An Illustrated Talk With Maurice Sendak | The New York Times 

I am turning 70 tomorrow and Sendak's words about getting older are ringing more true to me than ever before. I have listened to this interview more times than I can count, and it continues to get better and better. THANK YOU Terry Gross.

I still cry when I listen to this.

This interview/conversation touched me deeply,I'm crying as I type. Living on after losing ageing parents and more recently my wife of 48 years has been the hardest thing that Iv'e ever done, I live now for my children and grandchildren, I take the time to smell the Roses , spend as much time as I can with my family and read the book's that I did not have time for when younger. Outliving loved one's is painful but my Wife Susan's courage and dignity when facing her death inspire me still.

Profoundly sobering to witness such magnificent truth from such a seemingly insignificant sound clip from casual radio chatter. Sendak speaks so eloquently, I am in tears. I fully understand all he speaks on, and empathise with the cold heartache yet wondrous glory of life, the agony of ignorance and the tease of beauty that assures absolutes. We are in such a position to experience existence, the beauty, the horror, the intrigue, all it encompasses. We are here, and it is all among us to bask within, how marvellous our predicament. I do not believe in a god or afterlife, yet I feel I can say I know more of life than any other theist who claims their absolutism. My sincerity is for what is here in the now, not what I hope for somewhere else.

artzanolli ***** English transcript for those who had trouble understanding the dialogue: *Maurice Sendak’s dialogue has an asterisk at the beginning. _________________________________________________________________ I think having friends who die, getting older, getting closer to the end of life, tests peoples faith, and it also tests people atheism. It sounds like your atheism is staying strong *Is what? Staying strong. *Yes, I’m not unhappy about becoming old. I’m not unhappy about what must be. It makes me cry only when I see my friends go before me. And life gets emptied. I don’t believe in an afterlife, but I still fully expect to see my brother again, and it’s like a dream life. I am reading a biography of Samuel (garbled) which was written by a woman in England, I can’t remember her name. And it’s sort of how I feel now when he was just being to gain his strength as a creative man and beginning to see nature, but he believed in God you see, and he believed in heaven and he believed in hell. Goodness gracious that must have made life much easier. It’s harder for us non-believers, but you know, its something I’m finding out as I’m aging that I am in love with the world. As I look right now as we speak together out my window, in my studio I see my trees, my beautiful, beautiful maples that are hundreds of years old. They’re beautiful. And you see I can see how beautiful they are; I can take time to see how beautiful they are. It is a blessing to get old. It is a blessing to find the time to do the things, to read the books, to listen to the music…You know I don’t think I’m rationalizing anything. I really don’t. This is all inevitable. I have no control over it. I have nothing but praise now, really, for my life. I’m not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. I cry a lot because they die and I can’t stop them. They leave me, and I love them more. But I have my young people here who are studying and they look at me as somebody who knows everything, poor kids. Oh god, there are so many beautiful things in the world that I will have to leave when I die but I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready. Well listen I… *I have to tell you something… Go ahead. *You are the only person I have ever dealt with in terms of being interviewed or talking to that brings this out in me. There is something very unique and special in you which I so trust. When I heard you were going to interview me, or that you wanted to, I was really really (trails off)… Well, I’m really glad we got the chance to speak because when I heard you had a book coming out I thought, what a good excuse to call up Maurice Sendak and have a chat. *Yes, this is what we always do isn’t it? Yeah, it is, it is. *It’s what we’ve always done. Thank god we’re still around to do it. Yes. *And almost certainly I’ll go before you go so I won’t have to miss you. Oh god what a… (sighs) *And I don’t know whether I’ll do another book or not, I might. It doesn’t matter. I’m a happy old man. But I will cry my way all the way to the grave. Well I’m so glad you have the new book. I’m really glad we had a chance to talk. *I am too. And I wish you all good things. *I wish YOU all good things. Live your life, live your life, live your life.

Fresh Air comes on at 7:00pm where I live. I can still vividly remember standing at my kitchen sink washing dishes and sobbing during these last few minutes of their interview. Such a beautiful and touching interview.

He sounds so sad. Even in his thankfulness he is sad. To me it sounds as though, he wishes he could believe, but somehow cannot being himself to be one. It was beautiful to listen to. I love how he describes nature.

