Robert Sam Anson facts for kids

Robert Sam Anson (March 12, 1945 – November 2, 2020) was an American journalist and author. He was well-known for his work as an editor for Vanity Fair for over 20 years. He also wrote for other famous American magazines like Esquire, Life, and The Atlantic. He wrote six non-fiction books, including Gone Crazy and Back Again: The Rise and Fall of the Rolling Stone Generation. This book was about Jann Wenner and his magazine.

About Robert Sam Anson

His Early Life and Education

Robert Sam Anson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 12, 1945. His mother, Virginia Rose, was a teacher. She raised him with the help of her parents. His grandfather, Sam B. Anson, was a well-known person in the journalism world in Cleveland. He was an editor and publisher for several local newspapers.

Anson finished Saint Ignatius High School in 1963. He then studied international relations and English at the University of Notre Dame. He earned his degree in 1967. He often said that Theodore Hesburgh, who was the president of Notre Dame at that time, was like a father to him. Anson started writing for Time while he was still studying. After he graduated, he began working there full-time.

Reporting from Vietnam

Two years after college, Anson went to Vietnam and Cambodia. He was there to report on the Vietnam War for Time magazine. On August 3, 1970, North Vietnamese troops captured him. He was held for three weeks. He was able to avoid being executed by convincing his captors that he was a journalist.

Fifteen years later, he found out that Theodore Hesburgh had called Pope Paul VI. The Pope then reportedly asked the Cambodian authorities to help get Anson released. Anson later wrote about his experience in a book called War News: A Young Reporter in Indochina.

A New Way of Journalism

After he was released, Anson moved to Time's office in New York. He was part of a style of reporting called New Journalism. This style encouraged journalists to become deeply involved in the stories they wrote. They also used "dramatic literary devices" to make their stories more powerful and engaging.

One of Anson's first assignments in New York was to cover the boxer Joe Frazier. Another editor, Chris Byron, remembered how Anson even got into the boxing ring with Frazier. Frazier accidentally broke Anson's leg or dislocated his shoulder. Byron thought Anson was very brave, or perhaps a bit crazy, for doing that.

Writing for Top Magazines

Anson also wrote for many other popular magazines. These included Esquire, Life, Mademoiselle, The Atlantic, and New Times. In 1981, his Esquire cover story was about Doug Kenney. It was titled "The Life and Death of a Comic Genius." This was the first big article remembering the humorist and writer for National Lampoon.

Challenges in His Career

In the early 1990s, Anson tried to write a book about The Walt Disney Company. However, his publisher, Simon & Schuster, suddenly stopped the project. Anson then sued the publishing company for $1 million. He claimed they were pressured by others in the industry to cancel his book. Eventually, both sides reached an agreement outside of court.

In 1995, Anson became the editor of Los Angeles magazine. But he was fired after only five months. During his time there, most of the magazine's contributing editors left. Some employees and the Los Angeles Times newspaper criticized Anson. They said he was sometimes difficult to work with. However, others defended him. They felt that his strong personality simply didn't fit well with the existing workplace.

Later Years and Writing

After leaving Los Angeles magazine, Anson moved back to the East Coast. He lived in Sag Harbor on the East End of Long Island. He did most of his writing in an Airstream trailer. He called this trailer "the Bambi." It was parked behind his house. He also kept a blog called "About Editing and Writing."

In 2006, Anson interviewed Theodore Hesburgh. They talked about politics and world issues. They also discussed their past experiences together. This interview was not published until after Hesburgh passed away in 2015.

His Family Life

Anson married his first wife, Diane McAniff, in the late 1960s. They met at the University of Notre Dame. They divorced a short time later. His second marriage was to Sharon Haddock in the mid-1970s. He then married Amanda Kay Kyser in 1985. They were married until 2017. Robert Sam Anson had three children: one son named Sam Gideon, and two daughters named Christian and Georgia Grace.

Anson successfully recovered from cancer. After that, he became involved with the Visible Ink writing program. This program is at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He passed away on November 2, 2020, in Rexford, New York. He was 75 years old. Before his death, he had been dealing with dementia.

Books He Wrote

• McGovern: A Biography (1972). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston; ISBN: 9780030913457
• "They've Killed the President!": The Search for the Murderers of John F. Kennedy (1975). New York: Bantam Books. ISBN: 9780553025255
• Gone Crazy and Back Again: The Rise and Fall of the Rolling Stone Generation (1981). Garden City: Doubleday. ISBN: 9780385131148
• Exile: The Unquiet Oblivion of Richard M. Nixon (1984). New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN: 9780671440213
• Best Intentions: The Education and Killing of Edmund Perry (1987). New York: Random House. ISBN: 9780394552743
• War News: A Young Reporter in Indochina (1989). New York: Simon and Schuster; ISBN: 9780671665715