Steven E. Anzovin (September 10, 1954 – December 25, 2005) was an author and editor of reference and computer books, a computer journalist, and the co-founder of Anzovin Studio, a computer animation company. He wrote and edited 25 books and more than 300 magazine articles and was a pioneering advocate for green computing.

Biography

Anzovin was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on September 10, 1954. His parents were Beverly (Gold) French, of Flat Rock, North Carolina, and Russell Ames (born Anzovin). Anzovin grew up in

Wethersfield, Connecticut Wethersfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut. It is located immediately south of Hartford along the Connecticut River. Its population was 27,298 at the time of the 2020 census. Many records from colonial times spell the nam ...

, where he attended the public schools. He studied at the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from H ...

and graduated from

Connecticut College Connecticut College (Conn College or Conn) is a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. It is a residential, four-year undergraduate institution with nearly all of its approximately 1,815 students living on campus. The college ...

with a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...

in studio art, cum laude, in 1976. In 1980 he received his

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts a ...

in New Media from

Pratt Institute Pratt Institute is a private university with its main campus in Brooklyn, New York. It has a satellite campus in Manhattan and an extension campus in Utica, New York at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. The school was founded in 1887 ...

. From 1981 to 2005, Anzovin and his wife, Janet Podell, ran a freelance writing and editing business, first in Englewood, NJ, and later in

Amherst, MA Amherst () is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County (although the county seat ...

. They specialized in compiling historical reference books, including many volumes in H.W. Wilson Company’s ''

Famous First Facts ''Famous First Facts'' is a book listing "First Happenings, Discoveries and Inventions in the United States". The book's seventh edition (), published in March 2015 — includes more than 8,000 entries on 1,400 pages. The book was originally publi ...

'' and

Facts About the Presidents A flexible alternating current transmission system (FACTS) is a system composed of static equipment used for the alternating current (AC) transmission of electrical energy. It is meant to enhance controllability and increase power transfer capabi ...

series. For 14 years, they also compiled ''

Art in America ''Art in America'' is an illustrated monthly, international magazine concentrating on the contemporary art world in the United States, including profiles of artists and genres, updates about art movements, show reviews and event schedules. It ...

's'' Annual Guide to Galleries, Museums, and Artists for Brant Publications. Anzovin was senior contributing editor for '' MacAddict Magazine'', East Coast editor for Computer Entertainment News, contributing editor and columnist for ''

CD-ROM Today ''CD-ROM Today'' was an American magazine targeted at computer users. Published from 1993 to 1996 by Imagine Publishing (now Future US), the magazine was initially issued once every other month, before becoming a monthly. Each issue included softwa ...

'', and columnist and feature writer for

Compute Magazine ''Compute!'' (), often stylized as ''COMPUTE!'', was an American home computer magazine that was published from 1979 to 1994. Its origins can be traced to 1978 in Len Lindsay's ''PET Gazette'', one of the first magazines for the Commodore PET ...

. His book The Green PC: Making Choices That Make a Difference (1993) drew attention to the impact of personal computing on the environment and encouraged readers to take steps to combat computer-generated pollution. In 2000, Anzovin and his son Raf founded Anzovin Studio in the basement of their home in Amherst, Massachusetts. Anzovin served as President and CEO. Anzovin Studio provided animated content to numerous commercials, games, and made-for-DVD productions, including “ GI Joe: Valor vs Venom” and “

Halo 2 ''Halo 2'' is a 2004 first-person shooter game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox console. ''Halo 2'' is the second installment in the ''Halo'' franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed ' ...

.” Anzovin and his son also produced several short films during this time, including Duel (2005), Puppet (2001), and Java Noir (1997), all of which won numerous awards at international animation festivals.

Works

*
Facts about the Presidents
' *
Speeches of the American Presidents
' *
Famous First Facts About American Politics
' *
The green PC: making choices that make a difference
' * '' Famous First Facts: First Happenings, Discoveries and Inventions in the United States''

Death

Anzovin died at his home in Amherst of

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel ...

on December 25, 2005, at the age of 51. In addition to his wife and son, Steven was survived by two daughters, as well as his brother and mother.

Notes and references

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Anzovin, Steven 1954 births 2005 deaths 20th-century American non-fiction writers Writers from Hartford, Connecticut People from East Amherst, New York Connecticut College alumni People from Wethersfield, Connecticut 20th-century American male writers