Mark Matousek
Encyclopedia
Mark Matousek Mark Matousek (born February 5, 1957) is an American memoirist, teacher, essayist, and journalist.
’s Interview in 1982, first as a proofreader then as the magazine's first senior editor. Over the next three years, Matousek conducted hundreds of interviews with prominent figures in film, television, books, fine art, politics, design, and science. Alarmed by the deaths of friends from AIDS, he quit his job in 1985 and spent the next years as an itinerant dharma bum and freelance journalist, living in Europe, India, and the United States. Drawn to eastern philosophy, especially Buddhism
, Matousek shifted gears from pop culture to psychology, religion, and spiritual seeking, and became a contributing editor to Common Boundary Magazine, where his back page column, The Naked Eye, appeared from 1994-1999. Subsequently, he received a National Magazine Award nomination for "America's Darkest Secret" (about the epidemic of incest in the U.S.) and published essays in numerous magazines, including The New Yorker
, Details
, O: The Oprah Magazine, Tricycle
, The Utne Reader, AARP Magazine, Out
, Good Housekeeping
, Yoga Journal
, McCalls, and Harper’s Bazaar. His Ethical Wisdom blog appears regularly in The Huffington Post
and Psychology Today
online.
, Matousek collaborated with writer Andrew Harvey on Dialogues With A Modern Mystic (later interviewing Harvey for a British documentary of the same name). His first book, Sex Death Enlightenment: A True Story (1996) became an international bestseller published in ten countries and nominated for two Books for a Better Life Awards. In 2000, he published The Boy He Left Behind: A Man's Search for His Lost Father (Los Angeles Times Discovery Book, Randy Shilts Award, excerpted in The Observer
) and served as co-editor on Ram Dass’s book “Still Here.” A third book, When You’re Falling, Dive: Lessons in the Art of Living, appeared in 2008, and included autobiographical essays on writers including Joan Didion, Stanley Kunitz, Andrew Solomon, and James Hillman, as well as spiritual leaders Matthew Fox, Byron Katie, and Eckart Tolle, and others. Matousek published Ethical Wisdom: What Makes Us Good, a study of human morality in 2011. His essays have appeared in numerous international anthologies, including: Voices of the Millenium; Wrestling With the Angel; A Memory, A Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer; Oprah's Best Life; and Be the Change.
’s organization for ending violence against women and girls (V-Day), and curator of their online essay series (www.vday.com). His autobiographical essay, “Rescue” (included in A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and a Prayer) has been performed internationally. He moderated the men’s panel at the New Orleans Superdome for V to the Tenth in 2008. Matousek is currently working on a theatrical piece called Breaking Out the Man Box (with playwright James Lecesne), which will serve as V-Men’s artistic vehicle (as Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” launched V-Day). A popular writing instructor, he has taught memoir at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York, as well as the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, and The New York Open Center. Matousek is a member of PEN International and a core faculty member of Old Stone Farm, a wellness center in Staatsburg, New York.
Early years
Matousek was born in Los Angeles, California. His father, James Matousek, disappeared when he was four, leaving his mother, Ida Kaplan, to raise him and his sisters in poverty. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dramatic Art from The University of California, Berkeley, in 1978 (Phi Beta Kappa, Summa cum Laude), a Fellowship to Worcester College, Oxford in 1979, and a Masters Degree in English Literature from UCLA in 1981.Journalism
Matousek moved to New York City that same year, working as a stringer covering popular culture for Reuters, Int., then in the letters department of Newsweek Magazine. He was hired by Andy WarholAndy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
’s Interview in 1982, first as a proofreader then as the magazine's first senior editor. Over the next three years, Matousek conducted hundreds of interviews with prominent figures in film, television, books, fine art, politics, design, and science. Alarmed by the deaths of friends from AIDS, he quit his job in 1985 and spent the next years as an itinerant dharma bum and freelance journalist, living in Europe, India, and the United States. Drawn to eastern philosophy, especially Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Matousek shifted gears from pop culture to psychology, religion, and spiritual seeking, and became a contributing editor to Common Boundary Magazine, where his back page column, The Naked Eye, appeared from 1994-1999. Subsequently, he received a National Magazine Award nomination for "America's Darkest Secret" (about the epidemic of incest in the U.S.) and published essays in numerous magazines, including The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, Details
Details (magazine)
Details is an American monthly men's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications, founded in 1982. Though primarily a magazine devoted to fashion and lifestyle, Details also features reports on relevant social and political issues.-History:...
, O: The Oprah Magazine, Tricycle
Tricycle
A tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school-age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. In the United States and Canada, adult-sized tricycles are used primarily by older persons for...
