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Julius Lester

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born

in St. Louis, Missouri, The United States

January 27, 1939

gender

male

website

http://members.authorsguild.net/juliuslester

About this author

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I was born on January 27, 1939 in St. Louis, Missouri. From 1941-1954 I lived in Kansas City, Kansas, and from 1954-1961 in Nashville, Tennesse. I received a B.A. in English from Fisk University in 1960.

In 1961 I moved to New York City where I had a talk radio show on WBAI FM from 1966-1973, hosted a television talk show on WNET from 1969-1971.

Since 1968 I have published 43 books. Among the awards these books have received are the Newberry Honor Medal, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, National Book Award Finalist, National Jewish Book Award Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, Coretta Scott King Award. Numerous titles have also appeared on the New York Times Outstanding Book list and American Li...more I was born on January 27, 1939 in St. Louis, Missouri. From 1941-1954 I lived in Kansas City, Kansas, and from 1954-1961 in Nashville, Tennesse. I received a B.A. in English from Fisk University in 1960.

In 1961 I moved to New York City where I had a talk radio show on WBAI FM from 1966-1973, hosted a television talk show on WNET from 1969-1971.

Since 1968 I have published 43 books. Among the awards these books have received are the Newberry Honor Medal, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, National Book Award Finalist, National Jewish Book Award Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, Coretta Scott King Award. Numerous titles have also appeared on the New York Times Outstanding Book list and American Library Association Notable Book list.

I've also published over 200 hundred essays and reviews in such publications as the New York Times Booko Review, New York Times Op-Ed Page, Boston Globe, Village Voice, The New Republic, Forward, and the Los Angeles Times Book Review.

I've recorded two albums of original songs, which are available on iTunes. During the civil rights movement I was a photographer and my photographs from that time were included in an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution and are part of the permanent collection at Howard University. I've also had photographs in group shows at Pivot Media, Florence, Mass., Valley Photographers, Springfield, Mass., State House, Boston, Mass., as well as solo shows at the University of Massachusetts, Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass., & Valley Photo Center.

After teaching for two years at the New School for Social Research in New York (1968-70), I joined the faculty of the University of Massachusetts in 1971 where I was a professor in the Judaic and Near Eastern Studies Department, and adjunct professor of History.
I have been honored with all three of the university's most prestigious faculty awards: The Distinguished Teacher's Award, the Faculty Fellowship Award for Distinguished Research and Scholarship, and the Chancellor's Medal, the university's highest honor. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education selected me as the Massachusetts State Professor of the Year in 1988. I retired from the university at the end of 2003. For ten years I served as lay religious leader of Beth El Synagogue in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.

I have five children - 2 male, 3 female - who range in age from 28 to 43. I live with my wife and two cats on a secluded twelve acres in a small town in western Massachusetts.

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Average rating: 3.89 · 6,189 ratings · 1,280 reviews · 61 distinct works · Similar authors

	Day of Tears 4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 avg rating — 1,339 ratings — published 2005 — 8 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	John Henry by Julius Lester, Jerry Pinkney 4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 avg rating — 679 ratings — published 1994 — 10 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	To Be a Slave by Julius Lester, Tom Feelings (Illustrator) 3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 avg rating — 684 ratings — published 1968 — 20 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	When Dad Killed Mom 3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 avg rating — 500 ratings — published 2001 — 8 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cupid: A Tale of Love and Desire 3.47 of 5 stars 3.47 avg rating — 489 ratings — published 2007 — 7 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pharaoh's Daughter: A Novel of Ancient Egypt 3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 avg rating — 313 ratings — published 2000 — 7 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Tales of Uncle Remus (Puffin Modern Classics): The Adventures of Brer Rabbit by Julius Lester, Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator) 4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 avg rating — 279 ratings — published 1987 — 8 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Guardian 3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 avg rating — 209 ratings — published 2008 — 5 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sam and the Tigers: A Retelling of 'Little Black Sambo' by Julius Lester, Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator) 3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 avg rating — 172 ratings — 8 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Autobiography of God: A Novel 3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 avg rating — 111 ratings — published 2004 — 3 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Julius Lester

“How can I love you if I don't know what hurts you?”
― Julius Lester, The Autobiography of God: A Novel

tags: hurt, love

72 people liked it

“Silence was not the absence of sound but was itself a sound that could be loud or soft, soothing or disturbing, complex or simple.”
― Julius Lester, The Autobiography of God: A Novel

tags: silence

21 people liked it

“I'm tired of thinking and I'm really tired of Feeling.

—Jenna Richards”
― Julius Lester, When Dad Killed Mom

16 people liked it

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Polls

Which Newberry Honor book would you like to read in June?

The Great Wheel by Robert Lawson

4 votes 40.0%

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

2 votes 20.0%

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

2 votes 20.0%

Honk the Moose by Phil Stong

2 votes 20.0%

To Be a Slave by Julius Lester

0 votes 0.0%

10 total votes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Newbery Award...: 1969 Honor - To Be a Slave	1	10	Feb 06, 2010 04:55pm
Wild Things: YA G...: Well hello there!	10	41	May 16, 2010 08:45am
The Seasonal Read...: Summer Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks (do NOT delete any posts in this thread)	3072	2930	Aug 31, 2010 10:39pm
Children's Books: Brer Rabbit/Uncle Remus Tales????	21	21	Dec 06, 2010 10:10am
Reading with Style: General Challenge Questions & Answers	131	67	Feb 10, 2011 07:07am
The Seasonal Read...: Winter Challenge 2010-2011 Completed Tasks (do not delete any posts)	2596	733	Feb 28, 2011 09:05pm
Reading with Style: RwS Completed Tasks - Winter	715	309	Mar 01, 2011 09:19am

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Julius Lester

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Julius Lester's Books