Nancy Friday facts for kids

Nancy Colbert Friday (August 27, 1933 – November 5, 2017) was an American author. She wrote books that explored how women were often expected to act in certain ways. Nancy Friday believed these expectations were old-fashioned and stopped women from being their true selves. She thought that if women could be more open about their private thoughts and feelings, it would help them feel free to be who they really are. She felt this wasn't because people were trying to be mean. Instead, it was due to social expectations. She believed it would be healthier for everyone, both women and men, to be open and accepted for who they are.

About Nancy Friday

Early Life and Education

Nancy Friday was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on August 27, 1933. Her parents were Walter F. Friday and Jane Colbert Friday. She grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. Nancy went to Ashley Hall, a school just for girls, and finished there in 1951.

After high school, she attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She graduated from Wellesley in 1955.

Starting Her Career

Nancy Friday briefly worked as a reporter for the San Juan Island Times. Later, she became a magazine journalist. She worked in New York City, England, and France. Eventually, she decided to focus on writing books full-time.

Her Books and Ideas

Nancy Friday's first book, My Secret Garden, came out in 1973. It was a collection of interviews where women shared their private thoughts. This book became very popular.

She continued to write many books using an interview style. Her books covered topics like mothers and daughters, relationships, jealousy, and envy. She also wrote about feminism and beauty.

Her book The Power of Beauty was released in 1996. It was later renamed and re-released in 1999. Her last book was Beyond My Control: Forbidden Fantasies in an Uncensored Age, published in 2009.

Media Appearances

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Nancy Friday was often on TV and radio shows. She appeared on programs like Politically Incorrect, Oprah, and Larry King Live. She was also a guest on Good Morning America and NPR's Talk of the Nation.

In the mid-1990s, she created a website. It was meant to be a place for new ideas and to connect with her readers. However, it was not updated in later years.

Some people, like Ms. magazine, said she was not a feminist. But Nancy Friday believed that supporting women's freedom and appreciating men were not opposite ideas. She built her career on this belief.

Her Personal Life

Nancy Friday married novelist Bill Manville in 1967. They separated in 1980 and divorced in 1986.

Her second husband was Norman Pearlstine. He used to be the editor-in-chief of Time Inc.. They got married in New York City on July 11, 1988. They divorced in 2005.

In 2011, Nancy Friday sold her home in Key West. She then moved to New York City.

Nancy Friday passed away at her home in Manhattan on November 5, 2017. She was 84 years old. She died from problems related to Alzheimer's disease.

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