Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones

You have to be a cold-hearted, vile, wretched person to hate Muppets. They are pure whimsy! We all grew up with Muppets in some shape or form …Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, the Muppet movies, Muppet Babies, the viral YouTube songs, Muppet illustrations on tabs of LSD, Muppet Happy Meal toys, etc.  

Muppet mastermind Jim Henson’s life story makes for a fascinating read. From starting at the most local level imaginable, to becoming part of the Disney Empire, Henson’s creative journey is inspiring. One thing that stuck out while reading this biography was how Henson often tried to move away from puppets at certain points in his career. He thought of creating nightclubs, he made abstract art films, and worked on numerous projects well outside the “Wacka-wacka” nuttiness of his most famous creations. But The Muppets are what America wanted…and that’s what we got. 

There isn’t a lot of scandal in this life story, but there is plenty of drama regarding creative control and the entertainment business. And by the end, I was sobbing, something I rarely do when reading books. If you like Muppets, I highly recommend this book. If you don’t like Muppets, I recommend going back to your job in which you probably tell sheriffs that they need to open the beach despite recent shark attacks. 

Why am I’m reviewing books every day? Because I want to! Shut up! I can do what I want! Also, I want to help raise money for Reading is Fundamental. Click here to donate!