Pulitzer

by W.A. Swanberg

From the National Book Award–winning author, an absorbing biography of the esteemed editor, publisher, power broker, and rival to William Randolph Hearst.

An eccentric genius, Joseph Pulitzer immigrated to the United States to fight in the Civil War—despite barely speaking English. He would soon master the language enough to begin a successful newspaper career in St. Louis, become a fierce opponent to William Randolph Hearst, and, eventually, found the Columbia School of Journalism.

A Hungarian born into poverty, Pulitzer epitomized the American Dream by building a fortune. But he also going blind in the middle of his career, experiencing extreme mood swings, and developing an intense irritability that made everyday life difficult to tolerate. In this book, W. A. Swanberg—a recipient of the prestigious prize named after Pulitzer—recounts the personal and professional life of the newspaper magnate, as well as his significant influence on American politics. Swanberg reveals how the New York World managed to balance admirably accurate reporting with popular appeal, and explores Pulitzer’s colorful, contradictory character—courageous and self-pitying, dictatorial and generous. Set against the backdrop of a turbulent era, this is a portrait of an outsize personality by an author with a flair for both the big picture and small, fascinating detail.

Includes photographs.

Praise for W. A. Swanberg’s biographies

“First-rate.” —The New York Times on Citizen Hearst

“Engrossing.” —Kirkus Reviews on Norman The Last Idealist

Genres: Nonfiction, History, American, Biography

Unknown Binding

About the author

A graduate of the University of Minnesota, William Andrew Swanberg worked as a journalist for newspapers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and as an editor for Dell Publishing. After serving in the Office of War Information during World War II, Swanberg worked as a freelance writer and an author of a number of scholarly biographies.

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a long hard slog, took me forever to read it, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Great feeling of accomplishment when I finished! He was a bizarre person, truly unique (I hope), with immense intelligence and energy.

[Ben Welsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exhaustive, and exhausting, biography that took me months to muscle through. But I really enjoyed it. Pulitzer was such a strange, fascinating person. The loss of his health in midlife totally changed him.

[RYD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joseph Pulitzer is a household name who I, certainly, knew nothing about before I read this book. He comes across as a brilliant but highly neurotic man who had many warts -- his warmongering toward Cuba during the Spanish-American War perhaps the most dramatic example of that.

[Terrence Crimmins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a well written, compassionate and thorough review of the life of a man who, except for the prize, almost everybody has forgotten, but who effects us all (and not by the prize.)