Daniel Pinkwater

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Did anyone else grow up on the absurd young adult novels of Daniel Pinkwater? I remember loving his books, but the only ones I specifically remember are Yobgorgle (about the monster who lives in the great lakes, which turns out to be a giant robotic pig piloted by a Flying Dutchman-like captain), and Young Adults (about Buddhist-wannabe preteens). I like to think these weirdass books helped form my personality.

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 11 February 2003 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Love the Pinkwater. "The Snark-Out Boys and the Avocado of Death" especially.

― slutsky (slutsky), Tuesday, 11 February 2003 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I did, Nick - I particularly recall Lizard Music with great fondness - same for Fat Men from Space and The Hoboken Chicken Emergency and Wempires.

For my birthday last year I received his "Five Novels" Collection and for Christmas his "Four Fantastic Novels." Most excellent gifts.

It's odd - growing up in the rural boondocks, as I did, reading about NYC (and surrounding environs) was amazingly foreign to me - the mental images that I developed based on Pinkwater's descriptions were so far from the truth, as I discovered much later in life. But still sooo cool. It really felt as though I was reading about some foreign nation's traditions and culture - I wasn't able to reconcile the events to similar items in my life. Definitely made a serious impression on my personality.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Tuesday, 11 February 2003 22:00 (twenty-two years ago)

The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death is pure genius. Actually, most of his books are.

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 11 February 2003 22:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Daniel Pinkwater introduced me to Dadaism and a depth of hopelessness greater than I could ever hope to achieve.

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 11 February 2003 23:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Same here. And attempting was the most fun I had all that year!

― Maria (Maria), Tuesday, 11 February 2003 23:57 (twenty-two years ago)

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency ranks as one of the greatest titles for a novel ever.

― slutsky (slutsky), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 01:11 (twenty-two years ago)

6 answers and no mention of Alan Mendohlson, the Boy From Mars? Bah. It's the Greatest Story Ever Told.

― adam (adam), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 01:23 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency ranks as one of the greatest titles for a novel ever.

-- slutsky (parrisactava...), February 11th, 2003 8:11 PM. (slutsky)

i was searching for a daniel pinkwater thread, or i was going to start a new one, just to express this sentiment. this kind of gives me a chill

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 26 March 2005 08:43 (twenty years ago)

I loved him when I was 9-10. One of the few authors for that age that don't insult their audience's intelligence.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Sunday, 27 March 2005 23:05 (twenty years ago)

Favorites:

Lizard Music
Alan Mendohlson, Boy From Mars
Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death (was that the first one? there were two...the first was better)
The Worms of Kukumlima

Someday when I am older and have more money, I'd love to track down these...I had most of them in hardcover back in the day.

Lizard Music has these great woodcut prints that he did to go along with the book.

― 57 7th (calstars), Monday, 28 March 2005 00:06 (twenty years ago)

i LOVE LOVE LOVE Daniel Pinkwater. I posted a message or two to his fansite and he replied! I'm so kewl!
Adam Mendelsohn Boy from Mars was like a bible to me.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 March 2005 00:16 (twenty years ago)

Pinkwater's the greatest - everything a children's author should be. A few years ago I hunted down all the stuff that I'd read as a jr. high-schooler - The Snarkout Boys and the Baconburg Horror, the Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, The Wild Dada Ducks, Lizard Music - such a great urban proto-beatnik trash-culture smorgasbord, but, y'know, for kids! Even his jackets are funny - on the back of the Baconburg Horror slip cover is a photo sequence of Pinkwater turning into a werewolf, and on Fat Man From Outer Space he gives a lengthy description of himself (horn-rimmed glasses, banana lips, plaid jacket, bald, etc.) and then says anyone looking like that is an alien... classick.

My next cat is going to be named Flipping Hades Terwilliger.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 28 March 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

'last guru' was good

― dave q (listerine), Monday, 28 March 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

Blue Moose! He has apparel on his website, but only from the newer books it seems. I really want an avocado of death t-shirt .

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Monday, 28 March 2005 17:52 (twenty years ago)

His wife Jill is also a children's author if I remember correctly from the dust jackets...I think there was also a mention of an animal farm of some kind that they had together. The one photo that stands out to me is of him standing with his hands together, looking like a big Suburban Buddha figure, with a rinocerous standing next to him.

Also classic are the few slight variations on his name, almost like he could never decide which he liked better:

Manus Pinkwater
D. Manus Pinkwater

― 57 7th (calstars), Monday, 28 March 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

His new book, The Neddiad, is being gradually published online: http://www.pinkwater.com/theneddiad/

I read Jill Pinkwater's book Tails of the Bronx today. It has a few heavy-handed moments teaching lessons about homeless people, but is otherwise utterly charming.

― clotpoll (Clotpoll), Thursday, 19 October 2006 03:46 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

i wanted to revive this thread in honor of abbott saying she wrote a fan letter to daniel pinkwater and got a reply

― n/a, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:19 (seventeen years ago)

he's the greatest

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:21 (seventeen years ago)

oh man there's another thread about abbott's letter. anyways i need to check out his books again

― n/a, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:21 (seventeen years ago)

is he dead?

― n/a, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:21 (seventeen years ago)

so good

― s1ocki, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:22 (seventeen years ago)

i thought he was dead for some reason

― n/a, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:23 (seventeen years ago)

doesn't he review kids books on saturday npr?

― Mr. Que, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:23 (seventeen years ago)

Yobgorgle: Mystery Monster of Lake Ontario was the ones i remember reading the most

the wikipedia list seems incomplete ... wasn't there one called something like dharma bums that was about these kids who pick a store owner as their zen master?

― n/a, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:26 (seventeen years ago)

oh it's "young adult novel" ... that was a weird one

― n/a, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:29 (seventeen years ago)

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