Gene Weingarten facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gene Weingarten
Weingarten in 2019
Born	New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	New York University
Occupation	Writer
Years active	1972–present
Employer	Formerly The Washington Post
Children	2

Gene Norman Weingarten is an American writer and journalist. He used to write funny columns for The Washington Post. He is famous for winning the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing twice! This is a big award for great writing. Gene Weingarten is known for both his serious stories and his funny ones. He also helps create the comic strip Barney & Clyde.

Gene Weingarten's Early Life

Gene Norman Weingarten was born in New York City. He grew up in the Bronx. His father was an accountant, and his mother was a schoolteacher.

In 1968, Gene graduated from The Bronx High School of Science. He then went to New York University. He first studied to become a doctor. But he changed his mind and studied psychology instead. He also worked as the editor for the university's newspaper.

His Writing Career

Gene Weingarten started his writing career in 1972. His first story was about gangs in the South Bronx. It was published in New York Magazine.

He then worked for a newspaper in Albany, New York. Later, he joined the Detroit Free Press. He also worked for The National Law Journal in New York City.

Working at the Miami Herald

From 1981 to 1990, Gene was an editor at the Miami Herald. He worked on their Sunday magazine, Tropic. In 1984, he hired Dave Barry, who became a very famous humor writer. Tropic magazine won two Pulitzer Prizes while Gene was there.

Time at The Washington Post

In 1990, Gene Weingarten joined The Washington Post. He wrote a weekly humor column called "Below the Beltway." This column was shared with newspapers all over the country. An artist named Eric Shansby drew pictures for his column for over 10 years.

Gene also started and edited a humor contest called The Style Invitational. He sometimes used a secret name, "The Czar," for the contest. But he later told everyone he was in charge of it.

He also hosted a popular online chat called "Chatological Humor." People would talk about comics, humor, and other interesting topics. Gene Weingarten left The Washington Post in 2021.

Books by Gene Weingarten

Gene Weingarten has written several books. They cover different topics, from humor to serious stories.

The Hypochondriac's Guide To Life. And Death

Gene Weingarten wrote his first book in 1998. It was called The Hypochondriac's Guide To Life. And Death. He wrote it after dealing with a serious illness.

I'm with Stupid: One Man, One Woman

In 2004, Gene worked with writer Gina Barreca. They wrote funny columns together about the differences between men and women. These columns became a book called I'm with Stupid: One Man. One Woman. 10,000 Years Of Misunderstandings Between The Sexes Cleared Right Up. They wrote the book without meeting in person at first!

Old Dogs: Are the Best Dogs

In 2008, Gene published Old Dogs: Are the Best Dogs. He worked with photographer Michael S. Williamson. They took pictures and wrote about 63 older dogs. Gene was inspired to write this book after his own dog, Harry S Truman, passed away.

Barney & Clyde Comic Strip

In 2010, Gene and his son Dan started a comic strip. It's called Barney & Clyde. David Clark draws the pictures. The comic is about a friendship between a rich man and a homeless man. It took over five years to create this comic strip.

Me & Dog

In 2014, Gene Weingarten published a picture book for kids. It's called Me & Dog. It's about a boy named Sid and his dog, Murphy. Gene said he wrote this book because he wanted to create a story for children that explored different ways of thinking about the world.

One Day

In 2019, Gene Weingarten published One Day. This book looks closely at a single, random day in American history: December 28, 1986. He wanted to show that even an "ordinary" day can be full of interesting stories if you look deep enough. Slate magazine called it one of the best nonfiction books of the past 25 years.

His Online Chat on Substack

In 2023, Gene started his online chat again. It's now on a website called Substack. The chat is called "The Gene Pool." He chats with readers three times a week.

More About Gene Weingarten

Gene Weingarten has also written three movie scripts. One was with Dave Barry. None of his scripts have been made into movies yet.

He lives in Washington, D.C. He has two children: Molly, who is a veterinarian, and Dan, who is a cartoonist. Gene is also interested in clocks and watches.

See also

• Barney & Clyde