Mydans, Shelley (1915–2002)

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Mydans, Shelley (1915–2002)

American journalist and writer. Born Shelley Smith, May 20, 1915, in Palo Alto, California; died Mar 7, 2002, in New Rochelle, NY; dau. of Everett Smith (professor of journalism); m. Carl Mydans (photojournalist), in June 1938; children: Seth (journalist) and Shelley.

Began working as journalist for Life magazine (1939); was correspondent in Manila, Europe and Far East; while covering Douglas MacArthur's buildup in the Philippines with husband during WWII, spent 12 months in custody of the Japanese; wrote novel Open City about experiences (1945); also wrote Thomas: A Novel of the Life, Passion, and Miracles of Becket (1965), (with Carl Mydans) The Violent Peace: A Report on Wars in the Postwar World (1968), and The Vermilion Bridge (1980).

See also Women in World History.