(Lynn Abbey) Born 1948, in Peekskill, NY; Education: University of Rochester, A.B., 1969; New York University, M.A., 1971. Hobbies and other interests: "History (particularly eleventh century and the Normans), embroidery." Agent—Spectrum Literary Agency, 432 Park Ave. S., Suite 1205, New York, NY 10016. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, NY, actuarial assistant, 1…
Born 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio; Education: University of Connecticut, B.A. Hobbies and other interests: Tennis, playing guitar, biking. Agent—George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic, 65 Bleecker St., New York, NY 10012. Writer; formerly worked in bookstores, a library, and a publishing company. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Connecticut Reading Association, M…
1881–1950 Architect Julian Abele was the first African-American architect to attain professional acclaim. He enjoyed a long and illustrious career at a prominent Philadelphia firm, and many of the buildings that bear his design stamp have endured to become American landmarks. They include many of the buildings on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, as well as the Philad…
Nationality: Nigerian. Born: Albert Chinualumogu in Ogidi, 1930. Education: Government College, Umuahia, 1944-47; University College, Ibadan, 1948-53, B.A. (London) 1953. Career: Talks producer, Lagos, 1954-57, controller, Enugu, 1958-61, and director, Voice of Nigeria, Lagos, 1961-66, Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation; chairman, Citadel Books Ltd., Enugu, 1967. Senior research fellow, 1967-73, pr…
SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTHOR Born 1949, in London, England; Education: Clare College, Cambridge, M.A., 1971; attended Yale University, 1971-73. Agent—Anthony Sheil Associates Ltd., 43 Doughty St., London WC1N 2LF, England. Writer. Spectator, London, England, literary editor, 1973-77, managing editor, 1977-81; Times (London, England), television critic, 1977-81, chief book reviewer, 1986ȁ…
Nationality: British. Born: London, 1949. Education: St. Benedict's, Ealing, 1960-67; Clare College, Cambridge, 1968-71; Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut (Mellon fellow), 1971-73. Career: Literary editor, 1973-77, and joint managing editor, 1978-81, the Spectator, London; chief book reviewer, the Times, London, from 1986; editor, president, and CEO, Tuttle Publishing; editor, Element…
1944– Dancer and choreographer Senegalese dancer and choreographer Germaine Acogny is known as "the mother of African dance." She established her first dance studio in Senegal's capital, Dakar, in 1968 and has since become a major figure in African dance, blending contemporary dance with traditional African styles. She has been choreographer and artistic director of man…
Carlos Acosta: 1973—: Dancer. In one of the last, largely un-integrated bastions of high culture, Carlos Acosta has been hailed as ballet's next major star. The Cuban-born dancer, of mixed Spanish and African heritage, came to prominence in the early 1990s while still in his teens, and esteemed dance companies in both North America and Europe began offering him lead romantic role…
Surname pronounced "a-cre-do-lo"; born 1947, in Buffalo, NY; Education: Bucknell University, B.A. (psychology; cum laude), 1967; Institute of Child Development, Ph.D. (child psychology), 1974; additional study at University of Minnesota. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Unitarian. Office—Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616. Agent—Miller Agen…
1977— Cricket player Adams, Paul, photograph. Touchline/Getty Images. With an unusual bowling (pitching) style and skill beyond his years, Paul Adams gained a reputation as an up and coming cricket player in the mid-1990s. His success, however, was hard earned. In high school, opponents often laughed at Adams' method of bowling, and because he did not attend the better-known c…
Nationality: Australian. Born: Sydney, 1939. Education: University of Sydney, B.A. (honours) 1962; Columbia University, New York, M.S. 1965. Career: Writing Workshop instructor, Columbia University, New York, and Sarah Lawrence College; fiction writing teacher at University of Technology, Sydney; associate director, Teachers and Writers Collaborative, New York, 1973-76. Awards: Miles Franklin Lite…
Nationality: British. Born: Newbury, Berkshire, 1920. Education: Bradfield College, Berkshire, 1933-38; Worcester College, Oxford, 1938-39, 1946-48, B.A. in modern history 1948, M.A. 1953. Military Service: Served in the British Army, 1940-46. Career: Worked in the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, London, 1948-68; Assistant Secretary, Department of the Environment, London, 1968-74. Writer…
Agent—c/o Writers House, 21 West 26th St., New York, NY 10010. Employed in magazine and book publishing, prior to 1955; writer and translator of children's books, 1955—; Bank Street College of Education, New York, NY, Doris Orgel Writer's Lab conductor, 1985-94; Bank Street Publications and Media Group, New York, NY, senior staff writer and editor, 1991-94. Authors…
