Women's History Month - Jeanette Eyerly

This week we'll feature some Iowa Women Authors.  Now as far as we're concerned you don't have to be born in Iowa to be an Iowa author.  You just have to live here a long time.  Take Jeannette Eyerly.  She was born in Topeka Kansas but spent most of her life in our great state.  And died at her home in Des Moines August 18 2008, at the remarkable age of 100.   Eyerly, and the other authors we'll highlight, wrote books that were controversial or groundbreaking. Or both.  In Jeannette Eyerly's case that meant that in the 1970's she was writing books for teens that dealt with problems affecting their actual lives - teenage suicide, drug abuse, teen pregnancy.  The novel about teens having a child, He's My Baby, Now, became a TV movie entitled Schoolboy Father.  Starring Rob Lowe!  (Sorry, I was overcome by star power.)

A final note about Jeannette Eyerly:  from 1930-1932 she worked as the Publicity Director for the Des Moines Public Library.  That's right, we're cool.

Jeannette Eyerly Books Most of these are only available in the Iowa Collection, which means they can't be checked out.  But you can stop in and read them at the Central Library!

Source:  Gale Biography in Context