John Ciardi

John Anthony Ciardi (June 24, 1916 - March 30, 1986) was an American poet, translator, and etymologist.

Related Topics:
June 24 - 1916 - March 30 - 1986 - American - Poet - Translator - Etymologist

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Ciardi was born in Boston's Little Italy.

Related Topics:
Boston - Little Italy

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He attended Bates College, Tufts College and the University of Michigan.

Related Topics:
Bates College - Tufts College - University of Michigan

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After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, he taught at the University of Kansas City, Harvard, and finally at Rutgers.

Related Topics:
Army Air Corps - World War II - University of Kansas City - Harvard - Rutgers

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In 1961, he left his tenured position for an independent career.

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Ciardi was well known for his poetry for adults and children and his English translations of Dante Alighieri's great works.

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He worked with Isaac Asimov on collections of limericks.

Related Topics:
Isaac Asimov - Limericks

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As an etymologist, he is known for a three-volume Browser's Dictionary and his broadcasts on National Public Radio, both as host of A Word in Your Ear and as a commentator for Morning Edition and Weekend Edition. Etymologies and commentary on words such as daisy, demijohn, jimmies (the sprinkles on doughnuts and ice cream), gerrymander, glitch, snafu, cretin, and baseball, among others, are available from the archives of NPR's website.

Related Topics:
National Public Radio - Morning Edition - Weekend Edition - Etymologies - Daisy - Demijohn - Jimmies - Doughnut - Ice cream - Gerrymander - Glitch - Snafu - Cretin - Baseball

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He died on Easter Sunday, 1986 of a heart attack in New Jersey, but not before composing his own epitaph:

Related Topics:
Easter Sunday - Heart attack - New Jersey - Epitaph

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Here, time concurring (and it does);Lies Ciardi. If no kingdom come,A kingdom was. Such as it wasThis one beside it is a slum.

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A partial bibliography:

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• A Browser's Dictionary (reissued ISBN 1888173203)
• A Second Browser's Dictionary (reissued ISBN 1888173343)
• A Third Browser's Dictionary (reissued ISBN 1888173432)
• The Collected Poems of John Ciardi, (published posthumously, ISBN 1557284504)
• Good Words to You: An All-New Dictionary and Native's Guide to the Unknown American Language, (ISBN 0060156910)
• How Does a Poem Mean?, (ISBN 0395186056)
• His translation of The Inferno (ISBN 0451527984)
• Limericks (with Isaac Asimov, ISBN 0517208822)
• Man Who Sang the Sillies (reissued ISBN 0397305680)
• You Read to Me, I'll Read to You, (illustrated by Edward Gorey, ISBN 0064460606)