Jean Stein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Stein
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Jean Babette Stein
February 9, 1934 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | April 30, 2017 (aged 83) New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Author, editor |
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| Children | 2, including Katrina vanden Heuvel |
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Jean Babette Stein (born February 9, 1934 – died April 30, 2017) was an American writer and editor. She was known for her unique way of writing history and biographies using "oral history." This means she would interview many people and put their spoken stories together to create a book.
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Jean Stein's Early Life and Education
Jean Stein was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, Jules C. Stein, was a very successful businessman. He helped start a big entertainment company called the Music Corporation of America (MCA). MCA was involved in movies, music, and talent management. Her father also helped create the Jules Stein Eye Institute at University of California, Los Angeles, which is a famous eye hospital and research center.
Jean's mother, Doris J. Stein, was also important. She started the Doris Jones Stein Foundation, which supports many good causes.
Jean went to several schools, both in the United States and abroad. She studied at the Katharine Branson School in California. Then, she went to the Brillantmont International School in Switzerland. After that, she graduated from Miss Hewitt's Classes in New York City. She also spent time studying at Wellesley College and the University of Paris (also known as the Sorbonne).
Jean Stein's Career as a Writer and Editor
After finishing her studies, Jean Stein returned to New York City. In 1955, she worked as an assistant to a famous director named Elia Kazan. They worked on the original play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams. This play later won a Pulitzer Prize, which is a very important award for writing.
Writing Books with Oral History
Jean Stein wrote three books during her career. She was a pioneer in using "oral history" for her books. This means she collected many interviews with people who knew the subject of her book. She then put these interviews together to tell the story.
Her last book was West of Eden, published in 2016. This book was about the cultural and political history of Los Angeles. For this book, she interviewed many famous people, including writer Arthur Miller and author Gore Vidal.
In 1970, Jean Stein co-wrote a book about Robert F. Kennedy called American Journey: The Times of Robert Kennedy. She worked with George Plimpton on this project.
One of her most famous books was Edie: American Girl, published in 1982. She co-wrote this book with George Plimpton. It was about the life of Edie Sedgwick, a socialite and artist who was a muse for Andy Warhol. The book was a bestseller, and famous writer Norman Mailer praised it, saying it was "the book of the Sixties that we have been waiting for."
Working as a Magazine Editor
Besides writing books, Jean Stein also had a successful career as a magazine editor. In the late 1950s, she worked as an editor for The Paris Review alongside George Plimpton.
Later, from 1990 to 2004, she was the editor of a literary and visual arts magazine called Grand Street. She worked with art editor Walter Hopps on this magazine. Grand Street was known for finding and publishing works by international writers, artists, composers, and scientists.
Jean Stein's Legacy and Awards
Jean Stein cared deeply about supporting new writers and preserving oral history. In 2017, she teamed up with PEN America to create two important awards:
- The PEN/Jean Stein Book Award
- The PEN/Jean Stein Grant for Oral History
The PEN/Jean Stein Book Award gives $75,000 to a book of fiction, memoir, essay, or nonfiction. This award celebrates books that are experimental, witty, strong, and full of wisdom. The first winner in 2017 was Hisham Matar, a Libyan-American writer, for his memoir called The Return.
The PEN/Jean Stein Grant for Oral History provides $10,000. This grant helps writers finish nonfiction books that use oral history to explain an event, a person, a place, or a movement.
Jean Stein's Family Life
Jean Stein was married twice. Her first marriage was in 1958 to William vanden Heuvel. He was a lawyer who worked for the U.S. Justice Department under Robert F. Kennedy. He also became a diplomat and an author.
Jean and William had two daughters. Their first daughter, Katrina vanden Heuvel, was born in 1959. Katrina later became the editor and publisher of The Nation magazine. Their second daughter, Wendy vanden Heuvel, is an actress and producer in New York. Wendy also helps with the 52nd Street Project, which connects young people from the city with professional theater artists to create original plays.
From 1995 to 2007, Jean Stein was married to Torsten Wiesel. He is a famous scientist who, along with David H. Hubel, won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Jean Stein passed away on April 30, 2017, at the age of 83.
