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{{short description|American writer}}
Andy Rathbone' is the author of the "Windows for Dummies'' and co-authored early editions of ''PCs for Dummies'' with [[Dan Gookin]] as well as numerous other books. The part of character Jeff Spicoli in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High was partly modeled on Rathbone because Cameron Crowe (the writer of Fast Times...) apparently as part of his research for the movie observed high school Rathbone having a pizza delivered to a class. He currently lives in [[San Diego, California]] and has a webpage (see External Links).
{{Infobox person
| name = Andy Rathbone
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = c. {{birth year and age|1961}}
| birth_place = [[San Diego]], [[California]]
| alma_mater = [[San Diego State University]]
| occupation = {{hlist|Author, journalist}}
| years_active = 1983–present
| other names = R. Andrew Rathbone
| children =
| spouse = Tina Rathbone
| partner =
| parents = <!-- overrides mother and father parameters -->
| mother =
| father =
| relatives =
| website = {{URL|andyrathbone.com/}}
}}
'''R. Andrew "Andy" Rathbone''' (born 1961) is an author of a number of books, including ''[[For Dummies]]'' about [[Microsoft Windows]] as well as other computing books.

==Early life and education==
Rathbone was born in [[San Diego, California]]. He attended [[San Diego State University]], majoring in comparative literature and graduated in 1986 He was the editor-in-chief of SDSU's ''Daily Aztec'' newspaper.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-11-11-me-24617-story.html|title=San Diego|first=L. A. Times|last=Archives|date=November 11, 1986|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> He lives in San Diego, California.

The character of shy teenager Mark "The Rat" Ratner, who has a crush on [[Jennifer Jason Leigh]]'s character in the movie ''[[Fast Times at Ridgemont High]]'', was modeled on Rathbone after writer [[Cameron Crowe]] befriended him during Crowe's research for the original book at San Diego's [[Clairemont High School]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite web|title="Geek God." People Weekly 13 March 1995<!-- Bot generated title --> |url=http://www.geocities.com/arteitle/fast_times/articles/misc/people-russell.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021141626/http://geocities.com/arteitle/fast_times/articles/misc/people-russell.html |archivedate=2009-10-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Rathbone's portrayal in the film was featured in an article titled "Geek God" published in the March 13, 1995 issue of ''[[People Weekly]]'' magazine.<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083929/trivia/|title=Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) - Trivia - IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20105275,00.html|title=''People'' magazine, "Geek God: Once the Butt of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Best-Selling Author Andy Rathbone Becomes a Computer Guru," March 13, 1995}}</ref>

==Career==
Before becoming an author, Rathbone was chief editor at the ''Daily Aztec'',<ref name="auto"/> a reporter for the ''[[La Jolla, San Diego, California|La Jolla Light]]'' newspaper, an editor at ''[[ComputorEdge Magazine]]'', and a freelancer for ''PC World'', ''ComputerWorld'' and ''CompuServe''.

In 1992, Rathbone wrote his first ''For Dummies'' book, ''Windows for Dummies'', which was a ''New York Times'' bestseller.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00710FC385E0C728CDDAB0894D0494D81&scp=4&sq=windows%20for%20dummies%20rathbone&st=cse|title=''The New York Times'', Business Best Seller list.}}</ref> Since then, he has published some 50 computer books.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oreilly.com/pub/au/2464|title=Andy Rathbone|website=www.oreilly.com}}</ref> His latest book is ''Windows 11 for Dummies'' (2021). Several of his ''For Dummies'' books have made ''USA Today'''s bestseller list.<ref>[http://books.usatoday.com/list/search-results?t=author&k=andy+rathbone''USA Today'' Best-Selling Books Database]</ref> In 1992, Rathbone’s ''Windows For Dummies'' became the world’s best-selling computer book and remains so with more than 15 million copies sold by 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/crypto-blockchain-books-just-dummies-143034878.html|title=New crypto and blockchain books just for dummies|date=May 16, 2019|website=Yahoo Finance}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Rathbone lives in San Diego. His late wife, Tina Rathbone, who wrote ''Modems for Dummies'',<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fneEASKrf5oC|title=Modems for Dummies|isbn=978-1-56884-001-7 |via=Googlebooks |last1=Rathbone |first1=Tina |date=1993 |publisher=IDG Books }}</ref> died in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://obituaries.tridentsociety.com/obituaries/san-diego-ca/tina-rathbone-11265471|title=Tina Rathbone Obituary - San Diego, CA}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.andyrathbone.com Andy Rathbone's Homepage]
* [http://www.andyrathbone.com Andy Rathbone's official site]
* [https://www.dummies.com/author/andy-rathbone-9105/ John Wiley & Sons author bio]
* {{IMDb name|14084776}}
* [https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=au=%22Rathbone%2C%20Andy%22 WorldCat bibliography]
* [http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/entdev/article.php/3820846/Windows-7-Review-Why-I-Like-Windows-7.htm ''Datamation'', review of Windows 7, May 18, 2009]


