Background

Barbara O'Dair was born in the United States.

Education

Barbara received a Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College, New York. She also earned a Master of Fine Arts from Warren Wilson College.

Career

Barbara O'Dair was magazine editor for many years. She used to work as editor of United States magazine; deputy music editor of Rolling Stone; executive editor of Details Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Reader's Digest and many others. Her latest position was as editor-in-chief at Prevention magazine, which she held until April 2018. Barbara is currently founder and CEO of Barbara O'Dair Communications.

O'Dair is also the author of several books. The first, Caught Looking, was produced in conjunction with a group of well-known feminist writers, including Nan Hunter and Kate Ellis. The book, a collection of essays about the dangers of censoring pornography, was crafted as a response to proposed municipal censorship laws promoted by feminists Andrea Dworkin and Catherine MacKinnon. The essayists argue that although such laws seek to protect women from violence inspired by pornography, they would also serve to rob women of sexual expression and possibly sex education. The book reminds readers of the difficulty of denning obscenity and of the history of attempts to censor books that are explicit for educational purposes.

After having worked at Rolling Stone as a music editor, O’Dair edited The Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock: Trouble Girls. Containing over fifty essays, mostly written by Rolling Stone staffers and all written by women, the book chronicles the contributions of women in the musical form that has become known as rock and roll. The book is notable for its use of personal anecdotes, photographs, discographies, and bibliography.

O'Dair also published a collection of interviews, features, and reviews of Madonna, which bring her career to light from her early days to her successful stint as an actress in the acclaimed movie Evita.

Achievements

• Barbara O'Dair is a well-known magazine editor. Her most popular book is The Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock: Trouble Girls.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Madonna : The Rolling Stone Files

    (A definitive collection of interviews, features, and revi...)

    1997
  • Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock

    (Stunning close-up portrait photographs, accompanied by a ...)

    1997
  • Caught Looking: Feminism, Pornography & Censorship

    (Feminist essays & graphic images, a classic text.)

    1992

References

• Contemporary Authors
  2008