Shel Silverstein, the writer, cartoonist and folksinger for both children and adults, died May 1999, ending more than 60 years of literal creativity. Most famous are his children's books of poetry A Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends (both 1981), but many don't know of his contributions in adult literature, and in music and film.

Silverstein actually began as a cartoonist when he was stationed in Japan and Korea for Pacific Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper. He then used the talents he had developed to be a cartoonist for Playboy magazine. His work then spawned into books, and with the suggestion of a friend (first met with disapproval), he moved into writing children's books.

His first book, Uncle Shelby's Story of Lafcadio, the Lion who shot back (1963), tells the story of a lion whom, after stealing a hunter's gun, practices and becomes a marksman. His first step toward fame, and controversy, came with the publishing of The Giving Tree (1964), the story of a tree that gives himself up - shade, fruit, branches and all - to make a little boy happy. Many spiritual people used it as a model of sacrifice, while feminists didn't approve of a (feminine) tree giving up everything for a (masculine) boy. Silverstein was never concerned with trying to please everyone, or even conforming to one path.

His career as a writer quickly developed into playwright, lyricist, folksinger and even director. What unified his work was the positive response and support he received from his audiences, both young and old. In the years before his death Silverstein refused interviews and divided his time between the coasts in Sausalito, California and Key West, Florida, where he died alone. His work continues to entertain many.
Work History
wrote plays, books and songs all his life (1971) appeared in film Who is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He saying Those Terrible Things About Me?

(1956) writer and cartoonist at Playboy

(1950s) cartoonist for Pacific Stars and Stripes
Awards
Shel Silverstein has also won numerous Awards

Poet Mary Oliver's writings reflect her awe and respect for nature and her concerned with environmental issues. She is most acclaimed for her Pulitzer Prize winning book of poems called American Primitive, which "ties the elegance of transcendence to the reality of the contemporary world," according to one reader. It has been praised for being concise and simple, yet very deep and meaningful.

Her other works, including House of Light, Dream Work, and White Pine: Poems and Prose Poems, have similar themes and style. She has been a contributor to Yale University Review, Kenyon Review, Poetry, Atlantic, Harvard magazine and others, and even wrote A Poetry Handbook, which breaks down the basics of how to read and write poetry.

Though an Ohio native and attendee of Ohio State, Oliver left her home state and traveled to Massachusetts where she was a member of a writing committee at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She then moved throughout the Mideast, first as a Banister poet in residence at Sweet Briar College in Virginia; then to a position as a William Blackburn visiting professor of creative writing at Duke University. She has now established a home in New England and is currently teaching poetry courses such as "The Women Before Us" and "Frost The Builder" at Bennington College in Vermont.
Climb to Fame
One of the 20th century's foremost American poets
Work History
(1996-present) Catharine Osgood Foster professor, Bennington College

(1995) William Blackburn visiting professor of creative writing, Duke University

(1991-1995) Banister poet in residence, Sweet Briar College

(1984) Member writing committee, Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown
Affiliations
PEN member; Authors Guild
Awards
Mary Oliver has also won numerous Awards

Pulitzer prize-winning mother of three, Anna Quindlen, began her writing dream at age 18 at the New York Post. Soon after she moved up to columnist at The New York Times, where she was one of only three women columnists in their history.

Her writing covers important and challenging social issues with a personal, experiential touch. She credits some of her style to liberal nuns who were her teachers as a child. She had aspirations to write as soon as she went to college, declaring she wanted to write the great American novel.

The sum of her work may be close to that goal. Besides her successful Times column, she has written a long list of fiction and nonfiction books including Object Lessons, the story of a wealthy Irish family in New York told through the eyes of a 13-year-old. The book made the best seller list as well as being chosen as a Literary Guild Selection.

In her later works she tackles larger issues such as alcoholism, abortion, and, in her latest novel Black and Blue, domestic violence. Unlike some stories which give general overviews of societies problems or unreal reenactments of these traumatic experiences, Quindlen is gifted at making the stories personal and believable by showing both sides of the story and feeding off her own experience.

