Michael Jahn
Encyclopedia
Joseph Michael Jahn is an American author and critic.
He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and raised in Sayville, New York
. He moved to New York City
in 1966 and was educated at Dowling College
, Adelphi University
, and Columbia University
. Using the byline Mike Jahn, in 1968 he became the first rock journalist of The New York Times
and the first full-time rock writer for any major daily newspaper. According to the Times metropolitan editor Arthur Gelb
, he hired Jahn specifically to inaugurate the newspaper's coverage of rock music. One of his first assignments was to cover the Woodstock Festival
.
Jahn wrote more than 200 reviews of performances by rock bands and individual folk and blues artists for the New York Times between 1968 and 1971. Jahn also wrote a column syndicated by North American Newspaper Alliance
, 1967-1970, and The New York Times, 1970-1973. Jahn wrote Jim Morrison and the Doors: An Unauthorized Book, the first book about The Doors
, and was mentioned by name in the Rolling Stone
obituary of Morrison
In the mid-1970s, Jahn switched to writing mystery/suspense fiction, eventually publishing about 50 novels and movie and TV adaptations, mostly using the byline Michael Jahn. His first mystery novel, The Quark Maneuver, published by Ballantine in 1977, won an Edgar Award
in 1978. In 1982 he began the series "The Bill Donovan Mysteries" with Night Rituals. By 2003 he had published nine novels in the series, the last being Murder in Coney Island. The 10th book in the series, Donovan & Son, was published by Five Star (Gale Centage) in 2008. He has stopped writing fiction in order to concentrate on writing a memoir of his career and that of his newspaperman father.
Jahn's original manuscripts and papers are in the Michael Jahn Collection at the Rare Book & Manuscript Library of Columbia University
. The collection was established in 1984.
He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and raised in Sayville, New York
Sayville, New York
Sayville is a hamlet and CDP in Suffolk County, New York, . Located on the south shore of Long Island in the Town of Islip, the population of the CDP was 16,735 at the time of the 2000 census.-History:...
. He moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1966 and was educated at Dowling College
Dowling College
Dowling College is a private co-educational liberal arts college with three campuses spread across Long Island, New York. The college's main campus in Oakdale, NY sits on the site of William K. Vanderbilt's former Idle Hour estate, which is now known as Fortunoff Hall. The Brookhaven Campus in...
, Adelphi University
Adelphi University
Adelphi University is a private, nonsectarian university located in Garden City, in Nassau County, New York, United States. It is the oldest institution of higher education on Long Island. For the sixth year, Adelphi University has been named a “Best Buy” in higher education by the Fiske Guide to...
, and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Using the byline Mike Jahn, in 1968 he became the first rock journalist of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and the first full-time rock writer for any major daily newspaper. According to the Times metropolitan editor Arthur Gelb
Arthur Gelb
Arthur Gelb was the managing editor of the New York Times.He began working the night shift as a copy boy. He ascended through the ranks holding several titles in many different departments. His biggest impacts were while working in the drama department. He enjoyed Eugene O'Neill's plays so much...
, he hired Jahn specifically to inaugurate the newspaper's coverage of rock music. One of his first assignments was to cover the Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
.
Jahn wrote more than 200 reviews of performances by rock bands and individual folk and blues artists for the New York Times between 1968 and 1971. Jahn also wrote a column syndicated by North American Newspaper Alliance
North American Newspaper Alliance
The North American Newspaper Alliance was a large newspaper syndicate that flourished between 1922 and 1980.Founded by John Neville Wheeler, NANA employed some of the most noted writing talents of its time, including Grantland Rice, Joseph Alsop, Michael Stern, Lothrop Stoddard, Dorothy Thompson,...
, 1967-1970, and The New York Times, 1970-1973. Jahn wrote Jim Morrison and the Doors: An Unauthorized Book, the first book about The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, and was mentioned by name in the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
obituary of Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
In the mid-1970s, Jahn switched to writing mystery/suspense fiction, eventually publishing about 50 novels and movie and TV adaptations, mostly using the byline Michael Jahn. His first mystery novel, The Quark Maneuver, published by Ballantine in 1977, won an Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
in 1978. In 1982 he began the series "The Bill Donovan Mysteries" with Night Rituals. By 2003 he had published nine novels in the series, the last being Murder in Coney Island. The 10th book in the series, Donovan & Son, was published by Five Star (Gale Centage) in 2008. He has stopped writing fiction in order to concentrate on writing a memoir of his career and that of his newspaperman father.
Jahn's original manuscripts and papers are in the Michael Jahn Collection at the Rare Book & Manuscript Library of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. The collection was established in 1984.