Marv Friedlander

Marv Friedlander was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1945. The family moved to New Jersey for an opportunity for his Dad to open a beauty salon. Marv was raised in many of Northern New Jersey's garden spots, including Hillside, Newark, Irvington, Maplewood, and South Orange. After graduating from Rutgers, The State University, Marv married, had two children, began working for the Internal Revenue Service, and moved to the Washington, DC, area. Some forty-two years seems to have rushed in a blur of remariage with two more darling children and positions focused on the nonprofit sector. Marv's government service culminated in a job as the Chief, Exempt Organizations Technical. In this position, Marv directed the work of about one hundred attorneys and accountants who rendered tax rulings to the tax-exempt community.

During his tenure with the IRS, Marv's writing focused on crafting rigidly structured tax decisions. He had some creative license in preparing informational pamphlets intended to offer advice to lay persons. For example, in Disaster Relief, Providing Assistance Through Charitable Organizations, [Publication 3883], Marv and colleague Rick Darling wrote practical advice to assist charities in complying with tax rules. The advisement was rushed to publication following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3833.pdf

During his spare time, Marv became interested in humanism. First joining and then leading an Ethical/Humanist society, he began to explore the writings of Felix Adler. Felix Adler was a world renowned philosopher, social activist, and founder of Ethical Culture. Upon retiring, Marv's involvement with the American Ethical Union offered him further insights into the philosophy of the Ethical Culture Movement. Eventually, Marv wrote his first book entitled Felix Speaks: Adler's Ethical Culture, which explores Felix Adler and Ethical/Humanism through a series of highly accessible and entertaining articles.

Marv's second book, Du Bois Speaks, makes the life and writings of W.E.B. Du Bois - an early radical civil right icon - lively and informative.

In I Hate Children and other Humanist Stories, Marv aims through gentle humor to make the positive principles at the heart of humanism accessible to readers young and old. Marv also uses the book as an opportunity for including some nostalgic stories.

Now, Marv Friedlander offers James Baldwin: The Man Who Spoke Back that explores the life, literature, and ideas of James Baldwin.

"I think my understanding who we are as a people is improving as reflected in these books."

Marv lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with his second family. He tells us, "What I like about my current writing endeavors is the freedom to express myself outside the formality that dictated my prior work. Retirement? I am not sure what that is . . . writing, gardening, house maintenance, gym exercise, and my children keep me well occupied.

I continue to add stories almost daily on my Facebook feed - just send me a friend request to see my musings.