Judith E. Harper

Libraries are a passion with me. All of my books have required that I spend lots of time doing research, so I have the pleasure of visiting libraries often. I'm lucky to live in the Boston area because there are so many excellent university and public libraries to become attached to! I've written five children's books--four for The Child's World--and two adult reference volumes. It was a dream come true to write a biography of the hero from my childhood--John F. Kennedy--for The Child's World. Much of my research for that book was conducted at the JFK Library and Museum. My special area of expertise is U.S. history, particularly nineteenth-century women's history. I've just spent four and a half years researching and writing my labor of love--an encyclopedia of women during the Civil War, to be published in 2003. My other adult book, published in 1998, is an A-Z encyclopedia of Susan B. Anthony's life and work. When I'm not working, I'm reading for pleasure, hanging out in art museums, or indulging my interest in outdoor sports. I love canoeing, walking, swimming, cross-country skiing, and dog shows.