Our next look at this year’s Digest authors explores the work and background of Susan Tejada.  Tejada formerly worked for the National Geographic Society as editor-in-chief of National Geographic World magazine.  She has also written and edited books about geography made for young readers, including Dig It: How to Collect Rocks and Minerals (Reader’s Digest Explorer Guides) and Geo-whiz! (Books for World Explorers).

Tejada was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island.  In Chautauqua, New York, she took part in the Highlights Foundation summer Writers’ Workshop, teaching non-fiction writing for young readers.  Tejada volunteered for two years with the Peace Corps in the Philippines.  There she taught classes and edited the Peace Corps/Philippines national magazine.  Tejada has also been an associate editor of EPA Journal, in which she worked as a reporter of environmental issues.

Recently, Tejada was the recipient of a research fellowship from the Lilly Library of Indiana University.  With this, she did the research for her latest book, In Search of Sacco and VanzettiDouble Lives, Troubled Times, and the Massachusetts Murder Case That Shook the World.  In September of 2012, Tejada was featured at the Library of Congress National Book Festival for this work of nonfiction about the controversial trial of two Italian-born anarchists who were convicted of robbery and murder.  A starred review in Booklist says In Search of Sacco and Vanzetti has “the suspense and engagement of a good thriller . . . [with the] . . . “perceptive history of early twentieth-century radicalism.”

Sources:

http://susantejada.com

http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Tejada/e/B001K8CGTO/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/author/susan_tejada/