Kernan, Julie, 1901-1988

Julie K. Kernan was born in Roanoke, Va., Jan. 24, 1901. Her brother, Thomas D. Kernan was born on March 18, 1903. Their parents were Edward O. Kernan (1860-1916) and Rosalie Gravely Kernan (1869-1908). Julie Kernan grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. She graduated from St. Patrick's High School, and attended Catholic and George Washington universities. Her long career in publishing began in 1919 in the editorial department of the International Law Division of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In 1926 she earned a degree in French studies from the University of Grenoble, France. From 1931 through 1935 Ms. Kernan was editorial secretary for the French Book Club. She resided in Paris until 1935 when she returned to the U.S. From 1935 until her retirement in 1966 she held a variety of positions with publishers in New York City, including Longmans, Green & Co., where she was editor of religious publications, David McKay & Co., where she managed the religious book department, and P.J. Kenedy & Sons, where she served as editor. Julie Kernan was a prodigious writer and translator. Her published works include 'The Catholic church in action', a collaboration with Michael Williams (1934) and translations of works by Franç̧ois Mauriac, Raïssa Maritain, and Henri Daniel-Rops, among others. Her most memorable work is undoubtedly the memoir of her long friendship with Jacques and Raïssa Maritain, 'Our friend Jacques Maritain', published by Doubleday in 1975. Julie K. Kernan died on May 24, 1988, in Washington, D.C. Thomas Kernan was educated at Georgetown University, receiving his B.A. in 1922 and his M.A. in 1923. In 1925 he joined the staff of Condé Nast Publications in New York City. He was general manager of the staff and later circulation manager of 'Vogue', 'Vanity fair', and 'House and garden' magazines. In 1937 Kernan became the publisher of the French edition of 'Vogue'. When Nazi Germany invaded France in June 1940, he remained in the country, assisting with the evacuation of French and American friends and the preservation of their property. Kernan returned to the U.S. in 1941 and resigned from Condé Nast the following year. In August 1942 he returned to France with the American Red Cross to further assist in the evacuation of American civilians and diplomats. In November of that year Kernan was interned with the American diplomatic corps at Lourdes. Early in 1943 he was moved to Baden Baden, Germany, where he was detained for another thirteen months, during which time he wrote 'Now with the morning star, ' perhaps the first novel to be written in an internment camp. After his release from the camp, Kernan entered the U.S. Intelligence Service and served in England and Germany with the Office of War Information. During the post-war years he launched the French edition of 'House and garden' magazine, eventually compiling from its pages several best-selling books on architecture, interior decoration, and gardening. Kernan officially retired from Condé Nast in 1969. In addition to his Paris residence he bought and renovated a country house in Senlis, France. Kernan was the author of several books in addi̥tion to 'Now with the morning star', including 'Across a world', in collaboration with John J. Considine (1942) and 'France on Berlin time' (1941). Thomas Kernan died in France on May 9, 1975.

From the description of The Julie and Thomas Kernan papers, 1765-1988, (bulk 1940-1975). (Georgetown University). WorldCat record id: 182560422