Anita Burdman Feferman, 1927-2015

Anita Burdman Feferman, the noted biographer of Jean van Heijenoort and Alfred Tarski, died on April 9.  She was the author of Politics, Logic, and Love: The Life of Jean van Heijenoort (Jones and Bartlett, 1993, reprinted as From Trotsky to Gödel, CRC Press, 200) and the co-author of Alfred Tarski: Life and Logic (CUP, 2004).  Both are wonderful books that portray the mathematical work as well as the human side of their subjects in careful and exciting but also tactful ways.  They are meticulously researched and true scholarly achievements. Van Heijenoort and Tarski led interesting lives in turbulent times; when Anita told their stories, you couldn’t help but be engrossed.  She was a wonderfully open and warm person; and conversations with her were just as engaging as her books are.  She will be missed.

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