Born 1947, in New York, NY; Education: Queens College of the City University of New York, B.A., 1968; New York University, M.B.A., 1971; doctoral study, c. 1971-72. Religion: Jewish. Hobbies and other interests: Travel, reading, photography, political memorabilia, baseball, art. Agent—c/o Writers House, 21 West 26th St., New York, NY 10010. Math teacher in New York, NY, 1968-77; children&#…
(Robert Irving) Born 1913, in New York, NY; Education: City College of New York, B.S. (magna cum laude), 1931; Columbia University, M.A., 1938, Ph.D., 1961. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening. Teacher of mathematics in New York City high schools, 1932–52; writer and lecturer, 1952–; instructor at Columbia University, 1957–60, Bennington College, Bennington, VT, 1961, and S…
(Kin Eagle, a joint pseudonym) Born 1963, in Princeton, NJ; Education: Boston University, B.S./B.A. Hobbies and other interests: Comic books, cooking, tennis. Home and office—Kids at Our House, 47 Stoneham Pl., Metuchen, NJ 08840. Writer, musician, and children's publishing consultant. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. (With wife, Kimberly Adlerman, under j…
(Kim Adlerman, Kin Eagle, a joint pseudonym) Born 1964, in Niagara Falls, NY; Education: Attended Niagara County Community College; State University of New York at Buffalo, B.F.A. Hobbies and other interests: Tennis, gardening, baking, drawing, antiquing, "hanging out with my kids." Home and office—Kids at Our House, 47 Stoneham Pl., Metuchen, NJ 08840. Graphic designer, art …
Born 0027;s name Mary Ann. Education: Central State University, B. Mus.; attended Manhattan School of Music. Agent—c/o Arnold Adoff, 750 Union St., Yellow Springs, OH 45487. Writer of children and young-adult books, 1998—. Songwriter and musician in a rock band for eight years. Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award honor book designation, International Reading Association notable book d…
Born 1960, in Nyack, NY; Education: Cooper Union School of Art, B.F.A. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Hyperion Books, 114 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011. Author and illustrator of children's books. If Snow Falls: A Story for December, Pantheon (New York, NY), 1982. Ellsworth, Pantheon (New York, NY), 1983. Ludlow Laughs, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 1985. The Incredible Pai…
Born 1959, in Norsjö, Sweden; Education: Bowdoin College, B.A., 1981; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ed.M., 1986. Agent—Edith Kroll Literary Agency, 12 Grayhurst Park, Portland, ME 04101. Author and illustrator. Conducts workshops for youths and adults. Middle school language arts teacher. Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance. The Sailor's Book, Firefly Books (Buffalo…
Christina Aguilera: 1980—: Pop singer. Before her twenty-first birthday, Christina Aguilera claimed multiple platinum records, three Grammy Awards, and record sales well over twenty million copies. A former child actor on the Disney series The New Mickey Mouse Club, Aguilera made her first recording as a fourteen-year-old on a duet with Japanese singer Keizo Nakanishi. While the song wa…
Born 1938, in England; Education: Sunderland College of Education, certificate in education, 1966. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Walker Books, 87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ, England. Children's book author. Worked variously as a letter carrier, grave digger, soldier, plumber's helper, and teacher; full-time writer, beginning 1975. Commendation, British Library Association (BLA), …
OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born September 4, 1924, in Rye, Sussex, England; died January 4, 2004, in Petworth, West Sussex, England. Author. Aiken was the creator of fantasy, mystery, historical, and other genre books for both children and adults and was well known for the fictional nineteenth-century world she created, beginning with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, in which…
1967– Film and television actor and model British-born actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje came late to screen acting and made his movie debut in Congo (1995). He has since appeared in The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Bourne Identity (2002), but he is best known as Simon Adebisi in the edgy HBO-TV prison drama Oz (1997–2000) and as "Mr. Eko" in ABC's Lost (2004–…
SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTHOR Born 1959, in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, England; Education: Norwich School of Art, degree in graphic design, 1981. Religion: "I am religious but have no religion." Writer and illustrator. Runner-up, Mother Goose Award, 1985, for Bare Bear; Graphics for Children Prize (with others), Bologna Children's Book Fair, 1987, for The Great Games Book; hig…
OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born September 23, 1924, in Worthing, Sussex, England; died October 11, 2003, in London, England. Author. Alcock was a bestselling author of mystery and fantasy fiction for young adults. Her early training and career, however, was in commercial art, and she attended the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Arts from 1940 to 1942. She left school to be…
SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTHOR Born 1933, in Bronx, NY; Education: Received degree from Hunter College (now Hunter College of the City University of New York), 1954. Agent—Amy Berkower, Writers House Inc., 21 West 26th St., New York, NY 10010. Musician, photographer, children's book author. Houston Symphony, Houston, TX, assistant first clarinetist, 1956-57; photographer, 1967—; w…
Nationality: British. Born: East Dereham, Norfolk, 1925. Education: Framlingham College, Suffolk, 1936-39; West Buckland School, 1939-42. Military Service: Served in the Royal Corps of Signals in the Far East, 1943-47. Career: Bookseller, Oxford, 1947-56; literary editor, Oxford Mail, 1958-69; science-fiction editor, Penguin Books, London, 1961-64; art correspondent, Guardian, London, 1969-71. Pre…
Arnoldo Alemán: 1946—: Nicaraguan legislator and former leader. After the people of Nicaragua had endured years of political conflict and sometimes civil war brought to them by the succession of autocratic right-wing and revolutionary left-wing governments under which they had lived for decades, they hoped in the 1990s for stability and for the strengthening of democratic institu…
Nationality: American. Born: Spokane, Washington, 7 October 1966. Education: Gonzaga University, 1985-87; Washington State University, B.A. 1991. Awards: Poetry fellow, Washington State Arts Commission, 1991; National Endowment for the Arts, 1992; winner, Slipstream's fifth annual chapbook contest, March 1992; American Book Award, 1996. Sherman Alexie, whose works repeatedly underscore the…
Nationality: Canadian. Born: Trinidad, 1957. Career: Playwright, radio writer, poet, and writer of fiction. Awards: Trillium Book Award, 1999. Agent: c/o McClelland & Stewart, Inc., 481 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2E9 Canada. Inclined towards experimental and avant-garde modes in his plays and performance-art collaborations, André Alexis in his fiction both represents and …
1976— Author Ali, Hana Yasmeen, photograph. Peter Kramer/Getty Images Hana Yasmeen Ali, the daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali, helped her father write The Soul of a Butterfly, Reflections on Life's Journey. Published in 2004, the tome is less a recap of the three-time world heavyweight champion's dramatic career than a collection of inspirational anecdotes, spiritua…
1942— Boxer Three-time world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, known for his lyrical charm and boasts as much as for his powerful fists, has moved far beyond the boxing ring in both influence and purpose. Ali won an Olympic gold medal in 1960 and later tossed it into a river because he was disgusted by racism in America. As a young man he was recruited by Malcolm X to join the Natio…
(John Michael Allaby) Born 1933, in Belper, Derbyshire, England; Politics: "Left of center." Hobbies and other interests: "Reading (for pleasure as well as work), watching movies, listening to music, gardening, walking (gently!)." Variously employed as police cadet, 1949–51, and actor, 1954–64; Soil Association, Suffolk, England, member of editorial depart…
1959— Independent film producer In the 1990s Stephanie Allain became one of the most respected and powerful producers in Hollywood, holding positions at Warner Brothers, Columbia, and Jim Henson Productions. She became known for her ability to create independent-style films within the studio system, making a huge impact at Columbia as producer of Boyz N the Hood, the 1995 debut of writer an…
1960– Wine expert, educator Allen-Buillard, Melba, photograph. Courtesy of Randy McCrea. Reproduced by permission. A former model with a growing reputation as a consultant and instructor in wine appreciation, Melba Allen-Buillard has worked for some of the most prestigious institutions in the French wine and food industry, including the Institut Vatel in Lyon, and the European Centre of Int…
Isabel Allende: 1942—: Novelist. One of the most popular and widely acclaimed writers in the Western Hemisphere, the Chilean novelist Isabel Allende has been hailed as the creator of a distinctively female voice within the largely male-dominated Latin American literary tradition. In a series of bestselling novels written in the last decades of the twentieth century, Allende mixed elemen…
Surname is pronounced "Ah-yen-day"; born 1942, in Lima, Peru; Scott (stepson). Education: Educated privately. Agent—Carmen Balcells, Diagonal 580, Barcelona 21, Spain. United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, Santiago, Chile, secretary, 1959-65; Paula magazine, Santiago, journalist, editor, and advice columnist, 1967-74; Mampato magazine, Santiago, journalist, 1969-7…
(Robert W. Alley) Born 0027;s name Zoë Education: Graduated from Haverford College. Agent—Jane Feder, 305 E. 24th St., New York, NY 10010. Illustrator and graphic artist. The Ghost in Dobb's Diner, Parents Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1981. The Silly Riddle Book, Golden (New York, NY), 1981. R.W. Alley Busy Farm Trucks, Grosset &Dunlap (New York, NY), 1986. (Reteller…
Nationality: American. Born: Greenville, South Carolina, 1949. Education: Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College), B.A. 1971; New School for Social Research, M.A. Awards: Lambda Literary awards, 1989 and 1999. Agent: Frances Goldin, 305 East Eleventh Street, New York, New York 10003, U.S.A. Dorothy Allison was born in 1949, to a teenage unwed mother in South Carolina. This fact is centr…
