Genius, Man

This just in (which is to say, Roger Sutton announced it first):

Two Houghton Mifflin authors were among the 25 recipients of the 2006 "genius grants" handed out today by the MacArthur Foundation. One MacArthur grant, each worth $500,000, went to David Macaulay, author of 20 books for children, including the bestselling The Way Things Work. In its citation, the foundation wrote, "Macaulay's elegant drawings, wry humor, and clear descriptions of the simplest and most complex structures and machines are sophisticated and entertaining educational experiences for both children and adults." His next book, The Way We Work, a detailed explanation of how the human body works, is due out from Houghton in October 2007.

So Macaulay's now worth $500,000. Caldecott's are nice, of course, but there's something to be said for cold hard cash. Does the award stipulate that everyone you know is required to call you El Genius for a year? I hope so.