In Recognition of My Mentors

At 73, I believe my principal mentors were:

My father: my life-long closest friend and business partner, Israel Katzman.

My first newsstand employee, ancient sage (on work and life-lessons), my treasured friend and protector, Bill Reynolds.

My exceptional and caring teachers at the University of Chicago Laboratory High School, who became close, life-long friends: Wayne Brasler, Sue Philips, and Paul Moulton.

My first lover and tutor in passionate physical love and reverent, enduring relationships: Sylvie, a Jewish-French woman who blessed my life.

My friend Rick Munden: who, though he was my own age, was unknowingly instrumental in laying out my life in front of me, starting with our non-violent relationship at 11, then asking me to join him in opening a corner newsstand at 15.

Wayne Brasler, Sue Philips & Paul Moulton
Father and son

Father and son: Israel and Robert Katzman

Rick and Robert at 15

Rick and Robert at 15

Then forty years later, at 54 in 2004 – within a five-minute ferry shuttle ride between Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and Navy Pier, Rick convinced me to live my dream and become a writer…

Resulting in the creation in 2024 of more than 24 different books of at least 250 pages each and one at 700+ pages.

And my new wife Nancy (since May 2022), a friend of only four years; my enthusiastic supporter and creative collaborator, who had the idea of our making my 600+ stories and poems into themed books. We just never imagined how many! Her artistic talent and graphic skills helping in designing and publishing our new collection of 24 volumes, guiding them to materialize from ideas, to words, then books.

To all of them and to many more friends who taught me so much, I am forever grateful.

Nancy Alexander

Nancy Alexander: Friend, Wife
Muse, Book Designer & Editor