Born 1949, in Grand Rapids, MI; Education: University of Michigan, B.F.A., 1972; Rhode Island School of Design, M.F.A., 1975. Religion: Jewish. Hobbies and other interests: "When I'm not drawing, I enjoy taking walks and going to museums. I play tennis a few times a week, like to sail—although I have fewer opportunities to do it now (I used to have more friends with boats). I …
Nestor Almendros: 1930-1992: Cinematographer. The naturalistic look of modern dramatic films, from European art-house creations to mainstream Hollywood products, is in part the creation of cinematographer Nestor Almendros. A master in the use of natural lighting and in the visual composition of a scene in such a way as to reveal the emotions and motivations of a film's characters, Almen…
Pedro Almodóvar: 1951—: Filmmaker. As notorious as he is notable, Pedro Almodóvar, long Spain's reigning king of film, has taken center stage as one of the world's most successful and original directors. His art, borne out of a childhood of bleak villages and Catholic repression, took shape during "la movida," Spain's cultural revolution …
Born 1951, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England; Education: University of East Anglia, B.A. (with honors). Hobbies and other interests: Walking, listening to music, traveling, spending time with family. Agent—c/o Hodder Children's Books, Publicity Department, 338 Euston Rd., London NW1 3BH, England. Teacher in primary, adult, and special-education schools in England; Panurge (fiction mag…
Nationality: American. Born: Lisa Reed in Kingsport, Tennessee, 1944. Education: Wellesley College, Massachusetts, 1962-66, B.A. 1966. Career: Editorial assistant, Atheneum Publishers, New York, 1966; staff writer, Garden Way Publishers, Charlotte, Vermont, 1969-72; visiting lecturer, St. Michael's College, Winooski, Vermont, 1980; book reviewer for newspapers and magazines. Lives in Hinesb…
Born in Yorkshire, England; Education: University of York, degree (biology). Hobbies and other interests: Cooking, gardening, painting, playing computer games, listening to music, growing carnivorous plants. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing Group, 1251 Washington Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Writer. Worked as a river surveyor; conservation officer in Nottinghamsh…
Linda Alvarado: 1952—: Entrepreneur. Linda Alvarado personifies the classic American dream. Born to a poor family in New Mexico, she earned an academic scholarship to college and began an unlikely career in the male-dominated construction business. She told the website for the book, American Dreams, that when she opened Alvarado Construction in the early 1970s, "the number of wom…
Angeles Alvariño: 1916—: Marine biologist, oceanographer. Dr. Angeles Alvariño, also known by her married name of Angeles Alvariño de Leira, is an expert on marine zooplankton. These are nonphotosynthetic, primarily microscopic organisms that drift in the upper layers of salt water and form the base of the marine food chain. Much of Alvariño's research…
Nationality: Nigerian. Born: Aluu, 1934. Education: University College, Ibadan, 1955-59, B.Sc. in mathematics and physics 1959. Military Service: Served in the Nigerian Federal Army, 1963-66, 1968-69. Career: Government survey assistant, Calabar, 1953-55, and surveyor, Enugu, 1959-60; science teacher in mission schools, Oba and Ahoada, 1960-63; principal, Asa Grammar School, 1967; administrative o…
Jorge Amado: 1912-2001: Brazilian novelist. "The hero of my novels is the Brazilian people," said novelist Jorge Amado in an interview quoted in the Los Angeles Times. Amado's 32 novels honored the lives of ordinary Brazilians, especially those in Amado's home state of Bahia, with sweeping historical novels and, later in his life, with humorous, lusty romantic tales…
1980— Singer Amerie, photograph. Wenn/Landov. Amerie (pronounced A-Marie) burst onto the music scene at the age of 22 with her chart-topping debut album All I Have. A dedicated singer and student of dance since childhood, she graduated from Georgetown University before launching herself into a music career. "It sounds like a cliché," she said in the biography on Am…
Name legally changed; born 1921, in New York, NY; Education: Attended Columbia University. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Broadway Books, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Lee J. Ames Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, CA, artist for animated films, 1939; ran one-man advertising agency, 1947-48; taught vocational art, 1947-48; children's book illustrator, 1948—; Doubleday &…
Nationality: British. Born: Oxford, 1949; son of Kingsley Amis. Education: Exeter College, Oxford, B.A. (honors) in English 1971. Career: Editorial assistant, Times Literary Supplement, London, 1972-75; assistant literary editor, 1975-77, and literary editor, 1977-79, New Statesman, London. Since 1979 full-time writer. Lives in London. Awards: Maugham award, 1974. Agent: Andrew Wylie, New York, Ne…