Recently her novels One True Thing and Living Out Loud have been transformed into mainstream movies.
Work History
(10/1999) columnist for Newsweek

to replace Meg Greenfield who passed away in May 1999. Will be on the back page every other week

(1989-) author of “Public & Private” syndicated op-ed column

(1991) author Object Lessons

(1986-88) author of “Life in the 30s” syndicated column

(1983-85) author of “About New York” column New York Times

(1977-81) general assignment and city hall reporter New York Times

(1974-77) reporter New York Post
Awards
Anna Quindlen has also won numerous Awards

A poet read and admired by a variety of critics and academics, Adrienne Rich could be classified as one of America's best poets. A number of books written about the art of poetry have her in the same league as Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. She was even honored by President Clinton with the National Book Award for Diving into the Wreck, but declined the prestigious honor in order to emphasize her belief that our society should be challenged to re-examine ourselves and what we support.

Her poems have developed from cautious discussions of life as a restricted woman to looser, more honest feminist arguments and explanations. This development mirrors the changes in her person life. (Rich came out as a lesbian in 1976 years after a 17-year marriage to Alfred Conrad who died in 1970.) Her love and understanding of poetry continued to grow. She said, "poetry can break open locked chambers of possibility, restore numbed zones to feeling [and] restore desire."

Since then, Rich has written more passionately about her sexuality as well as other issues on the fringes of society. In her latest books she confronts her Jewish heritage while trying to explore and explain her bond with American values. Her writing and her life continue to consist of experiencing and sharing two different ends of a spectrum.
Work History
"(1984-96) visiting professor San Jose State University

(1992) national director The National Writersí Voice Project

(1986-92) professor of English and feminist studies Stanford University

(1989) Marjorie Kovler visiting fellow University of Chicago

(1986) Burgess lecturer Pacific Oaks College

(1982-85) A.D. White Professor-at-large Cornell University

(1983-84) Clark lecturer and distinguished visiting professor Scripps College

(1976-78) professor of English Douglass College, Rutgers University

(1975) Lucy Martin Donnelly fellow Bryn Mawr College

(1972-73) Fannie Hurst visiting professor of creative literature Brandeis University

(1971-72, 1974-75) assistant professor of English City College of City University of New York

(1970-71) instructor of creative writing City College of City University of New York

(1968-70) lecturer in SEEK English program City College of City University of New York

(1967-69) adjunct professor in writing division Columbia University, Graduate School of the Arts

(1967-69) visiting lecturer Swarthmore College

(1966-67) workshop conductor, YM-YWHA Poetry Center

"
Affiliations
"PEN; (1985) honorary fellow, Modern Language Association, National Writers Union, Poetry society of America, American Academy of Arts and Letters, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Phi Beta Kappa"
Awards
Adrienne Rich has also won numerous Awards

Novelist and poet Erica Jong has helped advance the women's liberation movement with books that include female characters that express their sexual desires and fantasies. Although she studied at prestigious schools, Jong's classes rarely included the work of women authors. However, on her own she read the work of writers such as Anne Sexton and Adrienne Rich, whom she acclaims for helping her to express the female perspective.

Jong's career began as a professor and poet, but she then became a novelist after her autobiographical debut, Fear of Flying, a book about "freelove." She followed up the series with How to Save Your Own Life and Parachutes and Kisses.

Throughout her writing career, the native New Yorker has been married various times including to child psychiatrist Allan Jong and writer Jonathon Fast, with whom she had her only daughter, Molly Miranda. In 1994, she chronicled her personal and career path in Fear of Fifty and wrote a children's book Megan's Book of Divorce: A Kid's Book for Adults following her divorce with Molly's father. She has taught at several institutions around the world and continues to make appearances at writing seminars and conferences. Jong's work has won her a long list of prestigious awards.
Work History
Author

(1993) instructor, Salzburg Seminar, Salzburg, Austria

(1982) instructor, Bread Loaf Writers Conference, Middlebury, VT

(1971-73) instructor in poetry, YM/YWCA Poetry Center, New York City

(1969-70) instructor in English, Manhattan Community College

(1964-65, 1969-70) Author and lecturer, member of English faculty, CUNY, New York, New York

(1967-69) member of faculty, University of Maryland, Overseas Division, Heidelberg, Germany
Affiliations
President of Authors Guild, 1991-93

Member, New York State Council on the Arts, 1972-74

"
Awards
Erica Jong has also won numerous Awards

Barbara Walters stormed into broadcasting without many positive things going for her, but people continued to believe in her potential and she rose to respected famed quickly.

