Shel’s fans will question this book. It is a no-holds-barred memoir that may make some laugh out loud, scream, shout, and cry. And it may forever alter one’s view of success. Is this the Silverstein so many have come to know and love? Yes, because it presents his human and humorous side, and goes beyond, into the many hurdles he confronted. Told as a fast-paced narrative, it unveils a spectrum of characters. As a memoir filled with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and insights, it is the first and only close look at the legend and person. Some claim Shel was a genius, a veritable Renaissance Man. Others say he was just another pushy yid. Was he a man of character? Or a caricature of a man he created? Who was the real Shel Silverstein? Very little is known because he was a recluse. At twenty-six he was a flop, at thirty-six a millionaire€”the creator of hundreds of cartoons