Barbara Goldsmith
Barbara Goldsmith was born on May 18th, 1931. Barbara passed away June 26th, 2016 at 85 years old. Barbara Goldsmith was born in New York City, NY, United States. Goldsmith attended Wellesley College where they received a Bachelor of Arts.
Barbara Goldsmith was a renowned cultural theorist, journalist, and advocate for preservation whose work influenced many Americans in civic and intellectual spaces.
She started out writing articles and profiles for a range of magazines. In her role, she conducted interviews with major figures in the arts, letting her readers into the lives of famous figures in society and the arts.
Outside of his work as a writer, Barbara Goldsmith participated in civic causes and philanthropy. She advocated for the use of acid-free paper, which produced documents and books that lasted for hundreds of years. Her work resulted in policy changes by governments and publishers.
Goldsmith was also an advocate of freedom of expression and provided funds for the Barbara Goldsmith/PEN Freedom to Write Award. The award promoted the works of writers persecuted or sent to prison for their writings.
Barbara was involved with trusteeships and boards of institutions such as libraries and used her experience and influence to support conservation, history, and literature.
She died in 2016 and left behind a legacy of advocacy for freedom of expression, preservation, and journalistic excellence.
In 1975, Barbara Goldsmith published the work
The Straw Man.
Set in the world of museums and art collectors in New York, it follows the Roycemans, whose father left the family’s private art collection to a museum upon his death. However, Bertie, the son, fights the will in court to block it.
As the court case rages on, a range of conflicts and secrets from the art world come to the fore, revealing how art, money, and family tensions combine. Goldsmith also takes her readers right into the secretive, competitive world of art collecting.
Johnson V. Johnson, which he published in 1987, tells the story of the most contested will of J. Seward Johnson.
Upon his death in 1983, he left practically everything he had to Basia, his third wife. His six children contested the will in court, which would become the most expensive and longest court case over a will in American history.
Goldsmith, the journalist, spent hours interviewing attorneys and family members in addition to attending the trial. He traces the family's history to tell a larger-than-life story of decadence, corruption, and greed.
In Barbara Goldsmith’s
Obsessive Genius, she published a chronicle of the life of the first woman to win the Nobel Prize.
Goldsmith explains Marya Salomee Sklodowska’s complex societal and personal conflicts. She was born in Poland during the Russian occupation and had to endure a tough childhood full of poverty, sexism, and depression.
Described as a brilliant scientist, she achieved many firsts in her field. Marya got married to Pierre Curie, a maverick scientist who encouraged her as she conducted gruelling experiments.
It was from these experiments that she discovered radioactivity, radium, and polonium, which made atomic science possible.
Related Authors
Fans of Barbara Goldsmith also enjoy these authors:
- Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
- J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter Series.
- Harlan Coben, author of the Myron Bolitar Series.
- Linwood Barclay, author of the Promise Falls Series.
- Michael Connelly, author of the Harry Bosch Series.
Barbara Goldsmith: F.A.Q
When was Barbara Goldsmith Born?
Barbara Goldsmith was born on May 18th, 1931.
When did Barbara Goldsmith die?
Barbara Goldsmith died on June 26th, 2016 at 85 years old.
Where was Barbara Goldsmith Born?
Barbara Goldsmith was born in New York City, NY, United States.
What was the first book Barbara Goldsmith wrote?
The first book written by Barbara Goldsmith was The Straw Man, published in 1975.
What was the most recent book Barbara Goldsmith wrote?
Their most recently released work was Obsessive Genius on May 16th, 2011.
How many books has Barbara Goldsmith written?
Barbara Goldsmith has written 5 books. 1 Standalone Novel, 3 Non-Fiction Books, 1 book in the Great Discoveries Series.