Even her success caused controversy. She started at "Today Girl" and took important stories and interviews, such as a journalist - the only female - on Nixon's trip to China in 1972. Her experience paid off. She was given a contract for $1 million a year for 5 years from ABC, which caused a flurry because other more experienced journalists were not getting close to as much.

Walters used her raise and the fame she gained from it to challenge the relationship between news and entertainment. She began doing specials and was criticized for the "Hollywood" cast she chose to interview. However, she always balanced her credibility by also interviewing political figures, such as her joint interview between Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin for a joint interview. Walters also questioned the difference between entertainers like Johnny Carson getting paid millions and her making a similar salary.

Despite her controversies, Walters has proven herself to the viewing public with her numerous highly-rated specials, as well as with 20/20, which still maintains a loyal following after over 20 years.
Work History
(1997--) co-executive producer, The View, ABC, New York

(1979--) co-host ABC TV news show, 20/20

(1976--) host, The Barbara Walters Specials

(1976-78) newscaster, ABC Evening News (now ABC World News Tonight)

(1974-76) moderator syndicated program, Not For Women Only

(1974-76) co-host, Today Show

(1964-74) regular panel member, Today Show

former writer-producer, WNBC-TV, then with, Stas. WPIX and CBS-TV

Contributer to Reader's Digest, Good Housekeeping, Family Weekly and ABC programs Issues and Answers
Awards
Barbara Walters has also won numerous Awards

Writer and syndicated columnist Marilyn Vos Savant currently holds the prestigious title of "The Smartest Person in the World." Though she scored 228 on the IQ test (double that of a normal person and 88 points above the genius level), she explains in a common sense way that she's probably not the smartest person because (1) only 9 out of 10 people have taken the test, and (2) because tests only measure a certain type of intelligence.

Vos Savant's parents knew of her high intelligence when she was 10 from her scores on a Stanford-Benet test, but decided to keep it a secret in order to let her live a quiet normal childhood. After attending Washington College for 2 years and leaving due to boredom, she began a career on the stock market. Eventually she made enough to start the career she really wanted as a full-time writer.

At first she used an alias - which she has still not revealed - and published a number of books. But in 1985 her "genius" was publicized in the Guinness Book of Records, and this time she decided to take the fame. She began writing a column in Parade called "Ask Marilyn" in which she analyzes and solves problems, some of which have caused controversy and doubt about her intelligence.

However, Vos Savant continues to write and uphold her genius status. She married Robert Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart, and they have become known as the "couple of geniuses." She has begun to write under her real name and her writing includes the book The Power of Logical Thinking: Easy Lessons in the Art of Reasoning - and Hard Facts about Its Absence in Our Lives (1996).
Work History
(1996--) editor and publisher, The Thinking American Inc. (1988--) vice president, Jarvik Research Inc.

(1986--) contributing editor, Parade magazine

Consultant on ethical issues to multinational corporations. Full-time writer.
Awards
Marilyn vos Savant has also won numerous Awards

Gloria Steinem is probably the best-known figure in the women's liberation movement, with a career outlasting that of many of her contemporaries. An accomplished writer, Steinem is the co-founder of the feminist magazine Ms. and has a journalism background that ranges from freelancing at newspapers while living in India during the 1950s, to writing for Show magazine. But more interesting than the publications were the compelling stories she wrote for them. Steinem wrote one famous article entitled "I was a Playboy Bunny" after working undercover for the notorious men's company. Despite the "fluffy"-sounding story, Steinem was acclaimed for providing details and feminist insights about the job.

