About James Thurber
James Thurber (1894–1961), one of the outstanding American humorists and cartoonists of the twentieth century, was born in Columbus, Ohio, and launched his professional writing career as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch in 1920. He began writing for the New Yorker in 1927 after his friend and fellow writer E. B. White got him a job at the magazine. Though hampered by failing eyesight, Thurber wrote nearly forty books, including collections of essays, short stories, fables, and children’s stories. He won a Tony Award for his popular Broadway play, A Thurber Carnival. Both that story and My Life and Hard Times have appeared in countless editions and dozens of languages throughout the world.
About E. B. White
E. B. White, the author of such beloved classics as Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan, was born in Mount Vernon, New York. He graduated from Cornell University in 1921 and, five or six years later, joined the staff of the New Yorker magazine, then in its infancy. He died on October 1, 1985, and was survived by his son and three grandchildren.Mr. White's essays have appeared in Harper's magazine, and some of his other books are: One Man's Meat, The Second Tree from the Corner, Letters of E. B. White, Essays of E. B. White, and Poems and Sketches of E. B. White. He won countless awards, including the 1971 National Medal for Literature and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, which commended him for making a ""substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.""During his lifetime, many young readers asked Mr. White if his stories were true. In a letter written to be sent to his fans, he answered, ""No, they are imaginary tales . . . But real life is only one kind of life—there is also the life of the imagination.""
About Jessica Marchbank
Jessica Marchbank is a classically trained vocalist based in Bloomington, Indiana. She spends her days working for a national reproductive justice nonprofit organization, and her nights in her professional home studio bringing stories to life with her clear, warm voice and energetic spirit. Jessica has an unbridled enthusiasm for long hours at the microphone and a fanatical attention to detail which she brings to every project.
