1962— Corporate executive Trevor Edwards is corporate vice president of global brand management for Nike, Inc., a leading athletic footwear, equipment, and apparel designer, marketer, and distributor, known as much for its popular athletic shoes as it sporty celebrity ads. With a one billion dollar budget, Edwards develops and executes Nike's global strategy; he is in charge of the b…
Born 1957, in Teaneck, NJ; Education: Art Center College of Design, B.F.A., 1982. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Music, art, sports, the environment. Author and illustrator. Egan Design, Canoga Park, CA, art director; Recycled Paper Greetings, Chicago, IL, writer and illustrator; also works as a freelance artist. Presenter at schools and libraries. Graphic Ar…
Born 1952, in Queens, NY; Education: Attended Pratt Institute, 1970-71; Parsons School of Design, graduated 1974. Hobbies and other interests: Playing the mandolin. Illustrator, 1973—. Exhibitions: "Illustrators 16," 1974, and "Illustrators 18," 1976, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY. The Porcelain Pagoda was included in American Institute of Graphic Arts Bo…
OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born January 20, 1918, in Auburn, ME; died May 22, 2005, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Librarian, educator, and author. Egoff was a widely respected authority on, and advocate of, children's literature, and was often credited as a profound influence in making the study of children's literature a respected scholarly disciplin…
Born 1949, in Flushing, NY. Education: Swarthmore College, 1971. office— c/o Author Mail, Dial Books for Young Readers, Dial Press, Dell Publishing, 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036. Children's book author and editor. (With Katy Hall) Fishy Riddles, illustrated by Simms Taback, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 1983. (With Katy Hall) Buggy Riddles, Dial Books for Young Re…
(William Erwin Eisner, Will Erwin, Willis Rensie) Born 1917, in New York, NY; died January 3, 2005, in Fort Lauderdale, FL; Education: Attended Art Students League (New York, NY), 1935. Author, cartoonist, and publisher. New York American, New York, NY, staff artist, 1936; Eisner & Iger, New York, NY, founder and partner, 1937–40; Eisner-Arnold Comic Group, New York, NY, founder and publish…
1972— Actor Elba, Idris, photograph. © Zack Seckler/Corbis. British actor Idris Elba is one of a number of foreign-born thespians who have begun landing impressive roles on American screens both large and small. Elba has made a name for himself in the United States for his compelling performance on the HBO series The Wire, which began its third season in 2004. He plays Stringer …
Born 1956, in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Education: Attended Lancaster University. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon St., Oxford OX2 6DP, England. Writer. Previously worked as a primary school teacher; presently part-time junior-school teacher in Corby, England. Smarties prize, 1991, for The House of Rats. The House of Rats, Oxford University Pr…
Born 1939, in Welwyn Garden City, Hertford-shire, England; Ethnicity: "English." Hobbies and other interests: "Work is my hobby, but I also enjoy walking, cooking, and doing absolutely nothing;" conjuring. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Barron's Educational Series, 250 Wireless Blvd., Hauppauge, NY 11788. Accountant and office manager, 1955-73; full-time freelance…
Nationality: New Zealander. Born: Grey Valley, New Zealand, 1952. Education: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 1970-74, M.A. (honours) 1975; Australian National University, 1975-78, Ph.D. 1978. Career: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Canterbury, 1981; writing fellow, l986, scholar-in-letters, 1991, Victoria University; New Zealand writing fellow, University of Iowa, Iowa City. Awards: A.W…
Nationality: British. Born: Derby, 1931. Education: Nottingham High School for Girls; Oxford University, 1950-53, B.A. (honours) 1953. Career: Journalist, House and Garden, House Beautiful, Harper's Bazaar, and Sunday Times, all London, 1954-62; since 1964 freelance reviewer, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Times, Times, and New Statesman, all London. Awards: Southern Arts award, 1981. Fellow, Roy…
Born 1952; Education: School of International Training, M.A. Office—Department of Humanities, Colby-Sawyer College, 541 Main St., New London, NH03257. Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, instructor and director of English language and American culture program. An Alphabet of Rotten Kids, illustrated by Oscar de Mejo, Philomel (New York, NY), 1991. The Cool Crazy Crickets, illustrated by …
Born 1970, in Lexington, KY; Education: Vanderbilt University, B.A. (with honors), 1993; University of Colorado at Boulder, M.A., 1996; Columbia University, M.F.A., 1999. Hobbies and other interests: Fly fishing, backpacking, songwriting, film. Agent— Alice Tasman, Jean Naggar Literary Agency, 216 E. 75th St., 1E, New York, NY 10021. Teachers and Writers Collaborative, New York, NY, writer…
Pseudonym for Anna Margaret Haycraft. Nationality: British. Born: Anna Margaret Lindholm in Liverpool, 1932; grew up in Penmaenmawr, Wales. Education: Bangor County Grammar School, Gwynedd; Liverpool School of Art; postulant, Convent of Notre Dame de Namur, Liverpool. Career: Director, Duckworth, publishers, London. Columnist ("Home Life"), the Spectator, London, the Universe, London…
Nationality: American. Born: Los Angeles, 1964. Education: Bennington College, Vermont, B.A. 1986. Agent: International Creative Management, 40 West 57th Street, New York, New York 10019, U.S.A. Bret Easton Ellis's novels to date explore the apathy, boredom, and alienation of the "brat pack" or "blank generation" of affluent white youth in the United States in the 1980s. Whether set in Los Angeles…
Nationality: American. Born: Washington, D.C., 1962. Education: Attended Stanford University. Agent: c/o Publicity Department, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020, U.S.A. Among the vanguard of emerging African-American novelists, Trey Ellis is chiefly known for his highly celebrated first novel Platitudes and the multicultural, slightly apolitical …
