Brooks, Andrée (Nicole) Aelion 1937-

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BROOKS, Andrée (Nicole) Aelion 1937-

PERSONAL: Born February 2, 1937, in London, England; daughter of Leon Luis (a business executive) and Lillian (Abrahamson) Aelion; married Ronald J. Brooks (an attorney), August 16, 1959 (divorced, August, 1986); children: Allyson, James. Education: Northwest London Polytechnic, journalism certificate, 1958.

ADDRESSES: Home and office—15 Hitchcock Rd., Westport, CT 06880. Agent—Diane Cleaver, 55 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10003.

CAREER: Journalist. Hampstead News, London, England, reporter, 1954-58; Photoplay, New York, NY, story editor, 1958-60; Australian Broadcasting Co., New York, NY, correspondent, 1961-68; Ladies' Home Journal, New York, NY, member of editorial staff, 1957-58; freelance journalist, 1960—. Hertsmere Council, conservative representative from Elstree, 1973-74; Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, adjunct professor of journalism, 1983-87; parent educator, 1987—; Yale University, New Haven, CT, associate fellow, 1989—. Guest on radio and television programs, including Donahue and Oprah.

MEMBER: Women in Communications, National Federation of Press Women, American Jewish Committee, Connecticut Press Club, British Schools and Universities Club, Halloween Yacht Club.

AWARDS, HONORS: First place awards for newswriting, Connecticut Press Club, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987; outstanding achievement award, National Federation of Press Women (NFPW), 1981; awards for news and feature writing, Fairfield County chapter of Women in Communications, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987; second-place award in magazine writing, National Association of Home Builders, 1982, 1984; special service award, Connecticut chapter of American Planning Association, 1983; first-place award for magazine writing, NFPW, 1983; journalism award, Connecticut Society of Architects, 1984; named American Jewish Woman of Achievement, 1989; first-place award for nonfiction, NFPW, 1990.

WRITINGS:

Children of Fast-Track Parents: Raising Self-Sufficient and Confident Children in an Achievement-Oriented World (nonfiction), Viking (New York, NY), 1989.

The Woman Who Defied Kings: The Life and Times of Dona Gracia Nasi—A Jewish Leader during the Renaissance, Paragon House (St. Paul, MN), 2002.

Russian Dance (biography), Wiley (Hoboken, NJ), 2004.

Author of weekly real-estate column, New York Times, 1978—. Contributor to periodicals, including New York Times, McCall's, Glamour, Advertising Age, Kappan, Woman's Day, and Preservation.

SIDELIGHTS: Journalist Andrée Aelion Brooks once told CA: "My writing has always been aimed at airing an issue or a problem of contemporary life that possibly had been overlooked to the detriment of the public at large. The goal is to improve the quality of our lives by creating a climate where corrective or compassionate action can be taken. Issues that I have helped to bring to the public's awareness (long before they became well-known topics) include the financial and emotional problems of single parents, serial marriages, contaminated well water, the dwindling supply of nurses, insensitive and archaic use of zoning powers in relation to modern lifestyle, and conservation needs."