Nationality: Indian. Born: Peshawar, 1905. Education: Khalsa College, Amritsar; Punjab University, 1921-24, B.A. (honours) 1924; University College, University of London, 1926-29, Ph.D.; Cambridge University, 1929-30; League of Nations School of Intellectual Cooperation, Geneva, 1930-32. Career: Lecturer, School of Intellectual Cooperation, Summer 1930, and Workers Educational Association, London,…
Nationality: American. Born: Pastura, New Mexico, 30 October 1937. Education: Albuquerque High School, graduated 1956; Browning Business School, Albuquerque, 1956-58; University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, B.A. in literature 1963, M.A. in literature 1968, M.A. in guidance and counseling 1972. Career: Teacher, Albuquerque public schools, 1963-70. Director of Counseling, 1971-73, associate professor…
Rudolfo Anaya: 1937—: Author. An acclaimed Chicano writer, Rudolfo Anaya has become best known for his award-winning novels, such as Bless Me, Ultima (1972), Tortuga (1979), and Alburquerque (1992). Anaya, who taught at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque for nineteen years before retiring in 1993, has also published epic poems, short stories, nonfiction, plays, and children�…
Born 1969; Education: Iowa State University, B.A. (drawing and painting). Agent—c/o Author Mail, Simon &Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Derek Anderson Children's book writer and illustrator. Also worked as a designer and sculptor of Warner Brothers and Disney figurines. American Library Association/Children's Book Council Children's Cho…
1970— Actor Anderson, Anthony, photograph. Kevin Winter/Getty Images. One of the fastest-rising African-American comic actors of the early 2000s was Anthony Anderson, who broke through to fame in 2000 with roles in the hit films Big Momma's House and Me, Myself & Irene. Following in the footsteps of other modern comedians such as Bernie Mac, he created comic situations …
Nationality: New Zealander. Born: Barbara Lillian Romaine, 1926. Education: Woodford House secondary school, 1939-43; University of Otago, Dunedin, 1944-46, B.A. 1946; Victoria University, Wellington, 1979-83, B.A. 1983. Career: Science teacher, Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, Wellington, 1947, Hastings Girls' High School, 1961, and Queen Margaret's College, Wellington, 1964-67; me…
Nationality: Australian. Born: Jessica Margaret Queale, Gayndah, Queensland, 1916. Education: State schools in Brisbane; Brisbane Technical College art school. Awards: Miles Franklin award, 1979, 1981; New South Wales Premier's award, 1981; The Age Book of the Year award, 1987. Lives in Sydney. Agent: Elaine Markson Literary Agency, 44 Greenwich Avenue, New York, New York 10011, USA. The se…
1969— Graphic novelist Artists at work in the comics medium became more and more ambitious in the 1990s, expanding their range from traditional superhero themes to tackle serious fiction and nonfiction subjects. Nowhere was this trend more apparent than in the work of African-Canadian artist Ho Che Anderson, whose three-volume biography of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was, in the words…
1945-2004 Actor, singer Carlton Earl Anderson, known as Carl to his friends and family, became famous for his portrayal of Judas Iscariot in the stage and screen production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's 1970s rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. Possessed of high energy and an upbeat attitude, Anderson was also a highly respected jazz vocalist, who released nine solo albums and appear…
(Ian Peter Andrew) Born 1962, in Beckenham, Kent, England; Education: Attended Croydon College of Art; Camberwell, B.A. (with honors); Croydon Intermedia, Certificate in Animation; Royal College of Art, M.A. Hobbies and other interests: Collecting rubber stamps, exhibitions, live music concerts, comedy, cinema, theater, cycling, human rights activities, writing letters, "mysteries and the u…
1930— Writer, educator, poet, playwright Joseph Mason Andrew Cox spent his adult life in New York City, working primarily as a writer, poet, and educator. Best known for his poetry, Cox also published a three-act play, two novels, and contributed to literary journals and anthologies. He also taught for over a decade in the City University of New York system. Cox was born on July 12, 1930, i…
(Julie Edwards, Julie Andrews Edwards) Agent—William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Actor's Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. (As Julie Edwards) Mandy, illustrated by Judith Gwyn Brown, Harper & Row (New York, NY), 1971, HarperTrophy (New York, NY), 2001. (As Julie Edwards) The Last of the Really …
Born 1942, in Shoreham-by-the-Sea, Sussex, England; immigrated to Canada, 1963; became Canadian citizen, 1971; divorced; Education: University of Reading, B.A. (with honors), 1963; University of Saskatchewan, M.A. (English), 1969; attended Carson Grove Language Centre, 1975. Hobbies and other interests: Canoeing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, gardening, rock climbing. Writer, storyteller, and ed…
Part of the "Headliners" series, detailed discussions of world events in the news, Terrorism in America probes the tragedy of September 11, as well as other notable attacks and explores resultant security measures. Born 1956, in Pittsburgh, PA. Education: Bryn Mawr College, B.A. (with honors) and teaching certificate, 1978; New Jersey Institute of Technology, graduate study in…