, The Utne Reader, AARP Magazine, Out
Out (magazine)
Out is a popular gay and lesbian fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle magazine, with the highest circulation of any gay monthly publication in the United States. It carries itself in a similar editorial manner to Details, Esquire, and GQ. Out was published by PlanetOut Inc...
, Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
, Yoga Journal
Yoga Journal
Yoga Journal is an American based media company that publishes a magazine, a website, DVDs, and puts on conferences all devoted to yoga, food and nutrition, fitness, wellness, and fashion and beauty.-Beginnings and Growth:...
, McCalls, and Harper’s Bazaar. His Ethical Wisdom blog appears regularly in The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
and Psychology Today
Psychology Today
Psychology Today is a bi-monthly magazine published in the United States. It is a psychology-based magazine about relationships, health, and related topics written for a mass audience of non-psychologists. Psychology Today was founded in 1967 and features articles on such topics as love,...
online.
Books
After working with Sogyal Rimpoche on The Tibetan Book of Living and DyingThe Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, written by Sogyal Rinpoche, gives a comprehensive presentation of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, exploring: the message of impermanence; evolution, karma and rebirth; the nature of mind and how to train the mind through meditation; how to follow a spiritual...
, Matousek collaborated with writer Andrew Harvey on Dialogues With A Modern Mystic (later interviewing Harvey for a British documentary of the same name). His first book, Sex Death Enlightenment: A True Story (1996) became an international bestseller published in ten countries and nominated for two Books for a Better Life Awards. In 2000, he published The Boy He Left Behind: A Man's Search for His Lost Father (Los Angeles Times Discovery Book, Randy Shilts Award, excerpted in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
) and served as co-editor on Ram Dass’s book “Still Here.” A third book, When You’re Falling, Dive: Lessons in the Art of Living, appeared in 2008, and included autobiographical essays on writers including Joan Didion, Stanley Kunitz, Andrew Solomon, and James Hillman, as well as spiritual leaders Matthew Fox, Byron Katie, and Eckart Tolle, and others. Matousek published Ethical Wisdom: What Makes Us Good, a study of human morality in 2011. His essays have appeared in numerous international anthologies, including: Voices of the Millenium; Wrestling With the Angel; A Memory, A Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer; Oprah's Best Life; and Be the Change.
Social Activism and Teaching
In 2009, Matousek became Creative Director of V-Men, the male arm of playwright Eve EnslerEve Ensler
Eve Ensler is an American playwright, performer, feminist and activist, best known for her play The Vagina Monologues.- Personal life :...
’s organization for ending violence against women and girls (V-Day), and curator of their online essay series (www.vday.com). His autobiographical essay, “Rescue” (included in A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and a Prayer) has been performed internationally. He moderated the men’s panel at the New Orleans Superdome for V to the Tenth in 2008. Matousek is currently working on a theatrical piece called Breaking Out the Man Box (with playwright James Lecesne), which will serve as V-Men’s artistic vehicle (as Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” launched V-Day). A popular writing instructor, he has taught memoir at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York, as well as the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, and The New York Open Center. Matousek is a member of PEN International and a core faculty member of Old Stone Farm, a wellness center in Staatsburg, New York.
Books
- 1994 Dialogues With a Modern Mystic(with Andrew Harvey)
- 1996 Sex Death Enlightenment: A True Story
- 2000 The Boy He Left Behind: A Man’s Search for His Lost Father
- 2008 When You're Falling, Dive: Lessons in the Art of Living
- 2011 Ethical Wisdom: What Makes Us Good
Articles
- The Dalai Lama's Secret: What Makes Us Good? The Huffington Post
- Life Lessons from Peter Pan The Huffington Post
- Andy Warhol Creeped Me Out "Over 50"
- Moral Decision Making "The Huffington Post"
- You Don't Need God to Be Good "The Huffington Post"
- Two Minute Memoir "Psychology Today"
- How Empathy is Born "Psychology Today"
- The Alchemy of Crisis "Beliefnet"
- The Game of Run and Seek "Beliefnet"
- How to Choose Happiness "Oprah.com"
- Ethical Wisdom "Tricycle"
- Getting of Wisdom "Mark Matousek"
Audio
- Ethical Wisdom: What Makes Us Good? "Audible
- The Earthquake Leonard Lopate Show
- Exceptional Wisdom Radio Exceptional Wisdom Radio
Video
- Are We Born Good? "Are we Born Good?"
- ABC Local "ABC Local"
- Mark Matousek at the Open Center "Mark Matousek at the Open Center"
- Healthy Remorse "Healthy Remorse