美国国家公共电台 NPR 'Goodnight Moon' Author Margaret Wise Brown Was No Old Lady Whispering Hush

 

LOURDES GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST: 

Margaret Wise Brown's children's books are some of the most loved. Here's a hint to help you think of one - just two words - "Goodnight Moon." There are countless¹ others, including "Runaway² Bunny," which happens to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year. And now a previously³ unpublished book called "North, South, East, West" will hit the shelves and bedside tables this week.

Our books editor Barrie Hardymon joins us to chat about that new book and the fascinating woman who wrote it.

Hey there.

BARRIE HARDYMON, BYLINE⁴: Hi.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: So tell us about her.

HARDYMON: I think most people think that Margaret Wise Brown was, like, the old lady whispering hush⁵ in the "Goodnight Moon" books. But first of all, she was actually kind of a babe. And second of all, in real life, she was this really intrepid⁶ woman. She was quite adventurous⁷. There's a new biography out of her now by Amy Gary called "In The Great Green Room." And in that biography, we come to find out that she was this real rebel in a lot of ways. She was born into a world of privilege but was this very mischievous⁸ child who drank and smoked and then went on to pursue a really quite successful career in children's literature.

But the interesting thing is she actually really wanted to succeed as a writer for adults and wasn't that fond of children. In fact, at one point she told a reporter that she didn't especially like children and that she wouldn't let anybody get away with anything just because they're little.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: I think to some people who don't like "Goodnight Moon," who actively⁹ hate "Goodnight Moon," that would not be surprising (laughter).

HARDYMON: Right, right. Well, because the sound of these books can be quite odd. She is a very, very strange woman, and her life kind of reflected that. My favorite anecdote¹⁰ about her comes at her death, actually. She died at the age of 42. She had these tumultuous relationships with both men and women. And when she finally found love with this man named James Stillman Rockefeller - he was of the actual Rockefeller - junior...

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Oh.

HARDYMON: And on their honeymoon¹¹, she was meeting him to go on this three-year, round-the-world trip. She...

GARCIA-NAVARRO: As you do.

HARDYMON: Right - As one does, as one does. She had an emergency appendectomy and was on bed rest. And when it came time to leave the hospital, a nurse asked her how she was feeling. She kicked up her leg like a Rockette and loosed a blood clot¹²...

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Oh.

HARDYMON: ...That killed her almost immediately. So it is certainly a telling anecdote about her.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: This irrepressible spirit, this rebel almost - what do you think about her life and her work appeals to children?

HARDYMON: First of all, the thing that sometimes annoys parents, the incredibly spare style - part of that is that she was part of this - you know, her friends included playwrights¹³ and New Yorker editors and, you know, Gertrude Stein was her idol¹⁴. So there's - I think it influenced her style very much. But I think there's this other layer to it, which I think you can see with "The Runaway Bunny," which is this book that people either find very reassuring¹⁵ or...

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Terrifying.

HARDYMON: ...Completely terrifying, where a little bunny who is about to - you know, wants to run away. And children have that feeling. But then the mother says, I will always run after you. And each page is another place that she will find it. So children want that sense of independence. They want to get away, and yet they also want to know, like at the end of the book, that Mom is there and she's got carrot snacks.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: You actually gave me "North, South, East, West," and I read it to my 4-year-old. And she loved it. And that's a different kind of book than "Runway Bunny."

HARDYMON: It's almost like a bookend - right? - to "Runaway Bunny."

GARCIA-NAVARRO: A little bit.

HARDYMON: It's sort of the same set up with birds. So there's a little bird who wants to discover the world. He tries north. He tries south. He tries west. But of course, he wants to be east, which is where home is. And there's this lovely ending where the little bird moves on and is telling the same story of "North, South, East, West" to her own eggs as they're hatching out into the world.

So it's a little less intense than the mother bunny following you all over the world. And that is the thing, I think, that really appeals to parents when it does, which is that this relationship that you're having with your child - you are - it's - they're striving for independence. You're trying to keep them safe. You are marching further and further towards separation. And so - and it's sort of a pleasure to read an author who really understands that the process of parenting is - the real heartache of it is that you are going to lose some part of your child as they...

GARCIA-NAVARRO: This is making me so sad.

HARDYMON: I know. I know. But I also think there is this sort of wonderful thing - right? - that kids also can see that the world is so wide.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yes.

HARDYMON: You know, my - I read, of course, "Goodnight Moon" to my littlest guy. And when you get to that bit, you know, goodnight, nobody. He said - Mama, who's nobody? And it's like, well, guess what. Infinity¹⁶ is out there, my friend. But I'm right here. And that's kind of this wonderful thing - right? - that she gave us these wonderful books that showed children the width of the world and give parents and children the feeling that they still will always be together.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Barrie Hardymon on the very deep books of Margaret Wise Brown. She is our books editor here at WEEKEND EDITION.

HARDYMON: Thanks, Lulu.

1 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

2 runaway   

n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的

参考例句：

• The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
• He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

6 intrepid   

adj.无畏的，刚毅的

参考例句：

• He is not really satisfied with his intrepid action.他没有真正满意他的无畏行动。
• John's intrepid personality made him a good choice for team leader.约翰勇敢的个性适合作领导工作。

7 adventurous   

adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的　

参考例句：

• I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
• He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

8 mischievous   

adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的

参考例句：

• He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。
• A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。

9 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

10 anecdote   

n.轶事，趣闻，短故事

参考例句：

• He departed from the text to tell an anecdote.他偏离课文讲起了一则轶事。
• It had never been more than a family anecdote.那不过是个家庭趣谈罢了。

11 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

12 clot   

n.凝块；v.使凝成块

参考例句：

• Platelets are one of the components required to make blood clot.血小板是血液凝固的必须成分之一。
• The patient's blood refused to clot.病人的血液无法凝结。

13 playwrights   

n.剧作家( playwright的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We're studying dramatic texts by sixteenth century playwrights. 我们正在研究16 世纪戏剧作家的戏剧文本。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hung-chien asked who the playwrights were. 鸿渐问谁写的剧本。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

14 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

15 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

16 infinity   

n.无限，无穷，大量

参考例句：

• It is impossible to count up to infinity.不可能数到无穷大。
• Theoretically,a line can extend into infinity.从理论上来说直线可以无限地延伸。