Wendy Mead
School
Bard College, Emerson College
Expertise
American History, Alternative Rock, Celebrity Biographies
- Wendy has written several biographies, including one on President William H. Taft and another one on author Judy Blume.
- Wendy delved into what it was like to live colonial America for "The Merchant," a title in Cavendish Square's Colonial People series. She even had to develop a recipe reflective of that time.
- Despite mostly streaming music these days, Wendy still won't part with her insane CD collection. She has hundreds and hundreds of them, from every Talking Heads album to the complete works of Frank Sinatra.
Experience
Wendy started out in newspapers, working as an editor for a business monthly and then as a reporter for American Banker. She made the switch to book publishing, where she worked for Scholastic on two of their children's nonfiction imprints. She went on to write several nonfiction books for young readers, tackling topics from American history to music to animals. As a freelance writer, she worked for a number of clients, including Biography.com. There, she created profiles on all sorts of people, from actor Paul Newman to soccer star Pelé. She joined Grunge as a news writer in 2021, and she loves putting her sharp research skills to good use on a fascinating array of subjects, including interesting episodes in rock history and tales of classic Hollywood.
Education
Wendy has a bachelor's degree in Literature from Bard College and a master of fine arts degree from Emerson College in Creative Writing.
The unique content on Grunge is a result of skilled collaboration between writers and editors with a broad array of expertise in everything from history to classic Hollywood to true crime. Our goal is to provide accurate and diverse content bolstered by expert input.
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Stories By Wendy Mead
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Actress Peg Entwistle is more well-known for the way her life ended than for her career. Her stepson, actor Brian Keith, followed her footsteps in a dark way.
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Journalist Donald Woods first encountered anti-Apartheid activist Stephen Biko professionally in 1973. Here's a look inside their unique friendship.
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LeBron James made basketball history by breaking the all-time scoring record. But before that, he tried to change the NBA rules. Here's what happened.
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Singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan creates compelling, emotionally charged music, which has brought her many accolades during her long career.
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Actor David Niven's memoir recalling old Hollywood told a harrowing tale of a troubled actress he called "Missie." But who was the mysterious starlet?
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Snow leopards are relatives of lions, tigers, pumas, and jaguars, but they have a unique aspect of their physiology that sets them apart from the rest.
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Stanley Kubrick's first career working as a magazine photographer helped him develop the skills that would later serve him well as a film director.
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Actress Cindy Williams, appearing alongside Penny Marshall, lit up the world of television with the hugely popular sitcom "Laverne & Shirley."
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Michael Morse, who joined the MLB in 2005, once hit a home run without a bat. Here's how that seemingly impossible feat technically became reality.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates helped cement the Sister Sledge musical group into sports history. Here's how the team helped the group's rise.
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Eric Clapton and Duane Allman are both revered and iconic rock guitarists who first found success in the 1960s. Here is their friendship, explained.
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Here's an explainer of the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin for the shooting that happened on the set of the film "Rust."
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The band's guest spot on "Letterman" was their first appearance on network TV, but this career breakthrough was overshadowed by the events of the night before.
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Lisa Marie Presley chose her father Elvis' 1969 ballad "Don't Cry Daddy" for a posthumous collaboration with the late rock star.
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Famous singer Dionne Warwick one had to file for bankruptcy in 2013 due to a sizable tax debt she owed the IRS. Here's what happened.
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In the world of music, Earth, Wind & Fire stands as one of the most enduring acts of all time. So who were the four longest-lasting members of the group?
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Jan-Michael Vincent was known for his rugged good looks and piercing blue eyes. After struggling throughout his life, here is more about his tragic 2019 death.
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Relationships between siblings can often be complicated and contentious. Jackie Kennedy and her sister Lee Radziwill had a lot of ups and downs.
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Music legend Johnny Cash may be best remembered for his marriage to June Carter, but his earlier union with Vivian Liberto made headlines for different reasons.
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In a single flight on December 2022, 36 people on a flight were injured from severe turbulence.
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The true story of George Dantzig may vary some from the plot of the 1997 Matt Damon movie "Good Will Hunting," but it's no less fascinating.
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Viktor Bout worked as an international arms dealer who helped supply weapons and ammunition around the world. But what exactly are his ties to Osama bin Laden?
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Actress Rita Moreno belongs to an elite group of performers who have won every top award. Here's why she almost quit West Side Story after getting the part.
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Kristie Alley, who recently passed away, had to grapple with the tragic 1981 death of her mother, who was killed by a drunk driver.
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Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" held a certain nostalgia for the Baby Boomer generation that Clinton hoped to win over during his 1992 presidential campaign.
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The singer Seal had a couple of huge hits in the early 90s. Here's why he hasn't released an album in years.
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The lottery has roots in a centuries-old tradition started in Ancient Rome. Here's how the first English lottery was like a get out of jail free card.