Kenneth Eugene Silverman (February 5, 1936 – July 7, 2017) was an American biographer and educator. He won a

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

and a Bancroft Prize for his 1984 biography of

Cotton Mather Cotton Mather (; February 12, 1663 – February 13, 1728) was a Puritan clergyman and author in colonial New England, who wrote extensively on theological, historical, and scientific subjects. After being educated at Harvard College, he join ...

, ''The Life and Times of Cotton Mather''. Silverman, who specialized in Colonial American literature, was a professor of English at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

until his retirement in 2001.

Biography

Silverman was born February 5, 1936, in Manhattan. He was educated at

Stuyvesant High School Stuyvesant High School ( ) is a co-ed, State school, public, college-preparatory, Specialized high schools in New York City, specialized high school in Manhattan, New York City. The school, commonly called "Stuy" ( ) by its students, faculty, a ...

and

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, where he received B.A. (1956), M.A. (1958) and Ph.D. (1964) degrees in English. Silverman was a fellow of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and other ...

. In addition to the Pulitzer and Bancroft Prizes, he won an

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...

of the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is a professional organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the E ...

for his 1991 biography of

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely re ...

and the Christopher Literary Award of the Society of American Magicians for his work on

Harry Houdini Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in ...

. Silverman died of lung cancer in Manhattan on July 7, 2017.

Books

* As Editor, ''Colonial American Poetry'' (Hafner Publishing Company, 1968) * '' Timothy Dwight'' (New York: Twayne, 1969) * ''A Cultural History of the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

'' (Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1976) . * ''The Life and Times of

'' New York: Harper & Row, 1984. (1985 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, 1985 Bancroft Prize in American History) , . * '' Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance'' (New York: HarperCollins, 1991) . * ''

Houdini Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in ...

!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss, American Self-Liberator, Europe's Eclipsing Sensation, World's Handcuff King and Prison Breaker - Nothing on Earth Can Hold Houdini a Prisoner!!!'' (1997) * ''Lightning Man: The Accursed Life of Samuel F.B. Morse'' (Alfred A. Knopf, 2003) . * ''Begin Again: A Biography of

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and Extended technique, non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one ...

'' (Knopf, 2010),

Notes

External links

Article "Biography and Pseudobiography" by Kenneth Silverman.

in ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' regarding new suggestions about Harry Houdini's cause of death.
''Booknotes'' interview with Silverman on ''Lightning Man: The Accursed Life of Samuel F.B. Morse'', February 22, 2004.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silverman, Kenneth 1936 births 2017 deaths 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews American biographers Historians of the American Revolution Historians of magic New York University faculty Jewish American historians Jewish American non-fiction writers Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography winners Edgar Allan Poe scholars American male non-fiction writers Columbia College (New York) alumni Bancroft Prize winners