| about the author | published works and productions |

Don Arthur Torgersen is a fourth generation native American of Norwegian, Swedish, and German descent. He was born and raised in Chicago on the northwest side of the city, and was a graduate of Lloyd Elementary School and Kelvyn Park High School.  He received his higher education  at the University of Illinois (Navy Pier, Champaign-Urbana) (BA / Liberal Arts and Sciences with major studies in philosophy, history, and languages). He was  elected president of Vets Illini, played varsity baseball for College Hall of Fame Coach Les Miller, wrote articles for the Pier Illini and the Daily Illini, and was a delegate to the Little United Nations. He attended the University of Chicago for film writing, film production and Oriental Institute studies, Chicago-Kent College of Law (CPE),  L’Ecole de Ski du Mont Tremblant in Quebec, and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies in Colorado (ACES).

During the Korean War, Don Torgersen enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17, intending to become a UDT frogman (Navy Seal).  The Navy sent him to radio communications and electronics school in San Diego, and the naval college at Pearl Harbor. He was a communications supervisor stationed at Lualualei, Oahu, engaged in the operation of high-power transmitters for the Pacific Command. He is the Cook County Commissioner of American Legion Baseball, general manager and coach of a Legion baseball team, and member of Schaumburg Post #1983.  He is a life member of Loyal Lodge #1007, AF&AM, Skokie, Illinois, a 32° Scottish Rite Freemason, Oriental Consistory, Valley of Chicago, and a member of the Scottish Rite Bike Team.

In his career, he has been a writer, editor, managing editor, producer, director, and publisher. In addition to trade and educational programs, he has produced films and audiovisual programs for corporate marketing and new technologies. He has been producer and host of the radio series Nine Faces of the Muse, and the International Poetry Festival.

His original works of fiction are written to cause wonder and delight in children, merge fact with folklore, create humor and fantasy, dramatize individual and social values, feature environmental themes, and encourage a lifelong interest in reading, poetry, and language arts. 

Torgersen was a co-founder of the American Reform Party, drafter of its platform, national press secretary, editor and publisher of American Political Reform, and state executive director of United We Stand America, formed from the Ross Perot independent movement in national politics. In 1998, he ran for the U.S. Senate from Illinois as a centrist candidate for economic, social, and political reforms.

Don lives with his wife Kathleen, nee Pucillo, in Palatine, Illinois. They have raised three sons — Scott, Dana, Guy, and a daughter, Jane.  Don enjoys skiing, sailing, biking, mountain climbing, nature photography, coaching and competitive sports.  He has deep affection for opera, classical, jazz, and most forms of music. He plays the piano, the American Indian flute, and composes songs for children to be woven into his sagas, stories, and tales.

While skiing across Norway, he claims he was lost in a snowstorm and captured by a band of mountain trolls who would not let him go until he promised to tell the world endless tales about trolls, gnomes, dragons, elves, and frost giants. During a ski race, a troll stuck his head out of the snow and tripped his skis.  The troll jumped out of the snow hole and tried to run away, but Don yanked off his tail as proof he tangled with trolls in Norway and lived to tell about it. He holds the Crest of Ullr medal for heroic falls, crashes, and wipe outs and was initiated into the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Foolhardy Mountaineers.

Go to TreeofTales.com to hear Don Arthur Torgersen narrate an original story.
Contact don.torgersen@uswide.net for rights, publishing requests, and personal appearances. (847-359-2999) 

Don Arthur Torgersen
Published Works and Productions

BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS
Catalyst: International Journal of Art, Science and Philosophy
Port Chicago Poets: A New Voice in Anthology
Mahatma Gandhi: Biography and Philosophy
       People of Destiny Series
American Political Reform
Puddler: Wildlife Conservation Magazine for Children

ANIMAL LIFE STORIES
ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA
EDUCATIONAL CORP.
Ziggy, The Elephant
The Polar Bears and the Seals
The Mountain Gorillas
The Golden Eagles
The Great Tigers of India
The Wolves of Isle Royale
Big Gator of the Everglades
The Porpoises and The Sailor
Prairie Dog Town
The Wild Ostrich of the Kalahari
Cheetahs of The Serengeti Plain
The Blue Shark