Nationality: American. Born: 1948. Career: Has held a variety of jobs, including country club caddy, 1965-84. Since 1984, full-time writer. Agent: Nat Sobel, Sobel Weber Assc., 146 East 19th St., New York, New York 10003, U.S.A. Labeling James Ellroy a writer of hardboiled crime or noir fiction oversimplifies his contribution to American imaginative writing. Although his earliest novels belong t…
Born 1958, in Berkeley, CA; married Ronda D. (a homemaker), August Robert Elmer 9, 1980; Education: Attended University of California at Berkeley, 1979-80; Simpson College (San Francisco, CA), B.A. (communication), 1980; St. Mary's College (Moraga, CA), postgraduate teaching certificate, 1987. Religion: Baptist. Office—c/o Bethany House Publishers, 11300 Hampshire Ave. South, M…
Born 1953; Education: University of Michigan, B.A., 1971; University of Detroit, J.D. Agent—c/o Author Correspondence, Judson Press, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851. Writer, 1990—. Has practiced law in Michigan and worked as an editor for Judson Press, Valley Forge, PA. State Bar of Michigan, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Residency fellowships,…
Nationality: American. Born: Chicago, Illinois, 1927. Education: The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1944-45; Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1947-49, B.A. 1949; St. Antony's College, Oxford (Fulbright scholar), 1954-55. Military Service: Served in the United States Navy, 1945-46, and the United States Army, 1950-52. Career: Reporter, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1949-5…
Born 1955, in Des Moines, IA; Education: Iowa State University, B.A.; University of Nebraska at Omaha, M.A. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Buying and selling antiques, gardening, reading, sewing. Writer and educator. High school Spanish teacher in Ashland, NE, 1977-79; teacher of Spanish and English at Lewis Central Middle School in Council Bluffs, IA, 1979-8…
Born 1952 in St. Louis, MO; children: Evan, Will. Office—Mary Engelbreit Studios, 1001 Highlands Plaza Drive W., Ste. 450, St. Louis, MO 63110. Artist, entrepreneur, and author. Designer for advertising agency, c. 1972–73; staff artist for newspaper; freelance illustrator, mostly for greeting cards; Mary Engelbreit Card Company (now Mary Engelbreit Studios), St. Louis, MO, founder, c…
1969(?)— Journalist With over 15 years of print and broadcast reporting on her resume, Sharon Epperson has become one of the country's most recognizable financial reporters. As an on-air correspondent for CNBC, and a contributor to several magazines and newspapers, she regularly gives financial advice to thousands of Americans. Surprisingly, she has little background in finance. �…
Nationality: American. Born: Little Falls, Minnesota, 1954. Education: Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, B.A. 1976; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, M.A. 1977. Career: Visiting poetry teacher, North Dakota State Arts Council, 1977-78; creative writing teacher, Johns Hopkins University, 1978-79; visiting fellow, Dartmouth College, 1981. Member, Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwa. Awards: M…
Born 1957; chilren: Annie Beth. Education: University of Rhode Island, B.S. (human development, conseling, and family relations), 1979. Hobbies and other interests: Reading, taking long walks, watching movies, building gingerbread houses, creating stained glass pieces, traveling. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Adams Media Corporation, 57 Littlefield St., Avon, MA 02322. Freelance children's…
Born 1948, in Cleveland, OH; Education: Kent State University, B.S. (communications), 1971; Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, M.S. (special education), 1989. Politics: "Liberal." Religion: Jewish (non-practicing). Hobbies and other interests: Animals, gardening, cooking. Agent—Lettie Lee, The Ann Elmo Agency, Inc., 60 East 42nd St., New York, NY 10165. Writer. Readin…
Born 1959. Education: San Diego State University, B.S. (biology), 1980, M.A. (ancient history), 1982; Indiana University, Ph.D. (ancient history), 1988. Office—Department of History, Southeast Missouri State University, One University Plaza, MS 2960, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Educator and writer. Earlham College, Richmond, IN, instructor in history, 1988; Wright State University, Dayton, O…
Born 1957, in Bartlesville, OK; Education: University of Oklahoma, B.F.A., 1978. Hobbies and other interests: Reading, drawing, gardening. Office—207 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO 64111. Agent—c/o Cheryl Herman, Author Promotions, Simon & Schuster Children's Marketing, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Ogilvy & Mather (advertising agency), New York…
Born 1959, in Scranton, PA; Education: West Virginia University, B. S., 1981; Antioch University, M. A., 1993. Politics: "Independent liberal." Religion: Unitarian Universalist. Hobbies and other interests: Travel, hiking, quilting. Agent—c/o Andrea Cascardi, Transatlantic Literary Agency, Inc., 72 Glengowan Road, Toronto, Ontario M4N IG4, Canada; infotlal.com. Writer and wri…
1950— Basketball player, basketball executive So much has been written and said about Julius Erving over the years that it is difficult to say what is most important about him. He will go down in history as one of the basketball pioneers who took a sport that had been traditionally played on a wooden floor and changed it so that it was played in mid-air, and he popularized a form of scoring…
Jaime Escalante: 1930—: Educator. A Bolivian immigrant who worked as a math teacher in East Los Angeles, Jaime Escalante gained national recognition for transforming the math department of a poor Hispanic high school. Escalante's unorthodox teaching style motivated hundreds of students to sacrifice their free time and other activities to study for the Advanced Placement math test…
Born in MO. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Dial Press, Dell Publishing, 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036. Actor, writer, and cartoonist. Member of Groundlings comedy troupe, Los Angeles, CA. Actor in films, including including (Russell/Craft Service), The Making of "… and God Spoke," 1993; (Reporter) Wagons East, 1994; (and executive producer) The Guys (television film), 1996…
