Robert Caro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Caro
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Caro at the 2012 Texas Book Festival
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| Born | Robert Allan Caro October 30, 1935 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Biographer |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) |
| Notable works | The Power Broker The Years of Lyndon Johnson |
| Spouse |
Ina Sloshberg
(m. 1957) |
| Children | 1 |
Robert Allan Caro (born October 30, 1935) is a famous American author and journalist. He is best known for writing very detailed biographies about important American political figures like Robert Moses and President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Caro started his career as a reporter. He then spent years writing his first major book, The Power Broker (1974). It tells the story of Robert Moses, a powerful urban planner in New York. This book is considered one of the best non-fiction books of the 20th century.
He is also famous for his series of books about President Lyndon Johnson, called The Years of Lyndon Johnson. He has written four out of five planned books in the series. For his amazing work, Caro has won many awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes. He is often called one of the most important biographers of our time.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Caro was born in New York City to Jewish parents. He grew up near Central Park West. His father was a quiet businessman. When Robert was 11, his mother passed away. Her wish was for him to attend the Horace Mann School, a well-known private school in The Bronx.
After graduating in 1953, he went to Princeton University. There, he studied English and was an editor for the school newspaper, The Daily Princetonian. His writing was known for being very long, even back then. His final paper for college was so long that the school had to create a new rule about how long students' papers could be.
Starting a Career in Journalism
Caro began his career as a reporter in New Jersey. He also worked briefly for the Democratic Party. He decided to leave politics after seeing something that troubled him on an election day. This experience made him think deeply about fairness and power.
He then worked for six years as an investigative reporter for the newspaper Newsday. One of his most famous series of articles was about a plan to build a bridge across Long Island Sound. The bridge was supported by the powerful city planner Robert Moses. Caro's articles showed why the bridge was a bad idea.
Caro thought his articles had convinced state leaders not to build the bridge. But then, he watched the state government vote to approve it anyway. This moment changed his life. He realized that real power didn't always come from being elected. He wanted to understand how a person like Robert Moses, who was never elected, could have so much influence.
Writing His Famous Books
The Power Broker
To understand how Robert Moses got his power, Caro decided to write a book about him. He thought it would take nine months, but it ended up taking nearly ten years to finish. The book, The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York, became a classic.
Caro did an incredible amount of research. He conducted 522 interviews, including seven with Moses himself. His wife, Ina, worked as his research assistant. She even sold their house at one point so he could afford to keep writing.
The Power Broker was praised for its deep research and great storytelling. It showed how Moses's projects, like the Cross-Bronx Expressway, affected real people. The book helped readers understand the true meaning of political power.
The Years of Lyndon Johnson
After The Power Broker, Caro decided to write about another powerful figure: President Lyndon B. Johnson (often called LBJ). To truly understand Johnson, Caro and his wife moved to rural Texas, where Johnson grew up. They also spent time in Washington, D.C.
This project, The Years of Lyndon Johnson, is a huge series of books. It was planned to be three books, but it has grown to a planned five. So far, four have been published:
- The Path to Power (1982)
- Means of Ascent (1990)
- Master of the Senate (2002)
- The Passage of Power (2012)
The final book will cover Johnson's presidency during the Vietnam War, his work on civil rights, and his retirement. As of early 2025, Caro was still working on this fifth book.
Caro's books show that Johnson was a very complex person. He could be a tough and tricky politician, but he also fought for important causes like the Voting Rights Act. Caro's work gives a full picture of who Johnson was, showing both his good and bad sides.
How Robert Caro Writes
Caro is famous for his unique writing process. He is known for doing years of research before he even starts writing.
Research and Outlining
Before writing, Caro creates a detailed outline of the entire book. He pins the outline up on a giant corkboard so he can see the whole story at once. This helps him organize his thoughts and avoid writer's block.
Typing and Editing
Caro writes his first drafts by hand on special legal pads. Then, he types his books on a Smith Corona Electra 210 typewriter. This is an old model that is no longer made. He has a collection of them so he can use their parts for repairs. He prefers these typewriters because they make the text look bold and clear.
His wife Ina is his only research assistant and helps him edit his work. They work together to make sure every sentence is perfect.
Awards and Recognition
Robert Caro has won many of the most important awards for writing.
- Two Pulitzer Prizes
- Two National Book Awards
- Three National Book Critics Circle Awards
- The Francis Parkman Prize, for combining history with artful writing
In 2010, President Barack Obama gave him the National Humanities Medal. President Obama said that reading Caro's book The Power Broker when he was 22 helped shape how he thought about politics.
Family Life
Caro is married to Ina Joan Sloshberg, who is also an author. She has written books about traveling through French history. Caro has said that his wife is his "whole team" and that he couldn't have written his books without her. They have one son and three grandchildren.
Legacy
Robert Caro's dedication to deep research has inspired many other writers. When an author does a lot of detailed research for a book, they are sometimes described as "Caro-esque."
In 2020, the New-York Historical Society acquired all of Caro's research papers, notes, and drafts. They created a permanent exhibit called Robert Caro Working so that people can learn about his writing process. A documentary film called Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb was also made about his long working relationship with his editor.
Selected works
Books
- Caro, Robert A., The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path to Power. 1982. Alfred A. Knopf Inc., New York. ISBN: 0-394-49973-5.
- Caro, Robert A., The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent. 1990. Alfred A. Knopf Inc., New York. ISBN: 0-394-52835-2.
- Caro, Robert A., The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Master of the Senate. 2002. Alfred A. Knopf Inc, New York. ISBN: 0-394-52836-0.
- Caro, Robert A., The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Passage of Power. 2012. Alfred A. Knopf Inc, New York. ISBN: 978-0-679-40507-8.
- Caro, Robert A., Working. April 2019. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, New York. ISBN: 978-0-525-65635-7.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Caro para niños