Nationality: Nigerian. Born: Nigeria in 1939. Education: Government College, Umuahia; University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., C. Phil., M.A. Military Service: Joined the Nigerian Army in 1959: attended cadet schools in Ghana and England; officer in the United Nations peace-keeping force in the Congo; at Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; fought on the Biafran side in…
1938— Secretary General of the United Nations Annan, Kofi, photograph by Jeff Christensen. Reuters/Archive Photos. Reproduced by permission On December 18, 1996, the clink of raised champagne glasses rang through the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City. The celebration was to honor incoming Secretary General Kofi Annan, the first black African ever to have held the diff…
Born 1926, in Tsuwano, Japan; Education: Graduated from Yamaguchi Teacher Training College, 1948. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Philomel, Putnam Berkley Group, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. Artist, educator, essayist, and author and illustrator of children's books. Taught mathematics at elementary schools in Tokyo for ten years. Exhibitions: Has exhibited in major galleries and muse…
(Antonia Barber) Born 1932, in London, England; Education: University College, London, B.A. (with honors), 1955. Hobbies and other interests: Walking, reading, theatre, gardening. Agent—David Higham Associates, 5-8 Lower John St., Golden Square, London W1R, 4HA, England. Writer, beginning 1966. British Society of Authors, Friends of the Earth, Amnesty International, Greenpeace. Carnegie Awa…
Nationality: Trinidadian. Born: Mayaro, 1932. Education: Mayaro Roman Catholic School; Junior Technical College, San Fernando, Trinidad. Career: Lived in England, 1954-68; journalist, Reuters news agency, London, 1964-68; lived in Brazil, 1968-70; assistant editor, Texaco Trinidad, Pointe-à-Pierre, 1970-72. Since 1972 researcher, National Cultural Council (now Ministry of Culture), Port-of-Sp…
Marc Anthony: 1969—: Singer, songwriter, actor. Called "one of the finest male vocalists recording today," by Time magazine, Marc Anthony has pulled himself from a youth of singing with his father, standing on the kitchen table, to playing sold out concerts at Madison Square Gardens. He started out with great success in the Latin music market, and has taken this success ma…
Born 1946, in Detroit, MI; Education: Pratt Institute, B.F.A., 1969. Hobbies and other interests: Knitting, sewing, vegetable gardening, flea markets. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Greenwillow Press/William Morrow, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019. Illustrator and author of children's books. Worked variously as a potter, greeting-card designer, school bus driver, shop attenda…
Born 1956, in MI. Hobbies and other interests: Playing the cello, traveling, reading, gardening, her pet cats. Agent—c/o Author Mail, c/o Scholastic Inc., 555 Broadway, New York, NY 10012. Freelance writer. The Invasion, Scholastic (New York, NY),1996. The Visitor, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996. The Encounter, Demco Media, 1996. The Predator, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996. The Message,…
The conflict between roots and assimilation is a staple in the literature of American immigrant experience, but rarely has it been so inventively explored as in American Chica, Marie Arana's memoir of her Peruvian-American background and upbringing. Arana, the editor of the Book World section of the Washington Post, was inspired to write the book almost by accident, after finding herself ov…
Janeth Arcain: 1969—: Professional basketball player. South American players are rare in professional basketball, whose practitioners from outside the sport's U.S. home-land tend to come from Europe or Africa. But Houston Comets guard Janeth Arcain, a veteran Brazilian player, emerged as a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) star in 2000. Arcain's rise t…
Born 0027;s College; University of California, B.A., 1981; graduate study at University of California, Riverside. Office—PMB 488 20505 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, CA 92886. Children's book author, poet, storyteller, and musician. CD recordings with David Plummer include Painting My World and Dancing on the Moon, for Youngheart Music. Irma Simonton Black Honor Book, Bank Street C…
Born 1949, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Education: University of Manitoba, B.A. (English), 1970. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Penumbra Press, P.O. Box 940, Manotick, Ontario K4M 1A8, Canada. Freelance writer. Volunteer at senior citizens' home; ran volunteer horse-riding program. Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers. Vicky Metcalf Short-Story Award…
Born 1961, in Kent, England; Education: Educated in Kent and Sussex. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Faber and Faber Ltd., 3 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AU, England. Children's book author. Writer in advertising agency, early 1980s; also worked as a hospital cleaner, librarian, and reader for the blind; BBC Radio 4, contributor; Guardian, Children's Fiction Prize judge, 2003. Luchs pri…
