Joseph Kastner

Background

Joseph Kastner was born on March 26, 1907, in New York City. He was the son of Aaron Kastner and Fani (Blutreich) Kastner. He had 2 sisters and a brother. He grew up in Manhattan.

Education

Kastner received his education at Yale University. He graduated from it with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1930.

Career

Kastner began his career in journalism in 1924 as a copy boy in New York City. He then worked successively at New York World, The New Yorker, and Fortune, all as a writer. He began a thirty-five year association at Life magazine in 1936, first as a writer, then as copy editor and later as consulting editor. He set off on his own as a freelance writer in 1971.

Achievements

• Kastner established a reputation as a nature writer, penning books such as A Species of Eternity, which earned a National Book Award nomination. His other books include Evergreens (with James Crockett), A World of Watchers, John James Audubon, The Animal Illustrated, and The Bird Illustrated. His writings as a freelance, after retiring from Life, also included articles for Smithsonian and Natural History magazines and book reviews, articles and Op-Ed page essays for The New York Times. He also contributed unsigned editorials, about nature and the environment, to The Times.

Works

More photos

• book

  • First Impressions: John James Audubon

    (A look at the life and work of the creator of Birds of Am...)

    1992
  • A Species of Eternity

    (Nature, species,naturalists, biography, plants and animal...)

    1977
  • A World of Watchers 1987
  • The Bird Illustrated, 1550-1900: From the Collections of the New York Public Library 1989

Interests

• Birding, gardening

Connections

Kastner was married in 1934 to Barbara Harris, who died in 1985. He is survived by his companion, Judith Mara Gutman; a brother, Alton; two sisters, Beatrice Olson and Clara Sack; two sons, Matthew and Jonathan, and two grandsons.

Father:

Aaron Kastner

Mother:

Fani (Blutreich) Kastner

Son:

Jonathan Kastner

Son:

Matthew Harris Kastner

Sister:

Beatrice Olson

Sister:

Clara Sack

Brother:

Alton Kastner

Friend:

Judith Mara Gutman