Another article, which caused some surprise as well as controversy, concerned an abortion hearing. This time she received a great deal of criticism from her male counterparts for not following their lead in dealing with the issue. However, her heritage and own experiences had filled her with strength and knowledge about standing up for women, so she continued. (Steinem's grandmother was the president of a women's suffrage group, and at age 10 was solely taking care of herself and mentally ill mother.)

The controversy caused by her articles only further challenged Steinem, and eventually she founded her own publication, Ms. magazine, to display her work and the work of her peers. She also began writing novels, including a biography of Marilyn Monroe that dealt with the sex symbol's personal life - "to portray the real person inside the public image"- rather than highlighting the showbiz aspects.

Steinem has become a role model and voice for women everywhere. In an interview she stated goals that she continues to work toward "reproductive freedom, democratic families, a depoliticized culture, and work refined."
Work History
"Editor, writer, lecturer, activist.

(1988) Editorial consultant to Random House Publishing and McCall Publishing.

(1972-87) cofounder and editor, Ms. magazine, New York City

(1980-87) columnist, Ms. magazine, New York City

(1987) consulting editor, Ms. magazine, New York City

(1968-72) cofounder and contributing editor, New York magazine, New York City

(1969-70) Editorial consultant to Seventeen

(1962-69) contributing editor, Glamour magazine, New York City

(1962-69) Editorial consultant to Conde Nast Publications

(1964-65) Editorial consultant to Curtis Publishing

(1964-65) Writer for television, including series “That Was the Week that Was”, NBC

(1959-60) director, Independent Research Service, Cambridge, MA, and New York City

Contributing correspondent to NBC's ""Today"" show.

Active in civil rights, feminist, and peace campaigns, including those of United Farm Workers, Vietnam War Tax Protest, and Committee for the Legal Defense of Angela Davis

Active in political campaigns of Adlai Stevenson, Robert Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy, Shirley Chisholm, and George McGovern.

Author of films and political campaign material.

Former author of column, ""The City Politic,"" in New York.

Contributor to periodicals, including Esquire, Ms., Show, Vogue, Life, and Cosmopolitan.

"
Affiliations
PEN, National Press Club, Society of Magazine Writers, Authors Guild, Authors League of America, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, National Organization for Women, Women's Action Alliance (cofounder) chairperson, 1970), National Women's Political Caucus (founding member) member of national advisory committee, 1971), Ms. Foundation for Women (cofounder) member of board, 1972), Coalition of Labor Union Women (founding member, 1974), Voters for Choice (cofounder), Phi Beta Kappa.
Awards
Gloria Steinem has also won numerous Awards

"Radical journalist" seems to be the most popular tag for Alexander Cockburn, a columnist for The Nation. On the obvious political end he has been a voiced critic of Clinton (with a few books due out in 1999), but he is also highly involved in environmental politics (seen in books like Defenders of the Amazon).

Cockburn was born and grew up in Great Britain where he attended Oxford and began early on writing for the alternative press. His environmental interest partially came from his mother who made language maps of tropical rain forests in the Congo, and it's possible his criticism of American politics was somewhat influenced by his father and his strong views. A Communist party activist, Cockburn's father was also a writer.

Cockburn moved to the US at the end of the Vietnam War. Shortly after, he began writing for the Village Voice and as a radical opinionist in the Wall Street Journal. His current work at The Nation has not impeded his strong views. He continually attacks and challenges the media, especially liberal writers who he feels do not do enough to support free press.

His books follow this lead. Washington Babylon deals with the American press and U.S. government. Three others are due in 1999, including The Trials of Sex: Bill Clinton and the Conquest of Puritanism.
Work History
(1990s~) syndicated newspaper columnist; contributor to Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s and In These Times

(1984--) Columnist of “Beat the Devil,” in The Nation

(1997) writer for Counterpunch

(1991) writer for Lies of Our Times

(1980s) writer of radical opinions on Wall Street Journal op page

(1973~80s) moved to the U.S. and wrote for the Village Voice

(1970s) writer for New Statesman & Society and New Left Review; co-edited with Penguin

(mid-1960s) Times Literary Supplement