1985– 1987– Musicians Hip-hop and classical music might seem to be at opposite ends of the cultural spectrum, but not for the young New York brothers Damien and Tourie Escobar. Classically trained violinists, they use their instruments in original music that draws on hip-hop as well as reggae, jazz, and alternative rock. Under the name Nuttin' but Stringz (sometimes spelled Nu…
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel: 1931—: Artist, activist. Though recognized as a sculptor, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel wanted to bring about peace and prosperity for the poor. He was honored with the 1980 Nobel Prize for Peace for his work to ease human-rights abuses in South America. Pérez Esquivel has devoted much of his adult life to championing fair conditions for the continent…
Laura Esquivel: 1951 (?)—: Novelist. Like Water for Chocolate, a unique novel in the form of a cookbook by the Mexican writer Laura Esquivel, became one of the surprise literary hits of the 1990s and spawned one of the most successful foreign-language films of all time in the United States. Esquivel followed up that novel with other works that, if less consistently acclaimed, displayed …
Has also written as Ahmed Yousuf. Nationality: Indian. Born: Dabhel, Surat, 1931. Education: The University of South Africa, Pretoria, B.A. 1956, B.A. (honours) in English 1964. Career: Teacher at a secondary school, Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, 1980-85. Awards: English Academy of Southern Africa Schreiner award, 1979. Ahmed Essop's fiction displays a marvelously realized sense of place an…
Erik Estrada: 1949—: Actor. Erik Estrada, the star of one of American television's biggest hits in the late 1970s and early 1980s, traded in Hollywood stardom in the early 1990s for a brand new career as the leading man in Latin TV's highest-rated telenovela (soap opera). Estrada, a native of Spanish Harlem in New York City, made his professional film debut as a gang membe…
(Nancy Elise Howell Etchemendy) Born 1952, in Reno, NV; Education: University of Nevada, B.A., 1974. Politics: Democrat. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, travel, cooking; "I'm a dedicated dabbler … particularly in anthropology, archaeology, and paleontology. In addition, I like to spend time in the deserts of the North American West." Agent—Virginia Knowlt…
Born 1951, in Walthamstow, Stow, England; Education: Attended Central Connecticut State College; Kree Institute of Electrolysis, diploma, 1986. Politics: "Independent." Religion: Protestant. Church school teacher, 1977–93; freelance electrologist; Norwalk Seaport Association, Norwalk, CT, education coordinator, 1989–2004; Staples High School, Westport, CT, social studie…
1969– Shoe and accessory designer, interior design consultant, philanthropist Referred to as the "Prince of Luxe," Etu Evans has made a name for himself as a tastemaker to celebrities. He built his company, Etu Evans, LLC, into an international footwear, accessory, and interior design company that creates luxury items and one-of-a-kind footwear for the rich and famous. The com…
Nationality: American. Born: Fort Gordon, Georgia, 1956. Education: University of Miami, A.B. 1977; attended University of Oregon, 1978-80; Brown University, A.M. 1982. Career: Worked as jazz musician, ranch worker, and high school teacher; associate professor of English and director of graduate creative writing program, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 1985-89; associate professor of English, U…
1937-2005 President of Togo General Gnassingbé Eyadéma was one of the world's longest-serving national leaders, having run the West African nation of Togo from 1967 to his death in 2005. Eyadéma's hold on presidential power in Togo was consolidated by both force and by political machination in a career that included military coups, suspicious murders, assassination att…
1928-1979 Poet Well ahead of the connections that grew between music and poetry during the hip-hop era, several generations of African-American poets drew on musical influences in their works. The writers associated with the politically oriented Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and 1970s were especially active in this regard, joining spoken words with blues and jazz in an attempt to create a disti…
1932— Fiction writer, poet Ronald L. Fair's body of work displays contradictory qualities. On one hand, he was a realistic chronicler of the lives of urban African Americans in the 1960s, one who captured the disillusionment of blacks who fled Southern white racism only to discover that Northern cities brought oppression and dislocation of a different kind. On the other, he was a lit…
Nationality: British. Born: Tunbridge Wells, Kent, 1948. Education: St. Catherine's School, Twickenham, Middlesex, 1954-67; University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, 1967-72, M.A. in modern history 1972; College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1969-70. Career: Editor, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament newspaper Sanity, London, 1973-74; freelance journalist, 1975-82; poetry edit…
1974— Actor Faison, Donald, photograph. Amanda Edwards/Getty Images. Though his role as a surgical intern on the NBC hit series Scrubs brought him major fame, Donald Faison was no stranger to the limelight. He had acted since he was a child, steadily progressing from school plays to television commercials to major motion pictures. By 2005, in addition to Scrubs, he had several films …
1949– Actor From Shakespeare to sitcoms, actor Frankie Faison has done it all. He has appeared in hundreds of roles from college stage productions to Hollywood blockbusters, from small parts to co-starring roles. "As an actor I live a life of ups and downs, highs and lows, feast or famine," he told graduates at the 2002 commencement of his alma mater, Illinois Wesleyan Univers…
Born 1951, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Education: University of Toronto, B.A., 1973, Teacher's College, primary specialist certification, 1974. Politics: Liberal. Religion: "Truth." Agent—Writers' House, 21 West 26th St., New York, NY 10010. Screenwriter, children's book author, and producer. Formerly worked as a teacher and private investigator. Writers…
