Jon Katz is an accomplished American author, journalist, and photographer, born on August 8, 1947. Initially, he pursued journalism and contributed to various online magazines such as HotWired and Slate, as well as the tech website Slashdot. He later ventured into a diverse range of careers, including novelist and photographer. Katz has written numerous books on a variety of topics, including the evolving relationship between humans and animals, and the geek subculture.
In the early stages of his writing career, Katz authored a successful mystery series featuring the main character Kit Deleeuw, a private investigator and former Wall Street financier living in the fictional town of Rochambeau, New Jersey. However, Katz later shifted his focus to writing about the relationships between humans and animals. He is well-known for his works on this topic, which he writes from his home on Bedlam Farm, located in upstate New York.
Bedlam Farm serves as both Katz's residence and the setting for much of his writing. He lives there with his wife, artist Maria Wulf, four dogs, two donkeys, and two barn cats. Katz has written several memoirs, novels, short story collections, and children's books, all while tending to his animals and managing the farm. In addition to his writing, Katz is also an accomplished photographer and has held several gallery showings of his work. He sells his photos as notecards through the Redux Gallery in Dorset, Vt.
In recent years, Katz has developed a strong interest in animal grieving and is currently working on a book about the subject. He is also the proud father of a sportswriter daughter living in Brooklyn. Katz's writing career has taken him on a journey of self-discovery, and he continues to write and publish fiction and nonfiction books, along with columns and articles for various publications. He maintains a blog at bedlamfarm.com, where he shares his photography and writing with his readers.