Gain insight into the life of Ira Gershwin, the man behind some of the most memorable lyrics of the Great American Songbook. Biographer Michael Owen reveals the life of this remarkable American, the son of first-generation immigrants, who has often been in the shadow of his brother George Gershwin.

The first lyricist to win the Pulitzer Prize, Ira Gershwin (1896–1983) has been hailed as one of the masters of the Great American Songbook, a period which covers songs written largely for Broadway and Hollywood from the 1920s to the 1950s. Now, in the first full-length biography devoted to his life, Michael Owen draws on extensive archival sources to craft a rich portrait of the modest man who penned the words to such well-loved songs as “Fascinating Rhythm,” “Embraceable You,” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.” Owen’s book celebrates George and Ira Gershwin’s collaboration and Ira’s extensive work with other songwriters. Ira Gershwin: A Life in Words brings the publicity shy lyricist into the spotlight he deserves.

Michael Owen is a cultural historian and researcher, and acts as the consulting archivist and historian to the estate of Ira Gershwin. He is the author of Go Slow: The Life of Julie London, and the editor of the forthcoming volume The Gershwins Abroad. He currently resides in Port Washington, Wisconsin, but calls California home.

Mark Clague is professor of musicology, director of the Gershwin Initiative, and executive director of its Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan. His recent book, O Say Can You Hear?: A Cultural History of the Star-Spangled Banner, was a New York Times Editor’s Choice. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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Presented by American Ancestors’ American Inspiration author series in partnership with Boston Public Library and GBH Forum Network

Special Thanks to American Inspiration Series Sponsors Susan K. and John D. Thompson