{{Authority control}}
{{US-writer-stub}}


[[Category:American technology writers|Rathbone, Andy]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rathbone, Andy}}
[[Category:American technology writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Writers from San Diego]]
[[Category:People in information technology]]
[[Category:San Diego State University alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:20th-century American journalists]]

Latest revision as of 05:45, 9 December 2024

Andy Rathbone
Bornc. 1961 (age 63–64)
San Diego, California
Other namesR. Andrew Rathbone
Alma materSan Diego State University
Occupation
  • Author, journalist
Years active1983–present
SpouseTina Rathbone
Websiteandyrathbone.com

R. Andrew "Andy" Rathbone (born 1961) is an author of a number of books, including For Dummies about Microsoft Windows as well as other computing books.

Early life and education

[edit]

Rathbone was born in San Diego, California. He attended San Diego State University, majoring in comparative literature and graduated in 1986 He was the editor-in-chief of SDSU's Daily Aztec newspaper.[1] He lives in San Diego, California.

The character of shy teenager Mark "The Rat" Ratner, who has a crush on Jennifer Jason Leigh's character in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, was modeled on Rathbone after writer Cameron Crowe befriended him during Crowe's research for the original book at San Diego's Clairemont High School.[2] Rathbone's portrayal in the film was featured in an article titled "Geek God" published in the March 13, 1995 issue of People Weekly magazine.[2][3][4]

Career

[edit]

Before becoming an author, Rathbone was chief editor at the Daily Aztec,[1] a reporter for the La Jolla Light newspaper, an editor at ComputorEdge Magazine, and a freelancer for PC World, ComputerWorld and CompuServe.

In 1992, Rathbone wrote his first For Dummies book, Windows for Dummies, which was a New York Times bestseller.[5] Since then, he has published some 50 computer books.[6] His latest book is Windows 11 for Dummies (2021). Several of his For Dummies books have made USA Today's bestseller list.[7] In 1992, Rathbone’s Windows For Dummies became the world’s best-selling computer book and remains so with more than 15 million copies sold by 2019.[8]

Personal life

[edit]

Rathbone lives in San Diego. His late wife, Tina Rathbone, who wrote Modems for Dummies,[9] died in 2023.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Archives, L. A. Times (November 11, 1986). "San Diego". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ a b ""Geek God." People Weekly 13 March 1995". Archived from the original on 2009-10-21.
  3. ^ "Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) - Trivia - IMDb" – via www.imdb.com.
  4. ^ "People magazine, "Geek God: Once the Butt of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Best-Selling Author Andy Rathbone Becomes a Computer Guru," March 13, 1995".
  5. ^ "The New York Times, Business Best Seller list".
  6. ^ "Andy Rathbone". www.oreilly.com.
  7. ^ USA Today Best-Selling Books Database
  8. ^ "New crypto and blockchain books just for dummies". Yahoo Finance. May 16, 2019.
  9. ^ Rathbone, Tina (1993). Modems for Dummies. IDG Books. ISBN 978-1-56884-001-7 – via Googlebooks.
  10. ^ "Tina Rathbone Obituary - San Diego, CA".
[edit]
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