Dr. Seuss, the cat behind the hat

"Illustrator by day, surrealist by night, Ted Geisel created a body of previously little-known work during his leisure hours that he called his 'Midnight Paintings,' and which is now known as 'The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss.' This irrepressible and soulful collection redefines Ted Geisel as an iconic American artist. For sixty years, his 'Secret Art' allowed Geisel to expand his artistic boundaries without the confines and pressures of commercial deadlines and influences. These paintings afforded the peaceful distraction that he craved, and through this work, the tenets of surrealism--surprise and juxtaposition--energized his sensibilities. This volume exuberantly juxtaposes Geisel's 'Midnight Paintings' with his best-loved children's books because this was how Dr. Seuss constructed his creative life--his days devoted to literature for children, his nights to letting his mind and palette wander to even stranger shores. Inevitably, Geisel created images in his private artworks that would find their way into his literary projects. Though he fiercely protected his 'Secret Art' from criticism during his lifetime, his intention all along was for these works to be seen when he was gone."--from publisher's description