Ludwig Bemelmans (1896-1963) was born in the Austrian Tirol, coming to the United States in 1914. Although best known for his children's books, he also wrote fiction and non-fiction for adults, on subjects he knew best: hotels, traveling, and Hollywood.
He was a frequent contributor to magazines, including The New Yorker, Town and Country, and Holiday. Bemelmans was also a painter, whose art was displayed in exhibitions around the world.
"That old house in Paris that is covered with vines' still holds the irrepressible Madeline, who here manages to keep things going when everyone is sick abed Christmas Eve....The pictures are vintage Bemelmans -- brisk, energetic, and strikingly composed."
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