Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein
Silverstein c. 1964 as featured on the back cover of The Giving Tree
Born	Sheldon Allan Silverstein (1930-09-25)September 25, 1930 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	May 10, 1999(1999-05-10) (aged 68) Key West, Florida, U.S.
Resting place	Westlawn Cemetery, Norridge, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Author poet cartoonist songwriter playwright
Genre	Children's fiction dark comedy
Children	2
Signature
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1949–1955
Battles/wars	Korean War

Sheldon Allan Silverstein (/ˈsɪlvərstiːn/;^[1] September 25, 1930 – May 10, 1999) was an American writer, poet, cartoonist, singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Silverstein briefly attended university before being drafted into the United States Army. During his rise to prominence in the 1950s, his illustrations were published in various newspapers and magazines, including the adult-oriented Playboy. He also wrote a satirical, adult-oriented alphabet book, Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book.

As a children's author, some of his most acclaimed works include The Giving Tree, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and A Light in the Attic. His works have been translated into more than 47 languages and have sold more than 20 million copies.^[2] As a songwriter, Silverstein wrote the 1969 Johnny Cash track "A Boy Named Sue", which peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. His songs have been recorded and popularized by a wide range of other acts including Tompall Glaser, The Irish Rovers and Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. He was the recipient of two Grammy Awards as well as nominations at the Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards.

His book A Light in the Attic is dedicated to his daughter who died at age 11. Silverstein died at home in Key West, Florida, of a heart attack on May 10, 1999, at age 68.