Norman James "Jim" Levy (born October 6, 1940) is an American writer who has published sixteen books of poetry, essays, memoirs, travel and fiction. In his professional life, he worked for forty years as an executive for nonprofit organizations and as a consultant to nonprofits.
Early life
Levy was born in
Chicago, Illinois, on October 6, 1940. His father was Norman Arnold Levy, a Freudian psychoanalyst, and his mother was Caroline S. Levy, a wife, mother and aspiring writer. The family moved to
Los Angeles when Jim was five. He attended public elementary and Jr. High, and then
The Thacher School in
Ojai, California.[1] After two years at
Pomona College, he spent nine months writing in Italy and Spain, then enrolled in the
University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a bachelor's degree in English and History and a lifetime teaching credential in secondary education.[2]
Levy met Deirdre Bull in 1962 and they lived together, along with her two children Arlyn and Edward until 1971. They were married in 1966 and divorced in 1974. Deirdre went on to become a Buddhist nun. She is now called
Pema Chödrön[15] and has written a series of bestselling books and audios.[16] Levy and author Phaedra Greenwood lived together from 1972 to 1992 and were married in 1977. They were divorced in 1994 and reunited in 2003. They live in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico.