The 100 Greatest Brooklynites: 40 to 31
Sendak was born and raised in Bensonhurst during the Depression, while across the Atlantic the spread of totalitarianism through Europe saw many members of his family killed. Exposed to such poverty and death at a young age, Sendak would go on to write and illustrate unsparing books for children, who along with their parents would appreciate his candor by the millions. When he died in May, it was as a national treasure.