Nationality: Somali. Born: Baidoa, 1945. Education: Istituto di Magistrale, Mogadiscio, Somalia, 1964; Panjab University, Chindigarh, India, 1966-70; University of London, 1974-75; University of Essex, Colchester, 1975-76. Career: Clerk-typist, Ministry of Education, and secondary school teacher, 1969-71, Mogadiscio; teacher, Wardhiigley Secondary School, 1970-71; lecturer, Somali National Univers…
1946(?)— Actor Fargas, Antonio, photograph. Dave Hogan/Getty Images. The career of actor Antonio Fargas has lasted over 40 years and has encompassed film, television, and live theater. He is most widely recognized, however, for a single role: that of Huggy Bear on the 1970s television series Starsky and Hutch. That single role brought Fargas into millions of living rooms around the U…
(Sarah Jefferson) OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born March 19, 1919, in Bucklebury, Berkshire, England; died February 8, 2004, in London, England. Dancer and author. The daughter of critic Herbert Farjeon and artist Joan Farjeon, Annabel grew up well versed in literature and the theater. Her first passion was dance, though, and she began studying ballet at the age of eleven. He…
Born in Los Angeles, CA; Education: San Jose State University, B.A. (secondary teaching credential in English); University of Nevada, Reno, M.A. (journalism). Agent—Karen Solem, Spencerhill Agency, 24 Park Row, P.O. Box. 374, Chatham, NY 12037. Writer. Formerly worked as a waitress and journalist; teacher of remedial reading in Los Angeles, CA; instructor in college English in Reno, NV; pa…
1966— Journalist, novelist Farley, Christopher John, photograph. Ted Thai/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images. Christopher John Farley holds one of American journalism's most sought-after jobs as Time magazine's pop-music critic. Farley's post gives him ready access to some of the biggest celebrities in the entertainment industry, and he has used that influence to pe…
Nationality: Australian. Born: 1941. Address: c/o University of Queensland Press, P.O. Box 42, St. Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia. Beverley Farmer made an immediate impression with her first published work, the novella Alone. Published in 1980, it had been written ten years before and was set even earlier, in 1959. Alone concerns a student at Melbourne University who has been having an affair w…
Born 1941, in Phoenix, AZ; Education: Phoenix College, A.A., 1961; Reed College, B.A., 1963; attended Merrit College and University of California at Berkeley, 1969–71. Religion: "Animism." Hobbies and other interests: Ethnology, criminology, marine biology, African culture and history. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10…
Education: M.A. (English literature). Hobbies and other interests: Acting, watching plays and films, attending concerts, reading. Has lived with assorted pets, including a rat, possums, and axolotls. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Scholastic Australia, P.O. Box 579, Gosford, New South Wales 2250, Australia. Writer. Has worked as an advertising copywriter, book reviewer and film extra; Mitchell Lib…
Born 1965, in Mount Kisco, NY; Education: Orange County Community College, A.A., 1985; State University of New York College at Geneseo, B.A., 1987. Politics: "Liberal." Religion: Roman Catholic. Hobbies and other interests: Traveling, cooking, music. Agent—c/o Author Mail, KidHaven Press, 10911 Technology Pl., San Diego, CA 92127. LEGO Systems, Inc., Enfield, CT, writer, 2000…
Pseudonyms: E.V. Cunningham; Walter Ericson. Nationality: American. Born: New York City, 1914. Education: George Washington High School, New York, graduated 1931; National Academy of Design, New York. Military Service: Served with the Office of War Information, 1942-43, and the Army Film Project, 1944. Career: War correspondent in the Far East for Esquire and Coronet magazines, 1945. Taught at Ind…
Nationality: British. Born: Newbury, 1953. Education: Wellington College; Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 1974, B.A. (honours). Career: Teacher of English and French, International School of London, 1975-79; journalist, Daily Telegraph, London, 1979-82; feature writer, Sunday Telegraph, 1983-86; literary editor, Independent, London, 1986-89. Since 1989 deputy editor, Independent on Sunday. Radio broa…
Nationality: American. Born: New York City, 1924. Education: City College of New York, B.S. 1949; Columbia University, New York, M.A. 1952, D.Ed. 1960. Military Service: Served in the United States Army, 1943-46. Career: Teacher, Manhattanville Junior High School, New York, 1949-53; guidance counselor, Lynbrook High School, Long Island, 1956-60. Since 1960 director of Guidance and Counselling, Gar…
1909-1993 Cartoonist, illustrator, writer Award-winning cartoonist, illustrator, and writer Elton Fax enjoyed a 60-year career as one of America's most celebrated black artists. He taught in colleges and universities, gave one-off lectures around the world, and became famous as a "chalk-talk" artist, illustrating his stories with spontaneous sketches; he was especially success…
Born 1965, in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England; Education: Holds degrees in education and graphic design. Hobbies and other interests: Walking in wilderness areas and on the beach, gardening, cycling. Agent—David Higham Associates, 5-8 Lower John St., Golden Square, London W1F 9HA, England. Writer and illustrator. Has also worked as an early childhood educator in England. Jan Fearn…
1933-2003 Illustrator If any man should be regarded as the personification of the "black is beautiful" philosophy, that man is Tom Feelings. Feelings spent a lifetime as a painter, sculptor, and book illustrator underscoring this message. From the dawn of the U.S. civil rights era, when he came of age as an artist, Feelings was passionately committed to the mission of encouraging bla…
OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born May 19, 1933, in Brooklyn, NY; died of cancer August 25, 2003, in Mexico. Illustrator and author. Feelings was an award-winning illustrator and author of books for young people that focus on black issues. He studied at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School, which he attended from 1951 until 1953, when he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. In th…
