James Kaplan
Encyclopedia
James Kaplan is an American
novelist, journalist
, and biographer. He was born in New York City and grew up in rural Pennsylvania and suburban New Jersey. He matriculated at New York University
and graduated from Wesleyan University
in 1973 with a degree in studio art. After graduation, Kaplan studied painting at the New York Studio School in Greenwich Village.
In the mid 1970s, he worked as a typist at The New Yorker
Magazine, where he came under the tutelage of the writer and editor William Maxwell
. In the late 70s and early 80s, he published a number of short stories in The New Yorker. In the mid 80s, Kaplan worked for several years as a screenwriter for Warner Brothers. Since the late 1980s, he has been a prolific writer of magazine profiles for Vanity Fair
, Entertainment Weekly
, New York Magazine, The New York Times Magazine
, Esquire
, and The New Yorker, among others.
He is the author of the following books, amongst other works:
He is the co-author of the following biographies:
Kaplan's fiction has been compared to that of John Updike
and J.D. Salinger. His short fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories. He has appeared as a guest on The Charlie Rose Show. Kaplan is the 2011 Joan Jakobson Visiting Writer at Wesleyan University.
Kaplan lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
with his wife and son.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, and biographer. He was born in New York City and grew up in rural Pennsylvania and suburban New Jersey. He matriculated at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and graduated from Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
in 1973 with a degree in studio art. After graduation, Kaplan studied painting at the New York Studio School in Greenwich Village.
In the mid 1970s, he worked as a typist at The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
Magazine, where he came under the tutelage of the writer and editor William Maxwell
William Keepers Maxwell, Jr.
William Keepers Maxwell, Jr. was an American novelist and editor.-Life:Maxwell was born in Lincoln, Illinois, and as a child, he survived the 1918 Influenza epidemic. He attended the University of Illinois and Harvard University...
. In the late 70s and early 80s, he published a number of short stories in The New Yorker. In the mid 80s, Kaplan worked for several years as a screenwriter for Warner Brothers. Since the late 1980s, he has been a prolific writer of magazine profiles for Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, New York Magazine, The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, and The New Yorker, among others.
He is the author of the following books, amongst other works:
- Frank: The Voice (2010) (selected by Michiko KakutaniMichiko Kakutaniis an American Pulitzer Prize-winning critic for The New York Times and is considered by many to be a leading literary critic in the United States.-Life and career:...
of The New York Times as one of her Top 10 Books of 2010) - Two Guys from Verona: A Novel of Suburbia (1999) (held in almost 700 libraries according to WorldCatWorldCatWorldCat is a union catalog which itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories which participate in the Online Computer Library Center global cooperative...
), a New York Times Notable Book of the Year - The Airport: Terminal Nights and Runway Days at John F. Kennedy International (1994)
- Pearl's Progress (1989)
He is the co-author of the following biographies:
- With Jerry LewisJerry LewisJerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
, a memoir of Lewis's relationship with Dean MartinDean MartinDean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Dean & Me (A Love Story) (2005) (held in over 1300 libraries according to WorldCatWorldCatWorldCat is a union catalog which itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories which participate in the Online Computer Library Center global cooperative...
) - With John McEnroeJohn McEnroeJohn Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
, You Cannot Be Serious (2002) (held in over 1400 libraries according to WorldCatWorldCatWorldCat is a union catalog which itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories which participate in the Online Computer Library Center global cooperative...
)
Kaplan's fiction has been compared to that of John Updike
John Updike
John Hoyer Updike was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic....
and J.D. Salinger. His short fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories. He has appeared as a guest on The Charlie Rose Show. Kaplan is the 2011 Joan Jakobson Visiting Writer at Wesleyan University.
Kaplan lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Hastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in the southwest part of the town of Greenburgh. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 7,849. It lies on U.S. Route 9, "Broadway" in Hastings...
with his wife and son.