Irma Kurtz (born September 3, 1935)[1] is an American-born UK-based writer and agony aunt.[2] She has worked in that capacity for Cosmopolitan magazine for over 40 years.[3][4][5] She lives in London's King’s Cross.[6]

Irma Kurtz
Born (1935-09-03) September 3, 1935 (age 89)
New Jersey, US
EducationBarnard College, Columbia University
Notable worksagony aunt
Cosmopolitan Magazine
My Life in Agony
Children1 son

Early life

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Kurtz was born in New Jersey in 1935,[3] and grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, and spent time in New York City growing up.[7] Her father was a dentist.[7] She has a bachelor's degree in English literature from Columbia University.[3]

Career

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Journalism

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After university, Kurtz undertook the Study Abroad program traveling to Europe in 1954 as an 18-year-old on the Castel Felice, an episode she recounts in Then Again : Travels in Search of My Younger Self.[8] She returned and worked as a journalist, travelling in Europe and living in Paris, before settling in London.[7] She worked for Nova magazine from its beginning in 1965, and joined Cosmopolitan in the United Kingdom in 1972.[5][7] Kurtz also wrote for the American edition for 10 years.[7]

Kurtz has written three self-help books, two novels and three travel books.[5]

Television

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Kurtz was the writer and presenter of Mediterranean Tales, a 10-part series for BBC4.[7]

Bibliography

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  • Grand Dragon (1981)
  • Loneliness (1983)
  • Beds of Nails and Roses (1983)
  • The Great American Bus Ride (1993)
  • Dear London (1998)
  • My Life in Agony: Confessions of a Professional Agony Aunt (2014)[9]

Personal life

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She has a son, Marc, a television director, who is married with four children.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Randallwrites (2015-06-29). "AGE INSIDE: Irma Kurtz". A History of my Life in 100 Objects. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  2. ^ Gold, Shawn; Institute, Guide to Laughing (2003). The Guide to Laughing at Love: Insightful Observations to Share. Handy Logic Press. ISBN 978-0-9729636-0-2.
  3. ^ a b c Galbinski, Alex (2014-05-19). "Cosmopolitan's agony aunt Irma Kurtz reveals her own burdens | Jewish News". Jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  4. ^ Whitehorn, Katharine (2014-03-02). "My Life in Agony review: Irma Kurtz's 40 years as an agony aunt". The Guardian. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  5. ^ a b c Copson, Josie (2011-02-16). "Irma Kurtz : Cosmo Agony Aunt : Biography". Cosmopolitan.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  6. ^ Holmquist, Kate (2014-02-04). "Irma Kurtz: 'You know when you've been raped. Believe me, I know'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Interview: Irma Kurtz : The veteran agony aunt reveals the key problems at the heart of most romantic relationships". Thejc.com. 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  8. ^ Kurtz, Irma (2003). Then again : travels in search of my younger self (1st ed.). London, England: Fourth Estate. pp. 6, 18, 52, 56, 330. ISBN 978-0-00-739772-3. OCLC 958946190.
  9. ^ "Dear Irma ... Forty years of advice for life". jerseyeveningpost.com. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  10. ^ Durrant, Sabine (2014-02-16). "The mother of all agony aunts: Irma Kurtz interview". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2017-01-15.