Born 1929, in Bronx, NY; (second marriage) Halley. Education: Attended Art Students' League, 1946, and Pratt Institute, 1947-48, 1949-51. Agent—Royce Carlton Inc., 866 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017. Authors League of America, Dramatists Guild (member of council), PEN, Writers Guild of America, East. (Illustrator) Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth, Random House (New Yor…
Born 1964, in New York, NY; Education: Sarah Lawrence College, B.A. Office—c/o Author Mail, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Television producer and author. J.B. Pictures, New York, NY, former picture researcher and editor; television work in Boston, MA, beginning 1991, including researcher and associate producer for nationally syndicated talk show …
Nationality: British. Born: Bootle, Lancashire, 1930. Education: Wyggeston Grammar School, Leicester; Newnham College, Cambridge, B.A. in English 1952, M.A. 1955. Career: Editorial staff member, Cambridge University Press, 1960-62; lecturer in English, Bishop's Stortford Training College, Hertfordshire, 1963-66; assistant lecturer in literature, University of Essex, Colchester, 1967-70. Awa…
Surname pronounced "Fine-steen"; born 1956, in New York, NY; Education: Duke University, B.A., 1977 (one source says 1978). Politics: Democrat. Religion: Jewish. Agent—c/o Esther Newburg, ICM, 40 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019. Washington Post, Washington, DC, sportswriter, beginning 1977; special contributor to Sports Illustrated. Commentator for National Public Radio and …
1985— Track athlete Felix, Allyson, photograph. © 2004 Landov LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission. American sprinter Allyson Felix became one of the star athletes of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. A record-breaking sprinter in the 200-meter event, Felix is also the first American track athlete to enter professional ranks straight out of high school.…
(Derek John Fell) Born 1939, in Morecambe, England; immigrated to United States, 1966; naturalized citizen, 1971; (second marriage) Victoria Rose. Ethnicity: "Englishman." Education: Attended British military school in Wilhemshaven, West Germany (now Germany). Politics: Republican. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, swimming, adventure travel. Agent—A…
Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; father a headmaster; Education: Sydney University, graduated. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Bloomsbury Publishing, 38 Soho Sq., London W1D 3HB, England. Writer. Worked variously as an assembly-line worker in a meat cannery, a nurse's aide, a house assistant in an orphanage, and a care-giver for intellectually disabled adults. Teacher in Dandenong …
Mary Joe Fernández: 1971—: Tennis player, television sports analyst. Mary Joe Fernández is an American Olympic tennis champion who has won two gold medals for doubles competition and a bronze medal for singles competition. She was a tennis sensation at the age of 13 and she turned professional at the age of 14. She was the youngest ever women's tennis player to win …
Joseph A. Fernandez: 1921—: Chancellor, educator. Joseph A. Fernandez has remained one of the most groundbreaking and controversial figures in the field of education. A high school dropout and former gang leader, Fernandez turned the heads of policy makers, administrators, teachers, and parents. In fact, some of the very issues he brought forth for consideration, or attempted to have im…
Agent—c/o Author Mail, Chelsea House, 2080 Cabot Blvd. West, Suite 201, Langhome, PA 19047. University of California, Davis, postdoctoral researcher in animal sciences department, 1986-88, plant pathology department, 1988-90; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientìficas, Madrid, Spain, postdoctoral researcher, 1990-93; freelance writer and translator, 1999—. American Transla…
Born 1939, in Fort Leavenworth, KS; Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Stanford University, B.A., 1961, M.A., 1962. Hobbies and other interests: Traveling, reading, long walks with friends, movies, theatre, reading books onto tape for the Braille Institute. Writer, 1977—. Veterans Administration Hospital, San Francisco, CA, clinical audiologist, 1962-63; San Diego Speech and H…
Born in Pittsburgh, PA. Education: Attended Ivy School of Professional Art and Carnegie-Mellon University. Office—1415 Parker, No. 756, Detroit, MI 48214. Artist and illustrator. College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI, associate professor. Society of Illustrators. Silver Medal, Society of Illustrators. Aaron Shepard, The Crystal Heart: A Vietnamese Legend, Atheneum Books for Young Reade…
Nationality: British. Born: Eva Unger in Berlin, Germany, 1932; came to England in 1939. Education: Kingsbury Grammar School, 1943-50; Queen Mary College, University of London, 1950-53, B.A. (honours) in English 1953. Career: Editor, Longman, 1955-57, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1962-63, and Blackie, 1964-67, publishers, London. Since 1987 coeditor, Macmillan Women Writers series. Awards: Guardian Fi…
Born 1951, in Cuba; Ethnicity: "Cuban." Education: Rutgers University, M.L.S., 1978; New York University, M.A., 1989. Politics: Independent. Religion: Protestant. Hobbies and other interests: Old movies. Agent—c/o Publicity Director, Lee & Low Books Inc., 95 Madison Ave., Rm. 606, New York, NY 10016. Writer. Newark Public Library, Newark, NJ, librarian, 1979-84; New Yor…
Born 1958, in Canada. Education: Queen's University (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), graduated; studied in Paris. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Random House of Canada, Toronto St., Unit 300, Toronto, Ontario M5C 2V6, Canada. Freelance writer, teacher, and science journalist. Silver Medal, National Magazine Awards, 2001, for article in Canadian Geographic. The Blue Roan Child, Doubleday (Toronto,…
