Ruth Duskin Feldman
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An Honest and Compelling Review of the Lives of Prodigies
"A fascinating look at the lives of child prodigies. . . a longitudinal study of gifted children that is sincerely told." — Deborah Earle (USA) "Writer's Writer" award
Ruth was honored as a "writer's writer" by Independent Writers of Chicago for this personal memoir. The award cited "significant contributions to the writing community of Chicago." |
Whatever Happened to the Quiz Kids? Perils and Profits of Growing Up Gifted"...a terribly moving series of portraits of those precocious children who became premature celebrities."
— Studs Terkel The original Quiz Kids show — a national institution on radio and television in the 1940s and 1950s — survives only in record and tape libraries and in the memories of millions. Ruth debuted on the program at age 7 and went on to appear more than 150 times in nine years. She also appeared in Paramount movie shorts and on the Jack Benny, Fred Allen, and Eddie Cantor shows, as well as traveling all over the United States raising millions of dollars for war bonds, before she "graduated" at 16.
When Ruth tracked down her Quiz Kid colleagues, they were in the prime of life. Did they fulfill their youthful promise? What did it mean to grow up celebrated as prodigies? What were the fruits — bitter and sweet — of their childhood fame? What can today's young people, their parents and teachers, learn from their experience? The answers can be found in Whatever Happened to the Quiz Kids? (Chicago Review Press, 1982; iUniverse, 2000). |
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