ANIMAL SAFARI NATURE LIBRARY
CHILDREN’S PRESS
Lion Prides and Tiger Tracks
Killer Whales and Dolphin Play
Elephant Herds and Rhino Horns
Giraffe Hooves and Antelope Horns
Great Apes and Monkey Tails

LIVE PRODUCTIONS
International Poetry Festival, presented in ten languages
An Evening of Russian Violins
United We Stand America Leadership Conferences
Tournament Director, State American Legion Baseball Program
Host: Nine Faces of the Muse Radio Program, WXFM

DOCUMENTARY FILMS IN SOCIAL STUDIES
Society for Visual Education, Encyclopaedia Britannica, and Coronet Films

THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN DEMOCRACY
Give Us Independence
Framing the U.S. Constitution
The Living Constitution
The Chief Executive
Profile of Congress
The Supreme Court

PRODUCTIONS
THE AMERICAN EXAMPLE
Democracy and English-Speaking People
Democracy and Latin America
Democracy and France
Democracy and Scandinavia
Democracy and Black People: Liberia
Democracy and Black People: Haiti

ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA BIOLOGY PROGRAM

DOCUMENTARY ON CANADA The Fishermen of Nova Scotia
Quebec and the French Canadians
Pinawa, Manitoba: Atomic Energy
Yellowknife: Northwest Territories
Canada’s Arctic Settlements
Port of Vancouver: Pacific Gateway

THE NEW JAPAN
Tokyo: World’s Largest City
A Traditional Japanese Family
Japan’s Life From The Sea
Silk Farming at Takatoya
Nagasaki and Her Shipbuilders
Okinawa: Keystone of The Pacific

THE BRITISH ISLES
London: Mother of Parliaments
Bath: The English Countryside
Scotland: A Separate Way of Life
The Orkneys: Isolated Islanders
Wales: Land of The Red Dragon
Ireland: A People Divided

CUBA: THE ISLAND NATION
MIAMI’S CUBAN COMMUNITY

STORIES FROM THE OLD WEST
Pony Express Rider
Vaquero! Vaquero!
Pawnee: The Buffalo Pony
El Camino Real
Comanches: The Great Horsemen
Iron Horse, Iron Spike

WILDLIFE STORIES
Curly and Simba: Twin African Lions
Beishung: The Giant Panda
Buffy: The Sea Otter
Coco and Chacha: The Coatis
Windy: The Snow Goose
Koolah: The White Koala

EXPLORING CAREERS
Apprentice Tool and Die Makers
Forge Shop: The Hammersmith
The Assembly Line Worker
The Steelworker
The Structural Iron Worker
The Meatcutter
Farm Equipment Mechanic
The Scuba Diver
The Heavy Equipment Operator

BOOKS/SOUND FILMSTRIPS
The Girl Who Tricked The Troll
The Troll Who Went To School
The Scariest Night In Troll Forest
The Troll Who Lived In The Lake
The Angry Giants of Troll Mountain
The Wicked Witch of Troll Cave
Huff and Puff and the Troll Hole
The Secret of Cathedral Lake
Torrek and The Elfin Girl
The Last Days of Gorlock The Dragon

SALES AND MARKETING PROGRAMS
AC Delco Distributor Films
Swift-Eckrich C-Store Training Videos
Kraft Foods New Product Development
SALES AND MARKETING PROGRAMS Contd.
Navistar Truck Insurance Program
Motorola Microwave-Fiber Optic Program
Escast Investment Casting Programs
W.R. Grace Construction Programs
Harvestore Farm Products Program

FORMER EDITORIAL POSITIONS
Editor: Science and Mechanics Publishing Co.
Mathematics Editor: Science Research Associates/IBM
Manager of Producers, New Product Development
         Society For Visual Education (SVE)
         Singer Education Division
Managing Editor: Allied News Company
Director of Communications: Servicecare Medical Corp.