The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch): Lessons from a Life in Feathers [Hardcover]

Caroll Spinney (Author), J Milligan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2003

An inspiring message for all ages: Find your inner bird.

If you’re looking for wisdom and joy in your life, go straight to Sesame Street and heed the words of its most beloved and profound resident, Caroll Spinney, who has spent the past thirty-four years in a bird costume (and a trash can) as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.

Three decades inside a giant puppet have taught Spinney a valuable and surprising lesson:

Being a bird can make you a better person.

In The Wisdom of Big Bird, the living legend of Sesame Street describes how we can all find our inner bird (or grouch).

Each chapter illustrates a piece of useful wisdom Spinney has gleaned from a career in feathers. The lessons Big Bird teaches children every day on Sesame Street are the same ones that have brought Spinney success and satisfaction in his own life.

Warm, witty, and affirming, Caroll Spinney’s memoir proves that being a bird can make you a better and happier person.

“Every day on Sesame Street, we strive to give our innocent young audience the basis of a lifelong education. It is no accident that spending the past thirty-four years in the Bird suit teaching these lessons to others has taught me a few things, too.”—from The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Those who grew up watching Big Bird probably never gave much thought to the person beneath the feathers. But Spinney's been inside Big Bird since Sesame Street's inception in 1969, and he takes enormous pride in this honor. "Big Bird has opened up new worlds to me," he writes, and he shares some of those worlds in this simple book. He tells how he got to Sesame Street (he was working on a television show, Bozo's Big Top, and met Jim Henson at a puppetry festival) and recounts his adventures as the bird, interspersing them with basic life lessons. Some work better than others: the chapter "Find Compassion" tells the pleasant tale of how, one winter night, Spinney helped an elderly man home; yet the chapter "Eat Your Veggies," concerning Spinney meeting various first ladies, is somewhat perplexing. Although the publisher files the book under "inspiration," it's just as much a book on the ins and outs of puppetry. Amid anecdotes on traveling to China as Big Bird and learning how to dance in costume, Spinney shares little-known facts about puppets in general and Big Bird in particular. (Most viewers probably don't know there are no eye holes in the Big Bird costume. The only way Spinney can see where he's going is by looking at a tiny television monitor inside the costume, which gives him a third-person view of his actions.) With original drawings of Big Bird and friends, this is a charming and uplifting book.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Spinney tells how he got to Sesame Street, and of the mostly sunny days that followed. The book is slathered with good-humored reminiscences and peppered with pencil drawings to punctuate the story of his more than 30 furry years. In spite of a cliched "if you can dream it, you can be it" theme, this title stands out as anecdotal instead of preachy, gimmicky, or cutesy. Readers who were fans of or even infrequent visitors to Sesame Street will be heartened that the puppeteer giving a voice to Big Bird is, in mirrorlike fashion, largely gentle and very grateful for his experiences with Jim Henson and family. From recollections of his boyhood-built puppet theater, his Bostonian debut playing characters on Bozo's Big Top, and his fortuitous meeting with the founder of the Muppets, Spinney's passion for puppets, TV, and performing is obvious. He talks about taking a sizable pay cut to do what he loves-give breath to the Bird and Oscar-and holding on to one's vision and being prepared when opportunity knocks. Teens on the brink of career decisions, and maybe compromise, will find the man inside the familiar suits insightful, and the stories, especially the escapades with Bob Hope in China, delightfully simple and thought provoking.
Karen Sokol, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Villard; 1st edition (April 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375507817
• ISBN-13: 978-0375507816
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.7 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeded Expectations, May 8, 2003

By 

Timothy D Calhoun (Alabaster, AL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch): Lessons from a Life in Feathers (Hardcover)

I half saw Mr. Spinney's interview on TV the other morning and was very intrigued with the idea of the book. Having grown up (and actually recently watched a few episodes of) Sesame Street, I decided to buy the book to read on a business trip. With a title like "The Wisdom of Big Bird," many things came to my mind. I was really expecting a somewhat light-hearted "7 Habits"-type book with excerpts from past Sesame episodes explaining the philosophical ideals. This was not the case - Little did I know that Spinney (with the help of J. Milligan) would expertly tell his life with an "inside-view" as the world's best-known educational Muppet. With his tasteful reminisces of the late Henson & Mr. Hooper, Spinney brought back the memories of an era and provided me with an adult illustration of a world of pure innocence. The book provides a beautiful look at the beloved Bird and his soul. Thank you Caroll for taking your dreams and making them every child's reality!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The View From Inside the Bird, December 4, 2003

By 

takingadayoff "takingadayoff" (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch): Lessons from a Life in Feathers (Hardcover)

The Wisdom of Big Bird is an easy-to-take book about how Sesame Street got started and how it is produced, all from the perspective of the man inside the bird. For instance, I learned that there are no eyeholes in the Big Bird suit, so Spinney has to use a mini-monitor to navigate. Spinney's story of how he met his wife (several times) was entertaining, and I loved the description of the Sesame Street trip to China,with an impromptu limo ride with Bob Hope.Even the drawings are well done, by Spinney himself. Recommended!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it & want more....., May 18, 2003

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"theoneandonlyalison" (Wilmington, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch): Lessons from a Life in Feathers (Hardcover)

I just finished this book, which I have to admit I picked up because I adore the Muppets, and can't wait to read more. This book gave an initmate look at life under those comical and comforting bubble eyes. I laughed at the memories and even cried when Mr. Spinney discusses the life and death of both Jim Henson and Mr. Hooper. I enjoyed getting a unique, behind the scenes perspective on something that has had a major impact on my life. Thanks to Mr. Spinney for teaching compassion and that it is ok to be a little different and dream your own dream. The world is a better place with Big Bird, & Oscar.