Schnurnberger, Lynn (Edelman) 1950(?)–

PERSONAL: Born c. 1950; married Martin Schnurnberger. Education: Attended City College of the City University of New York.

ADDRESSES: Home—New York, NY. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Random House, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

CAREER: Journalist and author. Also worked as a special consultant in costume at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

WRITINGS:

Kings, Queens, Knights, and Jesters: Making Medieval Costumes, Harper & Row (New York, NY), 1978.

Star Trek, the Motion Picture, Make-Your-Own Costume Book, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1979.

A World of Dolls That You Can Make, Harper & Row (New York, NY), 1982.

Kids Love New York!, Congdon & Weed (New York, NY), 1984.

Let There Be Clothes: 40,000 Years of Fashion, Workman (New York, NY), 1991.

(With Janice Kaplan) The Botox Diaries (novel), Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Janice Kaplan) Mine Are Spectacular! (novel), Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Contributor to periodicals, including More, Parents, Glamour, Mademoiselle, New York, and Self.

SIDELIGHTS: Journalist and author Lynn Schnurnberger has been writing for many years on lifestyle topics for magazines across the country, including More, Glamour, and Mademoiselle. Early on, she studied stage and costume design at City College of the City University of New York, and worked at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art as a costume consultant. Her first three books provide instructions on making dolls and Medieval costumes, and her fourth book, Kids Love New York!, serves as a travel guidebook for child-friendly activities and places in New York City. Schnurnberger has also been a frequent guest on national talk shows, such as Oprah, Good Morning America, and Today.

In 1991, Schnurnberger wrote and published her first widely known book, Let There Be Clothes: 40,000 Years of Fashion. Her work provides a look back through history at clothing trends and how they have changed or, in many cases, stayed the same. The text is peppered with random and obscure facts about clothing accessories, shoes, jewelry, makeup, and cultural influences. The book also contains numerous photographs and a continuous timeline on each page. Let There Be Clothes proved popular with readers, who picked up on the author's entertaining writing style. "Schnurnberger's prose is laced with wry humor to point out the foibles of fashion, but she also explores the more serious role of clothes," wrote Lisbeth Levine in the Chicago Sun-Times.

In 2004, Schnurnberger collaborated with friend and fellow writer Janice Kaplan to write the novel The Botox Diaries. The story revolves around forty-something New Yorkers Jessica Taylor and Lucy Baldor. The two friends try to sort out life and all that it brings with it—husbands, children, and growing older. Lucy, a television producer, is having an affair behind her husband's back, while Jessica, a single mother, tries to balance a stagnant love life and her nonprofit career.

Overall, reviewers found The Botox Diaries to be an entertaining comedy within a growing genre of novels targeted to women. "This amiable, good-natured comedy will put the reader in mind of her favorite flannel pajamas—not sexy, exactly, but comfortable and fun," wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor. Other critics focused on the book's overall readability and fast-moving plot. "With snappy dialogue, hilarious and lovable characters, and enough tension to keep the pages turning, this first-time collaboration will be a great beach read," commented Booklist reviewer Kaite Mediatore.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 15, 2004, Kaite Mediatore, review of The Botox Diaries, p. 1597.

Boston Globe, June 13, 2004, Diane White, "Absurd Espionage, 'Botox' and Bonding, Satire with Claws," p. 6.

Chicago Sun-Times, December 8, 1991, Lisbeth Levine, "Staying in Style—for the Millennia," p. 45.

Journal Star (Peoria, IL), January 17, 1992, Mary Boone, "Clothes Encounters," p. 6.

Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2004, review of The Botox Diaries, p. 517.

Library Journal, August 2004, Elizabeth Mellett, review of The Botox Diaries, p. 68.

New York Times, May 30, 2004, Francine Parnes, "Banter between Pals," p. 14.

New York Times Book Review, June 6, 2004, Liesl Schillinger, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," p. 19.

Publishers Weekly, May 31, 2004, review of The Botox Diaries, p. 52.

ONLINE

Random House Web site, http://www.randomhouse.com/ (February 10, 2005), "Lynn Schnurnberger."