Jay Atwell Parry (born October 12, 1950) is an American writer. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his nonfiction LDS and his books on George Washington. Early life
Parry was born in Nampa, Idaho to Atwell Parry, an Idaho state senator, and Elaine Hughes Parry. He is the third of seven children. At the age of 13, he moved with his family to Melba, Idaho, where he worked at his father's grocery store.
After high school, he attended Ricks College (now Brigham Young-Idaho University) in Rexburg, Idaho, where he served as editor of the school literature magazine Runes. When he was 19 years old, he served as a missionary to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, Texas from 1970 to 1972. After returning from his mission he moved to Provo , Utah to study at Brigham Young University, from which he graduated in August 1974 with a bachelor's degree in English. He served in the US National Air Guard from 1972 to 1979, and wrote and edited official bulletins for the Utah Air National Guard.
Video Jay A. Parry
Careers
While in college, Parry works for BYU Press as a proofreader and copy editor. This led to him getting a job as an associate editor for Church magazine Ensign from the mid-1970s to early 1980s.
In the early 80s, Parry quit working for the Church for a while, and joined a company called Information Design as a partner and author. Information Design started an initiative called the Parenting Sources Group, which partnered with various doctors and social workers to publish self help books on improving one's welfare and family. His mission statement, printed in several of their publications, reads: "The Parent Resources Group consists of parents, educators, and developmental professionals working together to collect readily accessible help for parents."
In 1982, Parry, in collaboration with Information Design, published Santa Claus under the pseudonym Alden Perkes, a funny Christmas book explaining the origins and mechanics of many Christmas folklore. She was invited as a guest at Good Morning America, where she was interviewed about the book by co-host Joan Lunden.
In 1985, Parry started working for the National Center for Constitutional Studies (NCCS), a nonprofit constitutional organization founded by the confidence-based political theorist W. Cleon Skousen. Parry performs writing and editing assignments for Center publications. It was then that he co-wrote The Real George Washington, a biography of President George Washington published in 1991, written by Skousen and Andrew M. Allison, which coincided with the NCCS view that the establishment of the United States was a miracle divine. Political commentator Glenn Beck has recommended this book many times, causing it to return to popularity starting in 2008.
Parry left NCCS in 1993 and began working for Deseret Book publishers in 1994 as an associate editor. This position fosters the relationship between Parry and the publisher where he begins to publish more of his own. In April 1998, Parry, along with his brother Donald W. Parry, published their first installment in their Understanding series, a text that explains the more difficult concept of Christian doctrine and LDS through critical analysis and written references holy. It was also during his time at the Deseret Book that Parry collected and edited the book Best-Loved and Everyday , two series that collected inspiring stories and poems on different topics, each book ranging from certain themes.
Due to budget and staffing problems, Parry was released from his position at Deseret Book in November 2008. After working as a freelance editor for over a year, he once again returned to work for the Church in 2010, working as a writer and editor for the Church History Department. One of his main tasks is to serve as the lead editor in producing the Mountain Meadows Massacre: Collected Legal Papers, published by the University of Oklahoma Press (2017). In 2017, he joined the editorial staff of Joseph Smith Papers.
Throughout his professional career, Parry continues to contribute freelance writing and research to various publications, including Ensign and New Era magazines. He has often collaborated with others in his writing. Some of his co-authors have included Kurt Hanks and Larry Belliston ( Build Your Creative Genius, Stay Near, Discipline,
Parry is a member of several professional associations, including the American Copy Editors Society, the Association for Documenting Documents, and the Mormon History Association.
Maps Jay A. Parry
Teach
Parry has been an active participant in Brigham Young University Education Week every year since 1999. Education Week is an annual continuation of adult education where hundreds of classes and workshops are held on the campus of BYU. Parry teaches up to three series of classes each year (each series consists of four different classes), focusing on topics that involve a better understanding of the LDS teachings of the Church. He also teaches several classes along with his brother, Donald W. Parry, who references the books they write together. Two of his presentations are recorded and displayed regularly on BYU-TV.
Topics include:
- Death and Awakening: Gifts from a Loving Father
- The Book of Revelation: The Vision for Our Day
- Isaiah's Glorious Message for Our Day
- Heritage of Eve: Women of Many Generations
- The Mortal Messiah: Love, Power, and Sacrifice
- Receive An Extraordinary Gift of God: A Precious Gift for Everyday Life
- Symbols and Shadows: Unlock Deeper Understanding of Redemption
- "God's Favorite Land": The American Wonders
Personal life
Parry and his wife, Vicki, have seven children and nine grandchildren. They currently live in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Parry is a good friend with author Orson Scott Card. They met while working together for BYU Press in the early 1970s and then worked together in the Ensign magazine. They have collaborated on several projects, including the short story "In the Doghouse", originally published in Science Fiction Science and Facts and then compiled into a collection of short stories Card, Map in the Mirror Another collection of Card's short stories, Capitol , is dedicated to Parry, and reads: "To Jay A. Parry, who has read it all and made it better."
Parry is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Work
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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