Daniel Cohen (children's writer)
Encyclopedia
Daniel Edward Cohen is an American
non-fiction
writer
who has produced over one-hundred books, mainly for young
audiences.
, where he graduated with degree in journalism
in 1958. After graduation he worked as a proofreader
at Time, Inc. before becoming an editor for Science Digest
. In 1969 he moved to upstate New York
with his wife, Susan, to begin a career as a freelance
children’s writer. The couple had one daughter, named Theodora.
s about UFO
s, ghosts, psychic phenomena, cryptozoology
, and the occult
. Though Cohen is a self-described skeptic and onetime member of CSICOP
, his books on paranormal phenomena take a more light-hearted, open-minded stance and tend to avoid dogmatic debunking. Some of these books include The World of UFOs (1978), The Encyclopedia of Monsters (1981), The Great Airship
Mystery (1981), How to Test Your ESP (1982), Phone Call from a Ghost (1988), Ghostly Tales of Love and Revenge (1992), and The Ghost of Elvis and Other Celebrity Spirits (1994). Cohen is also the author of the controversial Curses, Hexes and Spells
(1974), which has appeared on several “banned books” lists due to its perceived advocacy of magic and witchcraft. Curses, Hexes, and Spells is number 73 on the American Library Association
's list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000.
Cohen has written on numerous other topics, including sports, history, dinosaurs, nature, technology, and folklore. He currently lives in New Jersey
.
. He and his wife Susan cowrote a book about it, entitled Pam Am 103: The Bombing, The Betrayals, and a Bereaved Family's Search for Justice. They frequently advocate for the victims in the press as well.
In August 2009, Daniel and Susan Cohen decried the release of the bomber
on grounds of compassion
, saying "I cannot imagine having compassion for a mass murderer and terrorist who killed 270 people." Susan Cohen, in The Daily Telegraph
adds, "You want to feel sorry for anyone, please feel sorry for me, feel sorry for my poor daughter, her body falling a mile through the air." After the Gadhafi government lost control of Tripoli
during the Libyan Civil War, the Cohens expressed satisfaction.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
who has produced over one-hundred books, mainly for young
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
audiences.
Biography
Cohen attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, where he graduated with degree in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
in 1958. After graduation he worked as a proofreader
Proofreading
Proofreading is the reading of a galley proof or computer monitor to detect and correct production-errors of text or art. Proofreaders are expected to be consistently accurate by default because they occupy the last stage of typographic production before publication.-Traditional method:A proof is...
at Time, Inc. before becoming an editor for Science Digest
Science Digest
Science Digest was a monthly American magazine published by the Hearst Corporation from 1937 through 1986. It initially had an 8 x 5 inch format with about 100 pages, and was targeted at persons with a high school education level...
. In 1969 he moved to upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
with his wife, Susan, to begin a career as a freelance
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
children’s writer. The couple had one daughter, named Theodora.
Career
Cohen is best known for his paperbackPaperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
s about UFO
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
s, ghosts, psychic phenomena, cryptozoology
Cryptozoology
Cryptozoology refers to the search for animals whose existence has not been proven...
, and the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
. Though Cohen is a self-described skeptic and onetime member of CSICOP
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry , formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal , is a program within the U.S...
, his books on paranormal phenomena take a more light-hearted, open-minded stance and tend to avoid dogmatic debunking. Some of these books include The World of UFOs (1978), The Encyclopedia of Monsters (1981), The Great Airship
Mystery airship
Mystery airships or phantom airships are a class of unidentified flying objects best known from a series of newspaper reports originating in the western United States and spreading east during 1896 and 1897. According to researcher Jerome Clark, airship reports were made worldwide, early as the...
Mystery (1981), How to Test Your ESP (1982), Phone Call from a Ghost (1988), Ghostly Tales of Love and Revenge (1992), and The Ghost of Elvis and Other Celebrity Spirits (1994). Cohen is also the author of the controversial Curses, Hexes and Spells
Curses, Hexes and Spells
Curses, Hexes and Spells is a 1974 book by Daniel Cohen. Marketed as children's book, it explains what exactly "curses" are, and describes supposed curses on families , creatures, places , wanderers and ghosts...
(1974), which has appeared on several “banned books” lists due to its perceived advocacy of magic and witchcraft. Curses, Hexes, and Spells is number 73 on the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
's list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000.
Cohen has written on numerous other topics, including sports, history, dinosaurs, nature, technology, and folklore. He currently lives in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Pan Am 103
Cohen's daughter, Theodora, died in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103 was Pan American World Airways' third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London Heathrow Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport...
. He and his wife Susan cowrote a book about it, entitled Pam Am 103: The Bombing, The Betrayals, and a Bereaved Family's Search for Justice. They frequently advocate for the victims in the press as well.
In August 2009, Daniel and Susan Cohen decried the release of the bomber
Release of Abdelbaset Al Megrahi
The release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi from prison on compassionate grounds was a decision by Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. Megrahi was convicted on 31 January 2001 by a special Scottish Court in the Netherlands of the bomb attack on Pan Am Flight 103 on 21 December 1988...
on grounds of compassion
Compassionate release
Compassionate release is a legal system that grants inmates early release from prison sentences on special grounds such as terminal illness or a child in the community with an urgent need for his or her incarcerated guardian...
, saying "I cannot imagine having compassion for a mass murderer and terrorist who killed 270 people." Susan Cohen, in The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
adds, "You want to feel sorry for anyone, please feel sorry for me, feel sorry for my poor daughter, her body falling a mile through the air." After the Gadhafi government lost control of Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
during the Libyan Civil War, the Cohens expressed satisfaction.
External links
- The Daniel Cohen Papers from the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection of The University of Southern MississippiThe University of Southern MississippiThe University of Southern Mississippi, informally known as Southern Miss, is a large public research university located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States. It is situated north of Gulfport, Mississippi and northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana...