Alice Stewart Trillin facts for kids

Alice Stewart Trillin (May 8, 1938 – September 11, 2001) was an American educator, writer, and film producer. She was also a great inspiration for her husband, the author Calvin Trillin. Alice was well-known for her important work helping people with cancer.

She often appeared in her husband's books, including his 2006 book called About Alice. Alice Trillin passed away in New York City on September 11, 2001. Her death was due to health issues not related to the September 11 attacks that happened on the same day.

Alice's Early Life and Education

Alice Stewart was born in Port Chester, New York. Her parents were Dorothy and James Stewart. Her father was a businessman and inventor. He created coin changers for vending machines.

Alice went to public school in Harrison, New York. She then studied at Wellesley College, earning her bachelor's degree in 1960. She continued her studies at Yale University, where she received a master's degree in English in 1961. After college, she taught English at Hofstra University and the City University of New York. There, she became an expert in writing programs.

In 1965, Alice married Calvin "Bud" Trillin. They had met at a party. Alice often appeared in Bud's writings, like his books American Fried and Alice, Let's Eat. In these stories, she was often shown as the calm and sensible voice. Bud Trillin once said that his writings made Alice seem like "a dietitian in sensible shoes."

Alice's Career in Education and TV

Alice Trillin was very interested in making school lessons better. This led her to work with the WNET television station. She helped them create new ways to teach through TV shows.

She started a company called "Learning Designs." This company produced educational TV series. One famous series was Behind the Scenes. It starred the famous illusionists Penn & Teller. The show aimed to teach kids aged 10-12 about how artists create things in visual arts and performing arts. This series won several awards, including the Japan Prize, which is a top award at a big international children's film festival.

Alice Trillin also played a big part in helping students at City College in New York. She supported "open admissions," which meant more students could attend college. Before City College, she taught at Hofstra University. There, in 1964, she became good friends with Mina P. Shaughnessy.

While at Hofstra, Alice received money from the Samuel Rubin Foundation. She used it to start "Project NOAH." This project was designed to help and tutor minority students. Alice was very dedicated to helping all students succeed.

Helping Others with Cancer

Alice Trillin faced a personal challenge when she developed lung cancer. This was likely due to being around second-hand smoke when she was a child. She wrote about her experiences as a cancer patient in an article. It was called "Of Dragons and Garden Peas: A Cancer Patient Talks to Doctors." This article was published in a medical journal in 1981. Today, doctors still use her writing to learn how to understand illness from a patient's point of view.

Because of her own experience, Alice wanted to help other cancer patients. At her funeral, her friend Nora Ephron said that Alice helped "anyone she loved, or liked, or knew."

In 1979, Alice learned that her friend Victor Navasky's 12-year-old son, Bruno, had cancer. Alice wrote a letter to Bruno, sharing her own experiences and trying to cheer him up. This letter was later published as a book called Dear Bruno. A famous artist from The New Yorker magazine, Edward Koren, drew pictures for the book.

Alice and Calvin Trillin also volunteered at actor Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. This camp in Connecticut helps children who have cancer or serious blood diseases.

Alice Trillin passed away on the evening of September 11, 2001. She died at the New York Presbyterian Hospital from heart failure. This was caused by damage from radiation treatment she received for lung cancer many years earlier. Eight months before she died, Alice's essay "Betting your life" was published in The New Yorker. It was about doctors, illness, and family. Her death was not widely reported by the news because it happened on the same day as the September 11 attacks.

Alice Trillin's Selected Works

• A.S. Trillin, E. Korren (Illustrator), Dear Bruno, New Press, 1996, ISBN: 1-56584-057-7
• A.S. Trillin, "Of Dragons and Garden Peas: A Cancer Patient Talks to Doctors", New England Journal of Medicine, 304 (12), pp. 699–701, March 19, 1981.
• A.S. Trillin, "Betting your life", The New Yorker, January 29, 2001.