I remember hearing this years ago and this interview changed my life

This is one of the most beautiful interviews I have ever heard.

Beautiful old age, beautiful embrace of life and death, beautiful man. He says he's atheist; it's no contradiction to say he's also Daoist. Yang turns to Yin, Yin to Yang, world without end, but each thing _with_ an end, and still--beautifully. Just a gorgeous moment between two human beings. Thank you for making this.

i had that same moment, I had to pull over and finish the interview that day. and I cried. I haven't cried in years but I was sad and happy at the same time - two emotions I have never felt together.

I love this interview because I feel the same way. Being an atheist doesn't mean you don't have a spirit or any values, it just means that you don't know what is going to happen. This interview sums it up for me immensely!

What a moving interview. I am crying right now as I am listening to this interview, which was mentioned by John Green on his podcast. The music and the words just hit me in full speed. We've been living in this pandemic mindset and environment for two years and even if this interview was done seven years ago, I just cried as this author, which has lived a long life, when he talks about loving the world and missing people.

*I'll cry my way into the grave.*

Live your life, live your life, live your life. ***LOVE***

I've been listening to this every year without fail from 2014 Ty maurice you are my hero I hope you are resting well my friend .

Wow I did not expect to hear something so raw and emotional but I’m so glad I did. He is literally the sweetest old man oh my god

That was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

Anyone else coming back to this after reading The Anthropocene reviewed?

The yearning, the groaning, the beauty, the love, and the magic are true. There has to be a source of what is and what may be. I hope you found it, Mr. Sendak, and cry tears of joy and comfort. You are a beloved child.

I've heard this wonderful interview several times and Sendak's words always drive me to weep. What an open and honest heart.

I have snot on my keyboard every time I watch this. Maurice is the typical realist with hopes of magic. He is magic and how can he think that this can end? I'm shattered, live your life.

This is not the first time that I watch this interview. I come every now and then to find some inspiration. Thank you Maurice!

Today is Maurice Sendak’s birthday. I miss him. 😭❤️

The power of words: To evoke an emotional response in a listener, resulting in laughter or, in this case, tears.

I often think, I hope I die before my wife so I won't have to miss her. Strangely selfish. :/

I hear great love. Thank you for posting this.

I seem to always find my way here. I listen to this every year or so and keep finding new meaning. Love is everything. Never stop loving. Never stop. ❤

Dear NY Times, without close captioning or subtitles to this video I cannot understand the audio. Please add subtitles or captioning to increase the accessibility to all Sendak fans.

I bookmarked this on my Motivational file! Maurice you will always live through your books.

Such sincerity and warmth.

Going through a hard time at the moment still coming back to this video thank you for your words Maurice gives me so much hope even in my dark days.

I remember when I heard this interview in 2012. I had to pull over because I was sobbing. It doesn’t get any easier to listen to

Awesome interview. Magnificent illustrations.

These words shatter me in the best way whenever I revisit this gorgeous, amazing work of words and images. .. “I’ll go before you do so I won’t have to miss you.”

Thank you so much for posting. I searched hoping to find this exact clip of this interview.

I can't stop watching this. Such beautiful, heart-wrenching, eloquent words by an equally beautiful human being.

I finally stopped crying when I listen to this. Every few years I listen to the whole interview again.

what a sweetheart.

What a great and wonderful interview.

Leave it to the Internet to turn this into an atheism debate. It's wisdom on its own merits.

Live your life, Live your life, Live your life....

This is incredibly moving.

I feel happy and sad at the same time. Its a very memorable feeling. I dont know you guys but i love each and every one of you :)

Couldn't have said it better myself. Live your life, live your life, live your life. I am in love with the world.

Brings a tear everytime I hear this.

I heard this interview twice before but never like this. Thank you so much, Christoph Niemann. So moving.

Back here for the umpteenth time. "Live your life. Live your life. Live your life." 🖤

That "Oh" she says at 3:59... I felt that. You felt that. She felt that.

Very moving... Acceptance doesn't mean you don't feel. You will and do feel however you realize you have no control over death. I'i won't have to miss you.' It's the tone that is so lovely.

"almost certainly I'll go before you go, so I won't have to miss you". What a beautiful, generous thing to say.

