"Childhood is a tricky business. Usually, something goes wrong."

Work

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Insight & Reflection

This reflection on work by Maurice Sendak resonates across generations. It highlights a fundamental truth about human nature: our continuous search for meaning in work is what ultimately defines our character and our path forward.

About Maurice Sendak

Maurice Bernard Sendak was an American author and illustrator of children's books. Born to Polish-Jewish parents, his childhood was impacted by the death of many of his family members during the Holocaust. Sendak illustrated his own books as well as those by other authors, such as the Little Bear series by Else Holmelund Minarik. He achieved acclaim with Where the Wild Things Are (1963), the first of a trilogy followed by In the Night Kitchen (1970) and Outside Over There (1981). He also designed sets for operas, notably Mozart's The Magic Flute.

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the Quotes Archive Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.

More by Maurice Sendak

More about Work

"It's always been my hope, as an actor, to reveal only what is relevant about myself to the work."

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"Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. As a peacemaker the lawyer has superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough."

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