Julius (Bernard) Lester (1939-) Biography

Born 1939, in St. Louis, MO; (second marriage) Elena Milad Grohmann (stepdaughter), David Julius; (third marriage) Lian Amaris Brennan (stepdaughter). Education: Fisk University, B.A., 1960.

Agent—c/o Author Mail, Dial Press, Dell Publishing, 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036.

FOR CHILDREN

(Editor, with Mary Varela) Our Folk Tales: High John, The Conqueror, and Other Afro-American Tales, illustrated by Jennifer Lawson, privately printed, 1967.

To Be a Slave, illustrated by Tom Feelings, Dial (New York, NY), 1969.

Black Folktales, illustrated by Tom Feelings, R. W. Baron (New York, NY), 1969, reprinted, Grove Press (New York, NY), 1992.

Long Journey Home: Stories from Black History, Dial (New York, NY), 1972.

The Knee-high Man and Other Tales, illustrated by Ralph Pinto, Dial (New York, NY), 1972.

This Strange New Feeling, Dial (New York, NY), 1982, published as A Taste of Freedom: Three Stories from Black History, Longman (London, England), 1983.

The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit (also see below), illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial (New York, NY), 1987.

More Tales of Uncle Remus: Further Adventures of Brer Rabbit, His Friends, Enemies, and Others (also see below), illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial (New York, NY), 1988.

How Many Spots Does a Leopard Have? and Other Tales, illustrated by David Shannon, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.

Further Tales of Uncle Remus: The Misadventures of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Wolf, the Doodang, and Other Creatures (also see below), illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial (New York, NY), 1990.

The Last Tales of Uncle Remus (also see below), illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial (New York, NY), 1994.

John Henry, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial (New York, NY), 1994.

The Man Who Knew Too Much: A Moral Tale from the Baila of Zambia, illustrated by Leonard Jenkins, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.

Othello (young-adult novel), Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.

Sam and the Tigers: A New Retelling of Little Black Sambo, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.

What a Truly Cool World, illustrated by Joe Cepeda, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

Black Cowboy, Wild Horses: A True Story, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial (New York, NY), 1998.

From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, illustrated by Rod Brown, Dial (New York, NY), 1998.

When the Beginning Began: Stories about God, the Creatures, and Us, illustrated by Emily Lisker, Silver Whistle/Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1998.

Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales (includes The Tales of Uncle Remus, More Tales of Uncle Remus, Further Tales of Uncle Remus, and The Last Tales of Uncle Remus), illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Phyllis Fogelman Books (New York, NY), 1999.

Shining, illustrated by John Clapp, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2000.

Pharaoh's Daughter (young-adult novel), Silver Whistle/Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2000.

Albidaro and the Mischievous Dream, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Phyllis Fogelman Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Ackamarackus: Julius Lester's Sumptuously Silly Fantastically Funny Fables, illustrated by Emilie Chollat, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked the World, illustrated by Lisa Cohen, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001

When Dad Killed Mom (young-adult novel), Silver Whistle/Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.

Why Heaven Is Far Away, illustrated by Joe Cepeda, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2002.

The Old African, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial (New York, NY), 2004.

Let's Talk about Race, illustrated by Karen Barbour, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.

The Day of Tears, 2005.

Lester has recorded his "Uncle Remus" tales as The Tales of Uncle Remus, More Tales of Uncle Remus, Further Tales of Uncle Remus and Last Tales of Uncle Remus, both Recorded Books, 2003.

OTHER

(With Pete Seeger) The 12-String Guitar as Played by Leadbelly: An Instructional Manual, Oak (New York, NY), 1965.

The Angry Children of Malcolm X, Southern Student Organizing Committee (Nashville, TN), 1966.

(Editor, with Mary Varela) Fanny Lou Hamer, To Praise Our Bridges: An Autobiography, KIPCO, 1967.

The Mud of Vietnam: Photographs and Poems, Folklore Press (New York, NY), 1967.

Look out Whitey! Black Power's Gon' Get Your Mama!, Dial (New York, NY), 1968.

Search for the New Land: History as Subjective Experience, Dial (New York, NY), 1969.

Revolutionary Notes, R. W. Baron (New York, NY), 1969.

(Editor) The Seventh Son: The Thoughts and Writings of W. E. B. DuBois, two volumes, Random House (New York, NY), 1971.

(Compiler, with Rae Pace Alexander) Young and Black in America, Random House (New York, NY), 1971.

Two Love Stories, Dial (New York, NY), 1972.

(Editor) Stanley Couch, Ain't No Ambulances for No Nigguhs Tonight (poems), R. W. Baron (New York, NY), 1972.

(With David Gahr) Who I Am (photopoems), Dial (New York, NY), 1974.

All Is Well: An Autobiography, Morrow (New York, NY), 1976.

Do Lord Remember Me (adult novel), Holt (New York, NY), 1984.

Lovesong: Becoming a Jew (autobiographical), Holt (New York, NY), 1988.

Falling Pieces of the Broken Sky, Arcade (New York, NY), 1990.

And All Our Wounds Forgiven, Arcade (New York, NY), 1994.

The Autobiography of God (novel), St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2004.

On Writing for Children and Other People, Dial (New York, NY), 2004.

Contributor of essays and reviews to numerous magazines and newspapers, including New York Times Book Review, New York Times, New Republic, Nation, Katallagete, Democracy, and Village Voice. Associate editor, Sing Out, 1964-70; contributing editor, Broadside of New York, 1964-70.

Lester's works have been translated into eight languages.