Harju, Jerry
April 16, 1933 -
Place of Birth: Ishpeming, MI
Place of Principal Residence: Marquette, MI
Biography:
Jerry Harju was born to Arvid and Lydia Harju in Ishpeming, MI on April 16, 1933. Childhood in the Upper Peninsula was an experience Harju never forgot, as demonstrated in the plethora of material it created for several of his books, including Northern Reflections, Northern D’Lights, Northern Passages, and Northern Memories. Harju earned his degree in engineering mechanics in 1957 at the University of Michigan and his MS at the University of Southern California in 1985. Harju stayed in Southern California for over 30 years as manager in the aerospace industry. In 1993, Harju retired and moved to Marquette, beginning a new page of his life as writer. His first book, Northern Reflections, published in 1992, opened the door for Graham-style humor. In addition to his books, Harju writes columns for the Marquette Newspaper and runs a publishing company.
Selected Works:
- Cold Cash
- Here’s What I Think
- Northern D’Lights
- Northern Memories Awards:
- Midwest Independent Publishers Association Book Achievement Award for Cold Cash Critical Reception: For Northern Reflections: A Lighthearted Account of “Growing up North”: “...These stories will tickle your fancy…” University of Mich. Alumnus Magazine “...The book is a fast, rollicking romp into a simpler time.” The Finnish American Reporter “Northern D’Lights is delightfully written. It’s loaded with belly laughs, chuckles, and those memories that bring a smile to the head and heart.” Gene Perret, Head Comedy Writer for Bob Hope “Cold Cash is a hot read. The suspenseful tale will leave you laughing out loud. Read every hilarious word of this gem.” The Green Bay Press Gazette “Cold Cash, a saga of a bungled bank heist, offers laugh-out-loud thrills.” The Grand Rapids Press “Cold Cash is a madly funny romp of a tale. A whirlwind ride from disaster to disaster, following the dopiest pair since ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ with a pistol-toting wronged woman thrown into the mix. The laughs keep flopping along.” The Traverse City Record Eagle Relevance of Place to Author’s Work: Raised there as a child and now living there as a retiree, Harju draws on his life in Upper Michigan to create stories. His string of books gives hearty recognition, if not full out devotion, to the mitten state.