In this joyous and inventive rereading of the beloved children's book
Harold and the Purple Crayon, the author of How We Change (And Ten
Reasons Why We Don't) celebrates our inherent "sacred originality" and
establishes a new framework for self-reliance.
In 1955, Crockett Johnson introduced one of the world's most beloved and
enduring young adventurers, Harold and his purple crayon. Today, we need
Harold and his penchant for creative solutions more than ever. In
Purple Crayons, Ross Ellenhorn looks to Johnson's classic for insights
and answers that can help us understand our current condition and point
the way towards solutions for healing. Purple Crayons tells a story
about America then and now, about living one's life as art; about the
powers that block us from doing so, about the pull and perils of
conformity; about serious play and too much seriousness, about what it
means to feel alive inside and what deadens our existence. It's also
about 1955 in America, all that lay before and--presciently--all that
lay ahead, as each of us struggles to draw meaningful and resilient
existences on the blank pages--the future yet unlived--of our lives.
This delightful, provocative adventure is a gift of kindness and love
that encourages us and gives us hope. As he traces Harold's journey,
Ellenhorn offers insights into our "sacred originality"--the idea that
each of our unique inner lives are worth nurturing and protecting, and
the perseverance, courage, connection, and community necessary to
sustain them. Engaging, thoughtful, wise--and illustrated throughout
with drawings from the original Harold--Purple Crayons transcends the
current divides separating us, reminding us that our fulfillment rests
on tapping into what is original about ourselves, finding ways to
express our originality, and understanding that doing so is rooted in
who we are as Americans.