First name is pronounced "Fe-li-che;" born 1968, in Kyabram, Victoria, Australia. Education: Graduated from La Trobe University (Bendigo, Victoria, Australia). Agent—Booked Out Speakers Agency, P.O. Box 2321, Prahran, Victoria 3181, Australia. Children's author. Formerly worked as an actor, starring in various musicals in London's West End; playing Marco Alessi …
Reinaldo Arenas: 1943-1990: Cuban writer. Viciously oppressed in his native Cuba for both his literary attacks on Fidel Castro's revolution and his open homosexuality, Reinaldo Arenas became a literary star by smuggling his books overseas. His extraordinary novels, flush with magical realism and sensual detail, won several prestigious awards abroad. Interview magazine wrote, "[Ar…
Born in Nottingham, England. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Puffin, Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England. Author of books for children and young adults. Actor and drama teacher at New Globe Theatre, London, England; has also worked as a lifeguard, computer consultant, and sports instructor. English PEN (member of steering committee). Playing on the Edge was shortlisted for the B…
1939— Writer Ghanaian novelist Ayi Kwei Armah attained international renown for his fiction in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Despite his fame Armah maintained an intensely private life and rarely gave interviews and distanced himself from discussions of his craft. Though critics disagreed about the literary merit of his English-language works, his six novels and numerous short stories pro…
Nationality: Ghanaian. Born: Takoradi in 1938. Education: Achimota College, Accra; Groton School, Massachusetts; Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, A.B. in social studies; Columbia University, New York. Career: Translator, Révolution Africaine magazine, Algiers; scriptwriter for Ghana Television; English teacher, Navrongo School, Ghana, 1966; editor, Jeune Afrique magazine, Paris, …
Born 1943, in Tasmania; moved to New Zealand, 1967; moved to England, 1974; Education: Attended Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. office—Long Cottage, Graywood, East Hoathly, East Sussex BN8 6QP, England. Author and illustrator. Exhibitions: Work exhibited at Dunedin Public Arts Gallery, 1974; Fruitmarket, Edinburgh, Scotland; Atlantis Gallery, London, Mitre Gallery, Chichester, Engl…
Born 1943, in Kaikoura, New Zealand; moved to England, 1974; Education: Attended University of Auckland, 1963, 1969, and Massey University, 1965; Hamilton Teacher's College, certificate of teaching, 1963, diploma of teaching, 1969. School teacher in Duvauchelles, New Zealand, 1964-66, London, England, 1966, and Auckland, New Zealand, 1968-69; Dorothy Butler, Ltd., Auckland, advisor on child…
Nationality: Canadian (Okanagan). Born: Penticton (Okanagan) Indian Reservation, British Columbia, Canada, 1948. Education: Okanagan College; University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, B.F.A. Career: Since 1989 director, En'owkin School of International Writing, Okanagan, British Columbia. Following in the footsteps of her great aunt, Hum-Ishu-Ma (Mourning Dove/Christine Quintasket, …
(Julia Winfield) Born 1961, in Waltham, MA; Education: Smith College, B.A., 1983. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, teaching, music, reading. Agent—Susan Cohen, Writers House, 21 W. 26th St., New York, NY 10010. Cloverdale Press, New York, NY, assistant editor, 1983–85; freelance writer, 1985–; teacher. Girl Scout leader, 1987–89; Smith College, Northampton, MA, r…
Desi Arnaz: 1917-1986: Bandleader, entertainer, producer. Desi Arnaz made his mark as the straight man of the comedic couple behind the popular 1950s sitcom I Love Lucy. A Cuban immigrant, Arnaz was also a very savvy businessman. Arnaz's talents as a singer and entertainer helped to make I Love Lucy the first great television sitcom, but it was his skill as a businessman that built the …
1966?- Comedian Diverging from the hard-edged raunchy and streetwise observational styles of other contemporary African-American comedians, Arnez J offers comic routines reminiscent of an earlier era of comedy. His improvisational comic style is primarily physical, with a strong reliance on impressions and exaggerations of familiar personalities. "J is a whirling dervish on stage—he …
Born 1949, in Elmira, NY; Education: University of Florida, B.F.A. Office—Elmira, NY. Agent—Peter Elek Associates, P.O. Box 223, Canal St. Station, New York, NY 10013. Author and illustrator. Textbook illustrator, Tallahassee, FL, 1973-78; creative director and owner of a graphic design studio, 1978-81; Cycles USA, Tallahassee, advertising art director, 1981-84; Workman Publishing, N…
Born 1944, in Leicester, England; Education: Open University, graduate. Hobbies and other interests: Keeps tropical fish, gardening, photography, swimming, walking, collecting china Dalmatians. Agent—c/o Author Mail, David Higham Associates, 5-8 Lower John St., Golden Sq., London W1F 9HA, England. Science technician, quality control manager, and writer. Writers' Circle. Beefeater Chi…
