Elizabeth "Zibby" Owens (née Schwarzman)[1] is an American writer[2] and podcast host, known for her podcast[3] Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books.[4] She is based in New York City. [5] Her podcast is called Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books.

Zibby Owens
Born
Elizabeth Schwarzman

1976 (age 47–48)
EducationYale University
Harvard University
Occupation(s)Podcaster, writer
Spouses
Andrew Right
(m. 2005⁠–⁠2016)
Kyle Owens
(m. 2017)
Children4
FatherStephen A. Schwarzman
Websitezibbyowens.com

Life and career

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Zibby Owens was born Elizabeth Schwarzman, the daughter of Stephen A. Schwarzman, co-founder, chairman, and CEO of The Blackstone Group, and Ellen Katz, a trustee of Northwestern University and the Mount Sinai Medical Center.[6][7]

She grew up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and attended Yale University and Harvard Business School.

In 2018, Owens launched the Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books podcast, where she interviews authors. By the end of 2019, the podcast had produced 200 episodes with a cumulative download count of 250,000.[8]

In 2020, Owens expanded her literary endeavours by interviewing authors on Instagram and launching an online literary magazine titled We Found Time, which featured essays from authors who had appeared on her podcast. In February 2021, she released a book titled Moms Don't Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology, based on these essays.[9]

Owens also serves on the advisory council of the New York Public Library.

In November 2023, Owens withdrew her company's sponsorship of the 2023 National Book Award due to concerns that a potential call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict by participating authors could be perceived as discriminatory against Israel and the Jewish community.[10]

Publications

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  • What to Wear to Show Off Your Assets. What to Do to Tone Up Your Trouble Spots, (as Zibby Right), co-authored with Paige Adams-Geller, and Ashley Borden; McGraw-Hill (January 2008)[11]
  • Moms Don't Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology (2021)
  • Moms Don't Have Time To Have Kids: A Timeless Anthology (2021)
  • Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Literature (2022)
  • Princess Charming (2022)
  • Blank: A Novel (2024)

Personal life

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Owens is married to Kyle Owens, a former professional tennis player and film producer. Her first marriage to Andrew Right ended in divorce.

References

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  1. ^ "Oh, Zibby, Thanks So Much for Calling!". Observer. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Schwarzman's daughter can only afford chairs at library benefit". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  3. ^ Jean-Philippe, McKenzie (26 September 2019). "21 of the Best Book Podcasts to Listen to In-Between Reads". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  4. ^ Kelly, Hillary (17 September 2019). "New York's Most Powerful Book-fluencer Runs a Podcast on Park Avenue". Vulture. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  5. ^ Jargon, Julie (21 December 2019). "Move Over, Santa! Kids Are Asking Alexa to Bring Them Presents". The Wall Street Journal. Eastern Edition. Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Ellen Zajac and Teddy Schwarzman". The New York Times. 11 November 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Oh, Zibby, Thanks So Much for Calling!". Observer. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  8. ^ Sandy Kenyon (4 December 2019). "Meet the mom behind 'Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books' podcast". ABC7 New York. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  9. ^ Moms don't have time to : a quarantine anthology. OCLC 1202304767. Retrieved 15 April 2021 – via WorldCat.
  10. ^ "Israel-Hamas War Sows Disruption at the National Book Awards". 15 November 2023.
  11. ^ Your perfect fit what to do to show off your assets, what to do to tone up your trouble spots. OCLC 1159410731. Retrieved 15 April 2021 – via WorldCat.
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