Beautiful illustrations, wonderful tribute. Heartbreaking.

이틀후면 모리스 샌닥이 세상을 떠난지 10년이 된다. 나는 이 인터뷰를 수없이 들었지만 매번 울게된다. 내가 더 나이들어 이 인터뷰를 듣는다면 또 다른 기분이 들겠지.

“Live your life, live your life, live your life…” ♥︎

Actually the piano music is Schubert's Impromptu in B-flat Major, Op.142 no. 3 (D.935)

The sentiment of this interview caught me completely off guard. I couldn't function 100% for a few minutes after this.

so berührend......wonderful...thank you for sharing

I've listened to Terri Gross's Maurice Sendak interview several times. She has such a talent for getting to know what a person is like. I really enjoyed reading the book, In the Night Kitchen with our daughter

Brilliant. Def Tearfull. Thank you. Best Advice.

this is one of the most beautiful things i've ever seen. thank you so much.

Very nice clip - I'm glad that this was shared by The New York Times.

This was beautiful to listen and watch

Christoph Niemann is the author of two of my son's favorite books, Subway and That's How. I'm so glad he did this.

Radiolab brought me here. Very glad I heard this. Love it love it.

Effing ell, that was good. I had no idea. Thank you.

Thank you.

"Thank God we're still around to do it" lol

Its irrelevant that he said , thank God as an atheist , i am pleased that he did and i am just as pleased that he also said he was in love with nature and cried a lot form any other reasons , he also said live your life , live your life and live your life , While in life should you only impress only one person , and even if that one person is you , you have made a difference , so to borrow a lovely phrase , live your life . cheers

man this is heavy, so inspiring. What a beautiful outlook.

Great story. Great drawings.

A clear and limpid insight into the experience of being.

its it just me...or was it interesting that he said "thank god" we still can.

Brilliant!

it's Schubert's Impromptu No. 3

thank you so much for this.

I listen to this once a year... :)

Amazing

“I’m glad I’ll go before you, so I won’t have to miss you”

1:05 "I don't believe in an afterlife, but I still fully expect to see my brother again ..." This remark brings into sharp relief just how painful it must be to be an atheist. The atheist can't believe in an afterlife because there is no God to grant him one and the universe and the human race exist purely by accident. Yet he can't let go of the hope of being reunited with his loved ones after death. How sad.

Thanks, really enjoyed this, very moving interview.

wow. beautiful... this made my chin quiver and brought a tear to my eye.

puts everything in perspective, doesn't it? we are so obsessed with petty trivia... i may have to watch this every morning for a week...

Thanks for sharing this.....an inspiring and insightful message for everyone.... on our Life and our Mortality! Live our Life!....We are Mortal, but be grateful and be appreciative on everything and enjoy every moment we live....just be Glad and be Thankful and our burden will always be lighter! :))

Maurice Sendak, what a treasure…

This should have about 10x more.

Anyone still coming back to this in 2020?

There are some many beautiful things in this world, and you don't need a god to see them.

love the "cocodrilo" with the phone on his hand

Nice little interview.

Amazing miracle man

that make me cry :(

Thank you. I am not so far behind him.

Could anyone, please, transcript what he says here on the comments? English is not my first language and it's really hard to catch what he is saying with all that weird phone sound.

Wow.

"Thank God"

I useto be an atheist, I was very hopeless and sad most of the time, It got so bad that i would often be fuming with depression and anxiety, trying to find a purpose to live for (yk, just the purpose of life in general). It got so bad i ended up in a mental asylum twice, I usually operate with a rational and calculated mindset, i'm saying that to sympathize as a former atheist, PLEASE TRY JESUS CHRIST, in some miraculous and illogical way he saved me both from suicidal attempts and a raging, agonizing and insufferable mind. (I only asked for a sign that he is real)

To his point that "non-believers have a harder time" I have to agree. Without the artificial comfort mythology brings, the non-believer has a more realistic view of the finality of death and makes life that much more special. The time to be good to one another is now, not in some marketed "after-life".

Nicki Swift should make a tragic life video on Maurice Sendak.

Can someone please tell me what piece of music this is? I need to know!

This doesn't have much to do with Atheism at all. Just a happy man appreciating life.