Born 1947, in Moscow, USSR (now Russia); Education: Received degree, 1965; Moscow Polygraph Institute, M.A., 1971. Politics: "Hate all." Hobbies and other interests: Mushrooms, reading, hiking, cooking, gardening. Agent—Diane B. Foote, Holiday House, 425 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10017. Fine artist and illustrator. Painter, 1960–; illustrator for a children's m…
(Jim Arnosky) Born 1946, in New York, NY; Education: Attended high school in Pennsylvania. Hobbies and other interests: Collecting old fishing tackle and old boats, "not classic boats—just lovely old boats." Agent—c/o Children's Books Author Mail, Penguin Putnam, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. Draftsman in Philadelphia, PA, 1964; Braceland Brothers (printers…
The defection of María Celeste Arrarás from Univision, North America's largest Spanish-language network, to the rival Telemundo broadcasting group in 2002 roused industry attention and was heralded as the start of a new era for Hispanic media. Arrarás was given a plum spot at Telemundo, and her arrival coincided with news that the National Broadcasting Company (NBC)�…
1979— Professional basketball player Artest, Ron, photograph. AP/Wide world Photos. One November night in 2004, forward Ron Artest of the National Basketball Association's Indiana Pacers went into the stands at the Palace of Auburn Hills outside Detroit. He started throwing punches after being hit in the chest by a drink cup a Detroit Pistons fan had thrown. The incident, repl…
Born 1955, in Oakland, CA; Education: University of California, Los Angeles, B.S., 1978; Harvard University, A.M., 1983, Ph.D., 1985; postdoctoral study at University of Toronto, 1985–87. Hobbies and other interests: Classical piano, ballet dancing, choir Office—c/o Molecudyne Research, P.O. Box 1302, Laurel, MD 20725. Kenyon College, Gambier, OH, assistant professor of physics, 198…
Born 1946, in Somerville, NJ; Education: Attended Rutgers University and Pratt Institute, both c. 1960s; Cooper Union, B.F.A., 1969; trained as a Montessori teacher. Frank Asch Author and illustrator of children's books, 1968—. Teacher in a public grammar school in Gondia Maharastra, India, 1972, and in a Montessori school in Edison, NJ, 1975; performer and producer with wife,…
(Brent Kenneth Ashabranner) Born 1921, in Shawnee, OK; Education: Oklahoma State University, B.S., 1948, M.A., 1951; additional study at University of Michigan, 1955, and Boston University and Oxford University, 1959–60. Hobbies and other interests: Tennis, African and Asian traditional art. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, instructor in English, 1952–55; Ministry of Education,…
Female. Agent—c/o Author Mail, William B. Eerdmans, Publishing, 255 Jefferson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Writer of children's books. Outstanding Science Trade Book selection, National Science Teachers Association/Children's Book Council, 2004, for Rocket Man. Quest for King Arthur, illustrated by Scott Caple, Bantam (New York, NY), 1988. Sea Otters, Atheneum (New York, N…
(Sandy Asher) Born 1942, in Philadelphia, PA; Education: Attended University of Pennsylvania, 1960-62; Indiana University, B.A., 1964; graduate study in child development at University of Connecticut, 1973; Drury College (now Drury University), elementary education certificate, 1974. Agent— Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency, Box 831, Hudson, NY 12534. Come Join the Circus (one-act), prod…
Born 1935, in London, England; Education: Trent Park College of Education, certificate, 1957; Cambridge Institute of Education, Associate Diploma, 1971. Hobbies and other interests: Theater, music, football (soccer), travel. Bernard Ashley King's Farm Primary School, Gravesend, England, teacher, 1957-65; Hertford Heath Primary School, Hertford Heath, England, head teacher, 1965-71; H…
1966— Chess player Maurice Ashley helped shatter stereotypes by becoming the top-ranked black chess player in the world, as well as by coaching championship school teams made up mostly of minority children. "For kids, it's what they see," he said in the New Yorker. "And they don't see black chess players—no blacks in intellectual fields at all. It&#…
Born 1960, in Schenectady, NY; Education: Rutgers University, B.A., 1983; University of California, Los Angeles, M.S. (urban planning), 1993. Politics: Democrat. Religion: "Evolving." Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, music, reading, art, theology, nature. Agent—c/o Author Correspondence, Dutton Children's Books, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. REIS Reports, …
Born in Sussex, England; Education: Camberwell Art School, B.A. (with honors). Office—The Guardian, 119 Farringdon Rd., London EC1R 3ER, England. Agent—Rosemary Canter, Peter Fraser Dunlop, Inc., 34-43 Russell St., London WG2B 5HA, England. Graphic designer and mural painter, 1973-77; City Limits, theatre editor, 1981-90; Time Out and Observer, theatre critic, 1976-90; The Guardian,…
Nationality: Australian. Born: Thea Beatrice May Astley in Brisbane, Queensland, 1925. Education: The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 1943-47, B.A. 1947. Career: English teacher in Queensland, 1944-48, and in New South Wales, 1948-67; senior tutor, then fellow in English, Macquarie University, Sydney, 1968-85. Lives near Sydney. Awards: Commonwealth Literary Fund fellowship, 1961, 1964; Miles …