Press Releases
News from the Random House Publishing Group
July 27, 2010
Random House Senior Editor Jill Schwartzman has acquired a biography of Jim Henson, written by award-winning Washington Irving biographer Brian Jay Jones and with the cooperation of the Henson family. The biography (currently untitled) begins with Henson’s days as an early TV pioneer, innovative artist and businessman who created a whole new way to present puppetry in a popular art form for television and motion pictures. It will also cover Henson’s famous creations, such as The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock and his important contribution to the development and success of Sesame Street, and describe his groundbreaking artistic and technological work that continues to this day. The World rights deal for a Ballantine hardcover was made by Jonathan Lyons of Lyons Literary.
Media
In April 2008, I had the privilege of speaking at the New York Society Library — where Irving was a longtime reader and trustee — to celebrate National Library Week.
Click here to see it on YouTube.
Reviews
Click here for the Reviews page.
Interviews
- Brian goofs around with Historic Hudson Valley. Part 1 of the conversation is here, part 2 is here. (October 2009)
- A conversation with The Washington Examiner about fame, the theater, and Irving’s tendency toward potboilers.
Scribe of ‘Sleepy Hollow’ Rides Again - A chat with the Albuquerque Journal about Christmas, Irving’s celebrity, and “backing into” biography.
A celebrity in the era of horse, buggy - Brian talks with the Maryland Gazette about pop culture, politics, and Irving as America’s first pop culture icon.
Biographer awakens pop culture personality of the past
Other Writing
Washington Independent Review of Books
Guest appearances at Historic Hudson Valley’s HVBlog:
- Celebrating the birth of America’s first bestseller (June 23, 2008)
- The founder of Gotham City (July 31, 2008)
