American author and journalist
David James Von Drehle
(born February 6, 1961) is an American author and journalist.
Early life and education
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Von Drehle was born in
Denver
,
Colorado
, and raised in
Aurora, Colorado
. He earned his B.A. in 1983 from the
University of Denver
, where he was also a
Boettcher Foundation
Scholar and editor of the
Denver Clarion
, the student newspaper. In 1985 Von Drehle graduated from the
University of Oxford
with a
Master of Letters
as a
Marshall Scholar
in English literature.
[1]
In 1995 he married Karen Ball, the White House correspondent for the
New York Daily News
. They moved to
Kansas City, Missouri
, where they currently reside with their four children.
[2]
Career
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Von Drehle started his career in journalism at 17 years old, working with
The Denver Post
as a sports writer from 1978 to 1983, where he was the youngest sports writer that the paper has had. From there he moved on to the
Miami Herald
in 1985 and stayed on with the paper until 1991 as a staff writer and New York Correspondent. In 1988 while writing for the
Miami Herald
Von Drehle was awarded a Livingston Award, which recognizes excellence in young journalism and is given annually to journalist younger than 35 years of age.
[3]
Von Drehle was honored for a series titled "The Death Penalty: A Failure of Execution". He was 27 at the time of the award, the youngest of the three journalists recognized that year. The piece also garnered Von Drehle the
American Bar Association
's
Silver Gavel Award
for excellence in Media and the Arts in 1989.
[4]
During his tenure with the
Miami Herald
, von Drehle also received an American Society of News Editors Distinguished Writing Award, and has subsequently been featured in ASNE's collections of America's Best Newspaper Writing.
In 1991, Von Drehle became the New York bureau chief for
The Washington Post
. Within months, he was sent to New Hampshire to cover the 1992 presidential primary, thus beginning his career as a political writer. He went on to be the editor of the Arts section, and the Assistant Managing Editor in charge of the Style section. By his own admission in an article in
National Journal
, Von Drehle says, "I like to change gears every four or five years."
[5]
David Von Drehle left
The Washington Post
in 2006 to become Editor-at-Large for
Time
. He went on to write more than 60 cover stories while at
Time
. Notable examples include the 2008 Person of the Year (
Barack Obama
); a cover piece on controversial commentator
Glenn Beck
titled "Mad Man" that appeared in the September 17, 2009 issue; coverage of the deaths of
Michael Jackson
and
Osama bin Laden
; the 2014 Person of the Year (Ebola Fighters); and a magazine-length essay on forgiveness after the
murders at Emanuel A.M.E. Church
in Charleston, S.C. That article won the Deadline Award for Best Magazine Feature of 2015.
[6]
Von Drehle returned to
The Washington Post
in 2017 as a twice-weekly opinion columnist.
[7]
He has also been a recurring contributor to
NPR
's
Morning Edition
, including a discussion of
Bob Woodward
in light of Von Drehle's front-page article confirming the identity of the FBI's Mark Felt as "Deep Throat.
[8]
He is also the author of several award-winning and bestselling books.
Awards and honors
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- 1996: American Bar Association Silver Gavel honorable mention for
Among the Lowest of the Dead
, a narrative history and analysis of the modern death penalty system in Florida; "perhaps the finest book ever written about capital punishment ?
Chicago Tribune
.
- Sidney Hillman Foundation book prize for
Triangle
- New York Society Library book of the year for
Triangle
- New York Times Notable Book of the Year for
Triangle
- Christopher Award for
Triangle
- New York Public Library Book to Remember for
Triangle
- Abraham Lincoln Group of New York Award of Achievement for
Rise to Greatness
- Society of Midland Authors Biography award for
Rise to Greatness
Works and publications
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- Books
- Von Drehle, David (1995).
Among the lowest of the dead : inside death row
. New York: Fawcett Crest.
ISBN
978-0-449-22523-3
.
- Deadlock: The Inside Story of America's Closest Election
, 2001 (an account of the 2000 presidential recount in Florida, written with reporting by
The Washington Post
political staff; was a source book for the Emmy-winning HBO movie "
Recount
").
- Triangle: The Fire That Changed America
, 2003 (Sidney Hillman Foundation book prize, New York Society Library book of the year, New York Times bestseller and Notable Book of the Year, Christopher Award winner, New York Public Library Book to Remember).
- Rise to Greatness: Abraham Lincoln and America's Most Perilous Year
released by
Henry Holt and Co.
in October 2012.
- Von Drehle, David (2023).
The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man
.
Simon & Schuster
.
ISBN
9781476773940
.
- Essays and reporting
- Von Drehle, David (April 20, 2015). "Line of fire".
Time
. Vol. 185, no. 14. With reporting by Josh Sanburn, Justin Worland, Alex Altman and Maya Rhodan (South Pacific ed.). pp. 16?21.
References
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External links
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