Nationality: Canadian. Born: Toronto, Ontario, 1930. Education: Rosedale Public School, Toronto; St. Andrews College, Aurora, Ontario; Jarvis Collegiate, Toronto; Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, 1950-53; Central School of Speech and Drama, London. Career: Stage, television, and radio actor, 1951-62; charter member, Stratford Shakespearean Festival, Ontario, 1953; contract player with H.M. Te…
Born 1957, in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada; Education: University of British Columbia, B.A. (medieval studies), 1982; University of Toronto, M.A., 1987, Ph.D. (medieval studies), 1994. Office—Department of English Literature, Traill College, Wallis Hall 103.2, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8, Canada. Educator and writer. Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario,…
Born 1965. Hobbies and other interests: Recycling, composting, reading, politics and international relations, swimming. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Enslow Publishers, Box 398, 40 Industrial Rd., Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922-0398. Teacher, 1965–95; writer, beginning 1980; San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, teacher, 1985–2003. California Reading Association, California Associat…
Born 1947, in Leicester, England; Education: University of Warwick, B.A. (with honors), 1968. Agent—David Higham Associates, Limited, 5-8 Lower John St., Golden Square, London W1R 4HA, England. Writer. English teacher at Cardinal Wiseman Girls' Secondary School, 1968-70; Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, Oxford, England, assistant information officer, 1970-71; Saughton Jail, Edinbu…
(P. F. Chisholm) Born 1958, in London, England; Education: Wadham College, Oxford, B.A. (with honors), 1980. Politics: "Right-wing." Religion: Roman Catholic. Hobbies and other interests: Science, karate, embroidery, folk music. Agent—McIntosh & Otis, Inc., 475 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10017. Writer, 1977—. David Higham Award, David Higham Associates Literary Ag…
Nationality: British. Born: Stockport, 1959. Education: Cambridge University. Career: Works as a freelance journalist. Agent: Nicholas Ellison Inc., 55 Fifth Ave., New York, New York 10003, U.S.A. That Tibor Fischer's first novel was shortlisted for Britain's most prestigious literary award, the Booker Prize, may have had something to do with its subject: Hungary from the end of Worl…
Born 1968; raised in Alberta, Canada; husband's name, Steve. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Knopf Publishing, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Freelance illustrator; Alberta College of Art and Design, instructor in illustration; previously worked in illustration in New York, NY. (And illustrator) A Twisted Tale, Knopf (New York, NY), 2002. Lynn Manuel, Fifty-five Grandmas and a Llama, Gibb…
Born 1957, in Newport, Gwent, Wales. Education: Attended St. Joseph's, Newport, and Gwent College of Higher Education. Hobbies and other interests: Fencing, drawing, walking, gardening, exploring old castles. office—c/o Author Mail, Hodder Children's, 338 Euston Rd., London NW1 3BH, England. Author and teacher. Worked as a primary school teacher, broadcaster, archeological dig…
Born 1948, in London, England; Education: Attended Wimbledon County School for Girls, 1959-66. Religion: "Non-Conformist." Hobbies and other interests: Walking, reading, weaving. Agent—Laura Cecil Agency, 17 Alwyne Villas, London N1 2HG, England. Writer. British Society of Authors. Smarties Prize for Children's Books, overall winner and winner of nine-to-eleven-year-old…
Born in Pittsburgh, PA; children: Brittney. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Hyperion, 77 W. 66th St., 11th Fl., New York, NY 10023. Center for the Assessment and Treatment of Youth in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, youth counselor; Katz Business School, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, director of publications. August Wilson Short Story Contest winner; Highlights for Children writers�…
Nationality: American. Born: Thomas James Bonner Flanagan in Greenwich, Connecticut, 1923. Education: Amherst College, Massachusetts, B.A. 1945; Columbia University, New York, M.A. 1948, Ph.D. in English 1958. Military Service: Served in the United States Naval Reserve, 1942-44. Career: Instructor, 1949-52, and assistant professor, 1952-59, Columbia University; assistant professor, 1960-67, associ…
Born 1952, in Monterey, CA; Education: Attended University of California, Berkeley, 1970-72; University of New Mexico, B.A., 1977. Author. Worked variously as a carpenter, bagel baker, bookstore clerk, library aide, and proofreader. Authors Guild, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Silver Medal, Commonwealth Club of California, Golden Kite Honor Book designation, Society o…
Born 1920, in Brooklyn, NY; Education: San Diego State College (now University), B.A., 1949. Hobbies and other interests: Magic, gardening. Authors Guild, Authors League of America, Writers Guild of America West, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Mr. Mysterious & Company, illustrated by Eric von Schmidt, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1962, reprinted, Greenwillow (New…
1945— Poet, scholar "Much like Tennyson's Ulysses I would like to think that I am a part of all that I have met," Raymond Fleming told Contemporary Authors Online. The remark was a revealing one, for Fleming has been a border-crossing figure in many ways, comfortable in many realms but at the same time not quite at home in any of them. As an African-American scholar who…
Born 1953; Education: Dartmouth College, B.A., 1975; Columbia University, M.F.A., 1983. Politics: Democrat. Office—Arrowpoint 17, Inc., P.O. Box 8, South Hadley, MA 01075. Agent—Marian Reiner, 20 Cedar St., New Rochelle, NY 10801. Educational consultant, 1985—; author, 1990—. Christopher Medal, 2002, for Uncle Daddy. Fig Pudding, Clarion (New York, NY), 1995. Spider Bo…
Born 1966, in Glen Cove, NY; Education: University of Miami, bachelor of music, 1988; Nova Southeastern University Law School, J.D., 1992. Religion: Greek Orthodox. Hobbies and other interests: Volunteer work, theater, opera. Agent—c/o Author Mail, HarperCollins Children's Books, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019. Writer and attorney. Miami-Dade State Attorney's…
