Steven Pressman
Encyclopedia
Steven Pressman is an American legal journalist, freelance journalist, investigative journalist and biographer. He is the author of the biography
of Werner Erhard
, titled: Outrageous Betrayal
, published by St. Martin's Press
in 1993. In 2010, Pressman was involved in the production of a documentary film
titled: To Save a Life, and served as writer, director, and producer.
in political science in 1977 from the University of California at Berkeley.
, Washington, D.C.
, and San Francisco. He wrote the biographical account of Werner Erhard
: Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile
, published by St. Martin's Press
in 1993. He first began research for the book in 1991. While engaged in researching the book, Pressman contributed writing to publications including California Lawyer, Legal Times
, and The Daily Journal Corporation
's California Republic – where he was senior editor. Outrageous Betrayal received positive reception, from publications including Library Journal
, Booklist
, the Los Angeles Times
, Publishers Weekly
, and Westword
. It was cited as a reference in testimony before the United States House of Representatives
, in 1995.
He worked at San Francisco Daily Journal from 1995 to 1997. In 1998, Landmark Education
spent months in an unsuccessful attempt to compel Pressman to respond to deposition questions aimed at obtaining the confidential sources (used during research on Outrageous Betrayal) for use in the then-active litigation involving the Cult Awareness Network
. Throughout his journalism career he has written articles for several publications including California Lawyer, Daily Journal of Los Angeles, California
, and the Columbia Journalism Review
. He contributed an article on libel law in 1994, for the United States Department of State
.
in San Francisco, California
. In 2010, he served as writer, director, and producer for the documentary film
To Save a Life. The documentary tells the story of Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus, a Jewish couple from Philadelphia who traveled to Nazi Germany
in 1939 and, with the help of the B'rith Sholom
fraternal organization, saved 50 Jewish children in Vienna
from likely death in the holocaust by finding them new homes in Philadelphia.
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of Werner Erhard
Werner Erhard
Werner Hans Erhard is an author of transformational models and applications for individuals, groups, and organizations...
, titled: Outrageous Betrayal
Outrageous Betrayal
Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile was written by freelance journalist Steven Pressman and first published in 1993 by St. Martin's Press...
, published by St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
in 1993. In 2010, Pressman was involved in the production of a documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
titled: To Save a Life, and served as writer, director, and producer.
Early life and education
Pressman was born in Los Angeles in 1955. He obtained a Bachelor's DegreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in political science in 1977 from the University of California at Berkeley.
Writing
Pressman has worked as a newspaper and magazine journalist in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and San Francisco. He wrote the biographical account of Werner Erhard
Werner Erhard
Werner Hans Erhard is an author of transformational models and applications for individuals, groups, and organizations...
: Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile
Outrageous Betrayal
Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile was written by freelance journalist Steven Pressman and first published in 1993 by St. Martin's Press...
, published by St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
in 1993. He first began research for the book in 1991. While engaged in researching the book, Pressman contributed writing to publications including California Lawyer, Legal Times
Legal Times
Legal Times is a weekly legal newspaper based in Washington, D.C. It is owned by ALM....
, and The Daily Journal Corporation
The Daily Journal Corporation
The Daily Journal Corporation publishes legal and business newspapers, a monthly magazine and legal information.The Daily Journal Corporation's largest publications are the Los Angeles | San Francisco Daily Journal and California Lawyer. The Daily Journal provides news of interest to California...
's California Republic – where he was senior editor. Outrageous Betrayal received positive reception, from publications including Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
, Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
, and Westword
Westword
Westword is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Denver, Colorado.Westword was established independently in 1977. In 1983 it was bought by New Times Media. In 2005, New Times acquired Village Voice Media, and changed its name to Village Voice Media...
. It was cited as a reference in testimony before the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, in 1995.
He worked at San Francisco Daily Journal from 1995 to 1997. In 1998, Landmark Education
Landmark Education
Landmark Education LLC is a personal training and development company which offers educational programs in approximately 115 locations in more than 20 countries worldwide....
spent months in an unsuccessful attempt to compel Pressman to respond to deposition questions aimed at obtaining the confidential sources (used during research on Outrageous Betrayal) for use in the then-active litigation involving the Cult Awareness Network
Cult Awareness Network
The Cult Awareness Network was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana. CAN is now owned and operated by associates of the Church of Scientology, an organization that the original...
. Throughout his journalism career he has written articles for several publications including California Lawyer, Daily Journal of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and the Columbia Journalism Review
Columbia Journalism Review
The Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
. He contributed an article on libel law in 1994, for the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
.
Filmmaking
Pressman produced short videos for the American Conservatory TheaterAmerican Conservatory Theater
American Conservatory Theater is a large non-profit theater company in San Francisco, California, that offers both classical and contemporary theater productions. A.C.T. was founded in 1965 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Playhouse and Carnegie Tech by theatre and...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. In 2010, he served as writer, director, and producer for the documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
To Save a Life. The documentary tells the story of Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus, a Jewish couple from Philadelphia who traveled to Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in 1939 and, with the help of the B'rith Sholom
B'rith Sholom
The Independent Order Brith Sholom is a Jewish fraternal organization, principally active in the early 20th Century. It was founded in 1905 as a fraternal organization and was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
fraternal organization, saved 50 Jewish children in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
from likely death in the holocaust by finding them new homes in Philadelphia.
Books
- Outrageous Betrayal: The dark journey of Werner Erhard from est to exileOutrageous BetrayalOutrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile was written by freelance journalist Steven Pressman and first published in 1993 by St. Martin's Press...
, August 1993, St. Martin's PressSt. Martin's PressSt. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
.
Articles
- "Libel Law: Finding the Right Balance", Editorial Research Reports 2, August 18, 1989
- "Taking Cults to Court for Psychological Injuries", New Jersey Law Review, p. 4, March 9, 1992.
- "Mixing Lawyers and Cults", California Lawyer , June 1, 1992, p. 22, 24.
- "Suit Against New-Age Groups Hit Snags", Legal Times, p14., November 30, 1992.