Riordan, James, 1936-2012

James Riordan was born October 10, 1936, in Portsmouth, England, into a difficult childhood. With his parents' separation and the looming World War II, Riordan was sent to live with his grandparents. Although arduous, the time was also enriching, cultivating within him a strong faith in the ordinary person. Educated at Birmingham, London and Moscow, Riordan traveled and worked in various countries, learning languages and cultures. He soon became a lecturer of Russian at Portsmouth Polytechnic in England. Of his various titles and collections of children's literature, he is particularly fond of retelling folktales, including Russian ones. Riordan published his first children's book in 1974. Along with the children's literature, he is also the author of numerous stories from the former Soviet Union.Biographical source: Something About the Author. Volume 95, 1998.

From the description of James Riordan Collection 1976-1979. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 426796638