Born in Temple, TX; Education: Brown University, A. B. (history); coursework at Rhode Island School of Design; New York School of Visual Arts, M.F.A. office—c/o Author Mail, Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Illustrator and author. The Frightful Story of Harry Walfish, Orchard (New York, NY), 1997. Five Trucks, DK Ink (New York, NY), 1999. D…
Born 1963, in Buffalo, NY; Education: University of Alaska, Anchorage, 1999, B.Ed. Politics: Republican. Religion: "Catholic/Christian." Hobbies and other interests: Family, biking. Freelance writer, beginning 1999. Chuck Yeager, Famous Flyers, Chelsea House (Philadelphia, PA), 2003. Homes of the Native Americans, Mason Crest Publishers, 2003. The Festivals of Mexico, Mason Crest Pub…
1935— Pharmacist, entrepreneur Throughout his career as a pharmacist, scientist, and business entrepreneur, Sylester Flowers has maintained his commitment to his full-service community-based pharmacy and his inner-city clients while taking full advantage of the technological advancements that have revolutionized his profession. As founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ramsell Cor…
Born 1930, in Varsovie, Poland; immigrated to Canada, 1968; Education: College degree (chemistry), 1966. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Sumach Press, 1415 Bathurst St., Ste. 202, Toronto, Ontario M5R 3H8, Canada. University of Quebec, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, professor of chemistry, 1968–91; writer. Affiliated with Polish Jewish Heritage Foundation. Quand les grands jouvaient …
Born 1950, in Perth, Australia; Education: University of Western Australia, B.A., Dip. Ed., M.A. (with distinction); Northern Territory University, B.Ed. (Indonesian). Hobbies and other interests: Mountain bike riding, fishing, sailing, snorkeling, sewing, movies. Office—c/o Author Mail, Freemantle Arts Centre Press, P.O. Box 158, North Free-mantle 6159, Western Australia. Warren Flynn…
Nationality: American. Born: Greenville, Mississippi, 1916. Education: The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1935-37. Military Service: Served in the United States Army, 1940-44: Captain, and Marine Corps, 1944-45. Career: Novelist-in-residence, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, November 1963; playwright-in-residence, Arena Stage, Washington, D.C., 1963-64; writer-in-residence, Hol…
Nationality: American. Born: Jackson, Mississippi, 16 February1944. Education: Public schools in Jackson, 1950-62; Michigan State University, East Lansing, 1962-66, B.A. 1966; Washington University Law School, St. Louis, 1967-68; University of California, Berkeley, 1968-70, M.A. 1970. Career: Assistant professor of English, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 1978-79; lecturer, Princeto…
Born 1961; Hobbies and other interests: Reading, swimming, jogging, calking, skiing, music. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Egmont, 239 Kensington High St., London W8 6SA, England. Educator and writer. Collins (publisher), former lexicographer; secondary school teacher in Scotland. Blue Peter "Book I Couldn't Put Down" designation shortlist, and British Book Trust Teenage Book …
1928-2005 Civil rights leader James Forman was "a strong pillar of the modern-day civil rights movement," his former colleague Rep. John Lewis told the Sacramento Observer. In April of 1969, when James Forman presented the Black Manifesto, a public call for reparations to the African-American community for years of oppression, he made national headlines as an outspoken black radical.…
Born 1941, in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; (a secretary; Education: Earned degree in early childhood education. Hobbies and other interests: Swimming, traveling, reading, walking, gardening. Bank of New South Wales, secretary, 1958–62; Education Department of Western Australia, teacher, 1970–81, early childhood specialist, 1984–99. Lecturer; speaker at festivals and co…
Born 1949, in Cullman, AL; Education: Judson College, B.A., 1970; attended University of Virginia, 1972; University of North Carolina at Greensboro, M.L.I.S., 1996. Hobbies and other interests: Reading ("everything from mysteries to poetry to history"), restoring old doll houses, beachcombing, researching, collecting nineteenth-and early twentieth-century children's books, Maj…
Nationality: British. Born: Carlisle, Cumberland, 1938. Education: Carlisle and County High School for Girls, 1949-56; Somerville College, Oxford (scholar), 1957-60, B.A. in modern history 1960. Career: Teacher, Barnsbury Girls' School, London, 1961-63; chief non-fiction reviewer, London Evening Standard, 1977-80. Fellow, Royal Society of Literature, 1975. Agent: Tessa Sayle Agency, 11 Jubi…
Born 1966, in Sydney, Australia; Education: Macquarie University, B.A. (literature); University of Western Sydney, M.A. (writing). Hobbies and other interests: Reading, writing, music, gardening. Agent—Curtis Brown Australia, Level 1, 2 Boundary St., Paddington, New South Wales 2021, Australia. Writer, poet, editor, and journalist. Best first novel designation, Locus, 1998, for Dragonclaw.…
Nationality: British. Born: Ashford, Kent, in 1938. Education: Tonbridge School, Kent. Military Service: Served in the Royal Air Force 1956-58. Career: Journalist, Eastern Daily Press, Norwich, and in King's Lynn, Norfolk, 1958-61; reporter for Reuters, London, Paris, and East Berlin, 1961-65; reporter, BBC Radio and Television, London, 1965-67; assistant diplomatic correspondent, BBC, 1967…
1952— Banking executive Linda D. Forte is senior vice president of business affairs and a member of the Management Council of Comerica Bank, one of the world's leading financial companies with $53.3 billion in assets and one of the top ten banks in commercial loan volume. Forte is at the head of Comerica's internal and external diversity strategies, guiding the company in its …
Nationality: Australian. Born: Sydney, New South Wales, 1944. Education: The University of Sydney, B.Sc. in chemistry 1967; Australian National University, Canberra, Ph.D. 1970. Career: Research fellow, U.S. Public Health Service, Philadephia, 1970-71; senior research officer, University of Sydney Medical School, 1971-72. Awards: Australian Literature Board fellowships, 1973-91; The Age award, 197…
