Molly ivins biography
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Molly Ivins
American newspaper columnist (1944–2007)
Mary Tyler "Molly" Ivins (August 30, 1944 – January 31, 2007) was an American newspaper columnist, author, and political commentator, known for her humorous and insightful writing, which often used satire and wit to critique political figures and policies.
Born in California and raised in Texas, Ivins attended Smith College and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She began her journalism career at the Minneapolis Tribune where she became the first female police reporter at the paper. Ivins joined The Texas Observer in the early 1970s and later moved to The New York Times. She became a columnist for the Dallas Times Herald in the 1980s, and then the Fort Worth Star-Telegram after the Times Herald was sold and shuttered in 1991. Her column was subsequently syndicated by Creators Syndicate and carried bygd hundreds of newspapers.
A biography of Ivins, Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life, was co
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Biography of Molly Ivins, Sharp-Tongued Political Commentator
Molly Ivins (Aug. 30, 1944–Jan. 31, 2007) was a political commentator with a sharp wit—a take-no-prisoners critic of what she considered silly, outrageous, or unfair. Ivins was based in Texas, and both loved and made fun of her state and its culture and politicians.
President George W. Bush, a frequent target of Ivins' writings, nevertheless praised her after she died, saying he “respected her convictions, her passionate belief in the power of words, and her ability to turn a phrase.” Bush added: “Her quick wit and commitment to her beliefs will be missed.”
Fast Facts: Molly Ivins
- Known For: Political commentator with biting wit
- Also Known As: Mary Tyler Ivins
- Born: Aug. 30, 1944 in Monterey, California
- Parents: James Elbert Ivins and Margaret Milne Ivins
- Died: Jan. 31, 2007 in Austin, Texas
- Education: Smith College (BA in History, 1966), Columbia School of Journalism (MA, 1967)
- Published
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Written by Wittliff archivist, Karen Sigler, This article was originally published in the Society of Southwestern Archivist and now resides in Texas State Universities digital archives.
If the world were given your personal library, what would it tell them about you? What if you were known for your political observations and didn’t mind being blunt about holding the politicians feet to the fire—wouldn’t you think this person’s library would be primarily political in nature or at least lean heavily in that direction? This is what I would have thought, until I began to inventory Molly Ivins’ library. Molly was a bestselling author and hell-raising political columnist, who died in 2007 from breast cancer. The New York Times described Molly as “a liberal newspaper columnist who delighted in skewering politicians and interpreting and mocking, her Texas culture”.
She never had to write fiction because state and national government provided her plenty of material for humor. She said, “