Jim Henson

Brian Jay Jones is an award-winning writer and biographer and presently serves as vice president of Biographers International Organization, the world's largest organization of practicing biographers. Brian is a devoted member of the Jim Henson generation, having been two years old when Sesame Street premiered in 1969 and nine when The Muppet Show debuted in 1976. A former policy analyst and advisor in the U.S. Senate, Brian abandoned politics for the pen in 2008, with the publication of his award-winning biography of Washington Irving.

"I worked with Jim for over thirty years. He was one of my closest friends. And yet I found out things about him in Jim Henson that were new to me. Brian Jay Jones has captured the layers of Jim's genius and humanity as well as the flaws that made Jim, like all of us, so delightfully imperfect. Jim needed this book to be written. I thank Brian for giving Jim life again. This book has captured the spirit of Jim Henson." -- Frank Oz "I'm a rabid Jim Henson fan - his brilliant ideas spawned shows that entertained and educated millions, myself included. Jim Henson vibrantly delves into the magnificent man and his Muppet methods: it's an absolute must read!" -- Neil Patrick Harris "I loved it. Brian Jay Jones vividly portrays Jim's journey ... In spite of the fact that Jim and I worked together closely for many years, there were compartments of Jim's life that I hadn't known about before. I was completely involved and couldn't put the book down. A tremendous job." Dave Goelz, Muppet perfomer (Gonzo) "A thoroughly compelling read... With verve and insight, Jones illuminates the full scope of Henson's genius, phenomenal productivity, complex private life, zeal to do good, and astronomical influence." Booklist "Every Muppet Fan has wondered who was behind the wide-mouthed, bug-eyed furry creatures. Before now all we had was a credit line: Jim Henson. Now with Brian Jay Jones's riveting Jim Henson we have a nuanced portrait of the puppeteer-part genius inspired by his Mississippi Delta roots and his Christian Science faith, part flawed human with tastes too rich in everything from his art and cars to his women-that brings new understanding of and empathy for an icon of American popular culture." -- Larry Tye, author of Satchel and Superman