1917-2003 Voting rights activist Foster, Marie, photograph. © Flip Schulke/Corbis. The civil rights movement is known for its great leaders more than for its foot soldiers. The movement came to national attention through a series of dramatic events, but those events emerged out of pressures that had been building for years, thanks to the work of large numbers of generally unheralded …
1959— Entrepreneur Arizona entrepreneur Reggie Fowler created a stir in 2005 when he nearly became the first African American to own the majority stake in a National Football League (NFL) team, the Minnesota Vikings. His impending purchase was hailed as a milestone in professional sports, and it was hoped that it would eradicate some of the imbalance in a league where nearly three-quarters …
Nationality: British. Born: Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, 1926. Education: Bedford School, 1940-44; Edinburgh University, 1944; New College, Oxford, B.A. (honors) in French 1950. Military Service: Served in the Royal Marines, 1945-46. Career: Lecturer in English, University of Poitiers, France, 1950-51; teacher at Anargyrios College, Spetsai, Greece, 1951-52, and in London, 1953-63. Awards: Silver Pen awar…
OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born May 27, 1913, in Milwaukee, WI; died September 12, 2003, in Baraboo, WI. Administrator and author. Fox became famous for establishing the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, as well as for creating Milwaukee's Great Circus Parade; he was also the author of numerous children's books. Harboring a love for horses and circuses…
Born 1919, in Richmond, VA; deceased); Education: Northwestern University, B.S. (with honors), 1940. Politics: "Very flexible." Religion: United Church of Christ. Writer. National League of American PEN Women, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Council for Wisconsin Writers (board member, 1984-86). Midwest Writers Award, 1960, for Apprentice to Liberty; Juvenile runnerup, C…
(Aileen Mary Henderson) OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born July 29, 1907, in London, England; died November 21, 2005, in Exeter, England. Archaeologist, educator, and author. Fox was an accomplished archeologist best known for her research and excavations of Roman settlements in the southwestern United Kingdom. After completing an M.A. in English in 1932 at Newnham College, Cam…
(Mem Fox) Born 1946, in Melbourne, Australia; Catienne. Education: Attended Rose Bruford Drama School, London, 1968; Finders University, South Australia, B.A., 1978; South Australian College of Advanced Education, B.Ed., 1979, graduate diploma, 1981. Politics: Labour. Religion: Christian. office—South Australian College of Merrion Frances Fox Advanced Education, Sturt Rd., Bedford Pa…
1964- Actor In 1997 Essence magazine asserted Vivica A. Fox was "the Hollywood homegirl of the moment." Nearly a decade later, Fox had parlayed her screen appeal into a successful acting career with more than a dozen films and nearly as many television appearances to her name. In the early 2000s, Fox had her sights set on a long, powerful career in Hollywood, and had begun to develop…
Born 1923, in New York, NY; (second marriage) Adam, Gabriel. Education: Attended Columbia University, 1955–58. Agent—Robert Lescher, 155 E. 71st St., New York, NY 10021. Novelist. Worked variously as a model; saleswoman; public-relations worker and machinist; Victor Gollancz (publisher), London, England, former staff member; reader for a film studio; reporter in Paris, France, and Wa…
Vincente Fox: 1942—: politician; businessman. On July 2, 2000, Vincente Fox, newly elected president of Mexico, gathered before 100,000 supporters in Mexico City. "The city hadn't seen such jubilation since the pope's visit nearly ten years ago," wrote Dick Reavis in the Texas Monthly. Fox's victory was astounding to many because the International Revo…
1967— Comedian, actor, singer Foxx, Jamie, photograph. © 2004 Landov LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission. In the ever-shifting, multimedia world of Hollywood entertainment, the art of juggling talents has always paid off. Comedian, actor, singer, and producer Jamie Foxx has helped to affirm this, scoring successes on the stage, the screen, on television, and in …
Nationality: New Zealander. Born: Dunedin, 1924. Education: Oamaru North School; Waitaki Girls' High School; University of Otago Teachers Training College, Dunedin. Awards: Hubert Church Prose award, 1952, 1964, 1974; New Zealand Literary Fund award, 1960; New Zealand Scholarship in Letters, 1964, and Award for Achievement, 1969; University of Otago Robert Burns fellowship, 1965; Buckland L…
Nationality: British. Born: Glasgow, 1953. Education: High School of Glasgow, 1962-71; University of Glasgow, 1971-75, M.A. 1975; Jesus College, Oxford, 1975-79, B. Litt. 1979. Awards: Betty Trask award, for first novel, 1984; Samuel Beckett award, 1986; Television Industries award, 1986; Scottish Arts Council award, 1987. My characters are caught between an imagined freedom to determine their li…
Nationality: British. Born: Richard Stanley Francis in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, 1920. Education: Maidenhead County Boys' School, Berkshire. Military Service: Served as a Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force, 1940-45. Career: Amateur National Hunt (steeplechase) jockey, 1946-48; professional, 1948-57: National Hunt champion, 1953-54. Racing correspondent Sunday Express, London, 1957-73. Chairm…
Don Francisco: 1940—: Television show host. Few television personalities have been as enduring and beloved as Don Francisco, the host of the weekly Spanish-language variety show Sabado Gigante. Debuting in 1962 in Chile, the show offered light comedy, music, and audience contests in a variety-show format centering on the genial and reassuring personality of its emcee. A mainstay of Chil…
Education: Stanford University, B.A.; Lesley College, M.Ed. Office—P.O. Box 60487, Palo Alto, CA 94306. Writer and editor for children and adults; creator of educational materials. Japan, illustrated by Jo Supancich, Evan-Moor, 1993. Mexico, illustrated by Jo Supancich, Evan-Moor, 1993. Russia, illustrated by Jo Supancich, Evan-Moor, 1993. India, illustrated by Jo Supancich, Evan-Moor, 199…