dr. Seuss was an incredibly introverted individual. He had a strong aversion to crowds and would go to great lengths to avoid them. This fear originated during his time as a Boy Scout in Springfield, influenced by President Theodore Roosevelt and the Boy Scouts of America.
As a descendant of a German immigrant living in the U.S. during World War I, Dr. Seuss was tasked with selling war bonds. His German-American grandfather bought $1000 worth of bonds to show his patriotism for the American cause. Dr. Seuss, as one of the top 10 sellers, was promised a medal from President Theodore Roosevelt.
On the day of the medal presentation, an error occurred when someone mistakenly handed President Roosevelt nine medals instead of ten. When Seuss—the unfortunate 'number 10'—arrived for his medal, President Roosevelt, confused, exclaimed, 'What’s this boy doing here?' Rather than clarify the mistake, the scoutmaster hurriedly pulled the anxious Seuss off the stage, leaving him with a traumatic experience that lingered throughout his life.
9. 'Quick, Henry, The Flit!'
Before venturing into writing, Dr. Seuss started his career as a cartoonist for the New York City-based magazine Judge. It was there that he created a cartoon featuring a knight lamenting the appearance of a dragon in his castle right after using “Flit” insecticide. The illustration caught the attention of the wife of an advertising executive at Standard Oil Company, makers of “Flit” insecticide. She persuaded her husband to hire him, and the iconic slogan “Quick, Henry, the Flit!” was born.
The slogan gained immense popularity, propelling Dr. Seuss into the spotlight. He quickly began creating ads for brands like Gilbarco, NBC, Ajax Cups, Ford, and many more. The earnings from his advertising work helped him and his wife survive the Great Depression and also supported the launch of his writing career. Several characters that would later appear in his stories had their first glimpses in these advertisements.
8. His Outlandish Books for Adults
It’s a common misconception that Dr. Seuss’s writing talent was reserved solely for children’s books. After joining Random House, he made an unusual request to his publisher, Bennett Cerf, asking for the opportunity to publish adult literature. His book, titled Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History’s Barest Family, was just as bizarre as you would expect from a man renowned for creating children's books. It was absurd and ultimately a flop.
The book depicted the story of the always naked Godiva sisters, each in a relationship with one of the Peeping brothers. They swore not to marry until they had shared with their town the dangers of horses after their father’s fatal encounter with one. Out of the 10,000 copies printed, only 2,500 sold, leaving Dr. Seuss feeling downcast. He confessed he had intended to draw the most seductive women imaginable, but they ended up looking utterly ridiculous.
7. He Had a Fear of Kids
Despite being the author of children's books, Dr. Seuss actually found kids frightening—especially in large groups—and he always avoided meeting them. When asked why he didn’t have any children of his own, his response was, “You have ’em; I’ll amuse ’em.”
Dr. Seuss aimed to heal “a broken society” by teaching its children the difference between right and wrong. That’s why his stories often revolved around themes like greed, prejudice, stubbornness, environmental destruction, and other societal issues.
Beatrix Potter, renowned for her cherished animal characters such as Jemima Puddle-Duck, Mr. Jeremy Fisher, and Peter Rabbit, once left a young Roald Dahl traumatized when he insisted on meeting her as a child. She told him, “Well, you’ve seen her. Now buzz off!” Dahl, who later won the hearts of children worldwide with works like James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, was also rumored to have had very little fondness for children himself.
6. The Pen Name
In the fall of 1921, Dr. Seuss enrolled at Dartmouth College, joining both the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the school’s magazine, Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern. After he was caught drinking gin, the Dean asked him to step down from all extracurricular activities, including the magazine. Eager to keep writing for the paper, he began adopting the pen name “Seuss,” which was actually his mother’s maiden name. Dr. Seuss often humorously remarked that he was saving his real name for his debut novel.
However, once he started using “Seuss,” very few people pronounced it correctly. The name is of German origin and is pronounced “Soice.” Upon discovering how Americans pronounced his name, Dr. Seuss decided not to correct it, believing the mispronunciation was an advantage for someone writing children’s books, as it sounded similar to Mother Goose.
