Pauline Phillips
Encyclopedia
Pauline Phillips is an American
advice columnist and radio show host who began the "Dear Abby
" column in 1956. Married to Morton Phillips, the couple has two children, a son, Edward Jay Phillips, and a daughter, Jeanne Phillips
.
By 2002, when Phillips suffered from the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, her daughter, Jeanne, assumed all the writing responsibilities of Dear Abby. After the family's announcement of Pauline's illness, Jeanne assumed the pen name Abigail Van Buren; from 1987 until her mother's retirement, Jeanne had been co-writing the column with her mother.
in 2002, at age 83. Their parents, Russian Jewish immigrants, settled in Sioux City, Iowa
where they grew up. The girls went by the nicknames "Popo" (Pauline) and "Eppie" (Esther). Both are alumnae of Central High School ("The Castle on the Hill") in Sioux City and Morningside College
; the two sisters also wrote for the college newspaper. In 1939, they were married in a joint wedding ceremony on their birthday.
An honorary member of Women in Communications, the American College of Psychiatrists
, and the National Council of Jewish Women
, Phillips is the author of six books: Dear Abby, Dear Teenager, Dear Abby on Marriage, Where Were You When President Kennedy was Shot?, The Dear Abby Wedding Planner, and The Best of Dear Abby. "The Dear Abby Show" aired on the CBS Radio Network for 12 years. (Source: Universal Press Syndicate historical files.)
and said that she could write a better advice column than the one she had been reading in the newspaper.
She chose the name "Abigail Van Buren" because she was inspired by the Bible
and a president. Her chosen first name was from the Old Testament
for Abigail
the widow of Nabel who later married King David. Her last name mirrored the last name of U.S. president Martin Van Buren
.
After hearing her modest credentials, Stanleigh "Auk" Arnold wanted only to get this self-styled journalist out of his San Francisco Chronicle office, so he gave her some letters in need of answers; Phillips had her replies back to the Chronicle the same day. When asked what she considered her greatest accomplishment, Phillips was quick to say, simply, “surviving”. (Source: Universal Press Syndicate historical files.)
As competing columnists, the sisters occasionally clashed; in 1956, Phillips offered her column to the Sioux City Journal
at a reduced price, provided that the paper refused Lederer's column; Life Magazine reported on the offer in 1958.
The sisters ostensibly reconciled in 1964, although some suggest the acrimony between them remained.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
advice columnist and radio show host who began the "Dear Abby
Dear Abby
Dear Abby is the name of the advice column founded in 1956 by Pauline Phillips under the pen name Abigail Van Buren and carried on today by her daughter, Jeanne Phillips, who now owns the legal rights to the pen name....
" column in 1956. Married to Morton Phillips, the couple has two children, a son, Edward Jay Phillips, and a daughter, Jeanne Phillips
Jeanne Phillips
Jeanne Phillips is an advice columnist who writes the advice column Dear Abby.She is the daughter of Pauline Phillips, who founded "Dear Abby" in 1956, and her husband, Morton Phillips. In a Dear Abby column on December 12, 2000, Pauline introduced Jeanne as co-creator of Dear Abby. They began to...
.
By 2002, when Phillips suffered from the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, her daughter, Jeanne, assumed all the writing responsibilities of Dear Abby. After the family's announcement of Pauline's illness, Jeanne assumed the pen name Abigail Van Buren; from 1987 until her mother's retirement, Jeanne had been co-writing the column with her mother.
Biography
Pauline Esther Friedman was born an identical twin; her sister, Esther Pauline Friedman Lederer, wrote the Ann Landers column from 1955 until her death from multiple myelomaMultiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma , also known as plasma cell myeloma or Kahler's disease , is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for the production of antibodies...
in 2002, at age 83. Their parents, Russian Jewish immigrants, settled in Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
where they grew up. The girls went by the nicknames "Popo" (Pauline) and "Eppie" (Esther). Both are alumnae of Central High School ("The Castle on the Hill") in Sioux City and Morningside College
Morningside College
Morningside College is a private, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside College is a private, four-year, co-educational liberal arts institution. Morningside has 21 buildings on a ...
; the two sisters also wrote for the college newspaper. In 1939, they were married in a joint wedding ceremony on their birthday.
An honorary member of Women in Communications, the American College of Psychiatrists
American College of Psychiatrists
The American College of Psychiatrists is an association of psychiatrists based in Chicago. It operates annual meetings, publishes a newsletter, presents awards, and organizes the PRITE exam for psychiatric residents and the PIPE exam for practicing psychiatrists...
, and the National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Jewish Women
The National Council of Jewish Women defines itself as a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action...
, Phillips is the author of six books: Dear Abby, Dear Teenager, Dear Abby on Marriage, Where Were You When President Kennedy was Shot?, The Dear Abby Wedding Planner, and The Best of Dear Abby. "The Dear Abby Show" aired on the CBS Radio Network for 12 years. (Source: Universal Press Syndicate historical files.)
Career
Pauline's writing career that led to "Dear Abby" began in January 1956 when she was 37 and new to the Greater San Francisco Area. Sometime during this period she phoned the editor of the San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
and said that she could write a better advice column than the one she had been reading in the newspaper.
She chose the name "Abigail Van Buren" because she was inspired by the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and a president. Her chosen first name was from the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
for Abigail
Abigail
Abigail was the wife of Nabal; she became a wife of David after Nabal's death .In the passage, Nabal demonstrates ingratitude towards David, and Abigail attempts to placate David in order to stop him taking revenge...
the widow of Nabel who later married King David. Her last name mirrored the last name of U.S. president Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
.
After hearing her modest credentials, Stanleigh "Auk" Arnold wanted only to get this self-styled journalist out of his San Francisco Chronicle office, so he gave her some letters in need of answers; Phillips had her replies back to the Chronicle the same day. When asked what she considered her greatest accomplishment, Phillips was quick to say, simply, “surviving”. (Source: Universal Press Syndicate historical files.)
As competing columnists, the sisters occasionally clashed; in 1956, Phillips offered her column to the Sioux City Journal
Sioux City Journal
The Sioux City Journal is the daily newspaper of Sioux City, Iowa. The publication covers western Iowa and portions of Nebraska and South Dakota.It is owned by Lee Enterprises Inc....
at a reduced price, provided that the paper refused Lederer's column; Life Magazine reported on the offer in 1958.
The sisters ostensibly reconciled in 1964, although some suggest the acrimony between them remained.
Books about Dear Abby
- Aronson, Virginia. Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren. Women of achievement. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2000. ISBN 0791052974. (children's book).
- Pottker, Janice, and Bob Speziale. Dear Ann, Dear Abby: The Unauthorized Biography of Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1987. ISBN 0396089062.
Books by Dear Abby
- Van Buren, Abigail. Dear Abby. Illustrated by Carl Rose. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, [1958].
- Van Buren, Abigail. Dear teen-ager. Illustrated by Roy Doty. [New York]: B. Geis Associates; distributed by Random House [1959].
- Van Buren, Abigail. Dear Abby on marriage. New York: McGraw-Hill, [1962].
- Van Buren, Abigail. The Best of Dear Abby. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel, 1981. ISBN 0836279077 ; 081613362X (lg. print.)
- Van Buren, Abigail. Dear Abby on planning your wedding. Kansas City, Mo.: Andrews and McMeel, c1988. ISBN 0836279433.
- Van Buren, Abigail. Where were you when President Kennedy was shot?: memories and tributes to a slain president as told to Dear Abby. Foreword by Pierre Salinger. Kansas City, Mo.: Andrews and McMeel, c1993. ISBN 0836262468.