DEBORAH SHAPLEY WRITER
Photo: Bob Cullen
Life dealt me luck; I work to be worthy of the gift. As a youngster I recall discovery moments - in school and outdoors, in the woods and mountains of New England and in my hometown of Washington, DC. I was lucky to be part of a family who pushed good education. After college I set out to be a reporter, excited for the chance to find and publish news that readers should know. Reporting for Science and other publications I dug out news concerning big issues such as US science policy, academic freedom, the arms race. See résumé on Bio.
Each of my books aimed to probe and explain a key topic that no one else was likely to take on. Fine editors and supporters helped each get into the world. See Books.
The Harlow Shapley Project is my latest endeavor. It is an online book and info hub about my grandfather. The format aims to involve a wide audience of generations and interests. I’m trying to fill a gap in popular and scholarly knowledge of - er - 20th century astronomy, a liberal icon and our family’s humane and witty “star.”
You have alighted on Debthink. This is my author site launched long ago, now trimmed. “Debthink” was cooked up by the young programmer after he informed me that no one can spell “deborah” or type “deborahshapley” correctly. (Shapley is often misspelled “Shapely.”) I think of Debthink as an old log from which the Harlow Shapley Blog is a big branch.
Alongside writing, I get outdoors. Years ago, during walks on historic Massachusetts Avenue near our home, I was shocked to find many neglected trees among the surviving giants planted a century ago. A small group of us began rescue, towing a red wagon loaded with water buckets and tools. The weekend fun grew into a small non-profit that has added hundreds more shade trees. See Trees. I’ve learned that to be a manager today, one needs communication skills besides mere prose. I’m trying!