5. The Butter Battle Book
Dr. Seuss’s most contentious book, The Butter Battle Book, published in 1989, was a powerful allegory of the Cold War arms race. It stirred up so much controversy that it was banned in parts of the United States and Canada. The story centers on two communities, the Yooks and the Zooks, who live on opposite sides of a wall and fight over the correct way to eat bread. The conflict escalates when both sides create weapons and launch attacks on each other. The book concludes with both sides on the brink of dropping bombs on one another.
In the book, Dr. Seuss depicts war as senseless. The wall separating the two communities can be interpreted as a reference to the Berlin Wall, bearing the inscription “Yooks are not Zooks. Keep your butter side up!” When asked why the book didn’t have a happy ending, Dr. Seuss explained, “I would have gotten into dishonesty. That’s the situation as it is.”
4. The Racist Seuss
World War II marked a time in American history when it was socially acceptable for artists to be openly racist toward the Japanese. Dr. Seuss, along with other artists, contributed to this with his inflammatory cartoons. His work wasn’t limited to mocking the Japanese; he also ridiculed Adolf Hitler and other U.S. enemies during the war. However, his anti-Japanese cartoons were especially controversial due to their blatant racism, depicting every Japanese character with slanted eyes, a pig’s nose, and buck teeth. Dr. Seuss even urged Americans to “wipe that sneer off Japan’s face” by purchasing war bonds.
After the war, Dr. Seuss regretted the racist cartoons he had created. This remorse played a significant role in his decision to write Horton Hears a Who!, which he dedicated to a Japanese friend. The book was conceived as an apology to the Japanese people for the racial prejudice reflected in his wartime cartoons.
3. The Everlasting Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel, known to the world as Dr. Seuss, passed away in September 1991 at the age of 87 in La Jolla, California. He succumbed to throat cancer and, as per his wishes, was cremated without a memorial service held in his honor. The last book he published before his death, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, has since become a popular gift for graduates, offering inspiration as they embark on new journeys.
Though Dr. Seuss is no longer with us, his influence endures. His legacy continues to shape the lives of many adults who were introduced to reading through his work as children. In 2013, a long-forgotten manuscript written by Dr. Seuss was discovered by his widow, Audrey, and his secretary, Claudia Prescott, in his home. The manuscript, found among a collection of sketches and stories, led to the publication of three books. The first, What Pet Should I Get?, was released in July 2015.
2. Dr. Seuss and Politics
Dr. Seuss was a liberal who often infused his personal beliefs into his stories, which sometimes sparked controversy due to the political messages in his books. In Horton Hears a Who!, when Horton is ridiculed by his friends for protecting the citizens of Whoville, he responds with, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” This phrase would later be co-opted by anti-abortion activists as their slogan. His wife, Audrey, was troubled by this and insisted that neither she nor her husband would let his characters be exploited for political agendas.
Dr. Seuss also made a memorable contribution to the end of Nixon’s presidency. During the Watergate scandal, he sent a version of his poem “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!” to his friend Art Buchwald at the Washington Post, replacing Marvin K. Mooney with “Richard M. Nixon” in the title. Buchwald published the poem, and as recently as 2009, British politician Daniel Hannan used the poem to ridicule Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
1. Private Snafu
During World War II, the U.S. Army aimed to educate new recruits on topics like hygiene, military gear, and war zone dangers. They enlisted the help of filmmaker Frank Capra to produce propaganda videos. Capra teamed up with Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Dr. Seuss, and Bob Clampett to create the animated short Private Snafu.
Private Snafu is far from an ideal soldier—he's talkative, lazy, and often causes trouble for his fellow soldiers. The character was voiced by Mel Blanc, the legendary voice behind Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny. Dr. Seuss penned the scripts for the 27 short films produced between 1943 and 1946. One of the last episodes, Going Home, was withheld from release in 1944 due to its mention of a powerful secret bomb the United States planned to use against Japan.
