Maurice is best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, which was first published in 1963.

On depression and therapy

“I couldn’t hold myself together till I left the nest and I got uptown. And everyone said, ‘Oh, you’re so talented and you’re going to get a book and you’re’ — and, of course, nothing happened as soon as I wanted it to. And then I did get a job. I worked at FAO Schwarz in the window; I did window displays … and I painted things and stuff, and then I keeled over. I just really ran out of steam and I was too frightened. I just lost it. And a very good friend of mine then paid for my first session. He said, ‘You have to help yourself.’ And I went and I stayed for 10 years. … I know there are supposedly happy people in this world. I never believed it, but I take it for granted. God knows, they’re all on television.”

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