My writing developed out of my teaching. In 1986, fresh out of college, I became a teacher for what I thought would be just a year or two before my “real” profession began. But I loved the classroom and stayed there for 38 years. My students ranged from preschool kids to senior citizens, but I always liked high school teaching best. Although I mostly taught English, what I mainly hoped to teach was a lifelong passion for learning. Now, in my writing, I’m trying to do the same for my readers.
I still do some one-on-one teaching, and I edit work for doctoral students and college professors, who keep me on my toes with their wide range of interests. I also try to write every day. My current project is a biography of Hannah Arendt, which will be the fourth book in the Philosophy for Young People series. I haven’t yet decided who will come next, but among my candidates are Machiavelli, Erasmus, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. Choosing my focus for a new book feels a bit like planning a vacation to a new destination. I love to immerse myself in an unfamiliar time and place—and to be reminded of how much we all share simply because we are human.
I was born in New York City; grew up partly there and partly in Dallas, Texas; and now live in Ra’anana, Israel, a town just north of Tel Aviv. I have a BA in French from Yale, an MA in English from Georgetown, and a doctorate in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. My husband and I met as undergraduates, and together we raised four children who have found wonderful partners and started their own families. For relaxation I like to cross-stitch and knit—slow, tactile pursuits that I especially appreciate as antidotes to the fast-paced modernity of screens.
Devra Lehmann 