Ron Chernow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron Chernow
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Chernow in 2004
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| Born | Ronald Chernow March 3, 1949 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
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| Education | Yale University (BA) Pembroke College, Cambridge |
| Period | 1973–present |
| Subject | Historical biography |
| Notable works | Alexander Hamilton The House of Morgan Washington: A Life Grant Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. |
| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize for Biography (2011) American History Book Prize (2011) National Book Award for Nonfiction (2010) |
| Spouse |
Valerie Stearn
(m. 1979; died 2006) |
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Ronald Chernow (born March 3, 1949) is an American writer and journalist. He is famous for writing popular history books about important people. These books are called biographies.
Chernow won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2011. He received this award for his 2010 book, Washington: A Life. He also won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for his 1990 book, The House of Morgan. His books about Alexander Hamilton and John D. Rockefeller were also highly praised. The musical Hamilton was inspired by Chernow's book about Alexander Hamilton. He even helped as a history expert for the musical.
Contents
Early Life and School
Ron Chernow was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 2, 1949. He grew up in New York City. He went to Forest Hills High School and graduated in 1966.
After high school, he went to Yale University. He graduated from Yale in 1970. He also studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge in England. He studied English literature at both universities.
Chernow married Valerie Stearn in 1979. She passed away in 2006.
Ron Chernow's Career
Chernow started his career as a journalist. From 1973 to 1982, he wrote many articles. These articles appeared in different national newspapers and magazines.
In the mid-1980s, he worked as a director. He helped with financial policy studies in New York City. In 1986, he decided to focus on writing books again.
Besides writing books, Chernow also writes articles. His articles appear in newspapers like The New York Times. He has also talked about business and politics on TV and radio. He has appeared as an expert in documentary films too.
Books About Business and Money
The House of Morgan
In 1990, Chernow published his first book. It was called The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance. This book tells the story of the J.P. Morgan family. They were a very powerful family in banking.
Critics loved the book. One reviewer said it read like an exciting novel. The House of Morgan won the National Book Award for Nonfiction.
The Warburgs
Chernow's next book came out in 1993. It was titled The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family. This book is about the Warburg family. They were a famous family from Germany. They were known for their work in finance, science, and art.
This book also won an award. It was named one of the best books of the year by the American Library Association.
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
In 1998, Chernow wrote a long book about John D. Rockefeller, Sr.. Rockefeller was a very rich businessman. He started the Standard Oil Company. He was also a philanthropist, meaning he gave a lot of money to good causes.
This book was very popular. It stayed on The New York Times Best Seller list for 16 weeks. Time magazine called it "one of the great American biographies."
Books About American Leaders
Alexander Hamilton
In 2004, Chernow published Alexander Hamilton. This book is about one of America's Founding Fathers. It was nominated for a major book award. It also won the George Washington Book Prize.
This biography became very famous. It inspired the hit musical Hamilton. The musical opened on Broadway in 2015. Ron Chernow helped the musical makers with historical details.
George Washington
Chernow's book about George Washington came out in 2010. It was called Washington: A Life. This book won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography. It also won the American History Book Prize.
Ulysses S. Grant
In 2011, Chernow started working on a book about Ulysses S. Grant. Grant was a famous general in the Civil War. He later became a two-term president.
This book was published in 2017. It received excellent reviews. The New York Times named it one of the 10 Best Books of 2017.
Awards and Honors
Ron Chernow has received many awards for his writing. He has also received special degrees from several colleges.
- 1990: National Book Award for Nonfiction for The House of Morgan
- 1993: George S. Eccles Prize for Excellence in Economic Writing for The Warburgs
- 2004: George Washington Book Prize for Alexander Hamilton
- 2011: Pulitzer Prize for Biography for Washington: A Life
- 2011: American History Book Prize for Washington: A Life
- 2015: National Humanities Medal
- 2018: American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in Biography
Film and TV Work
Ron Chernow has also worked on several films and TV shows. He has appeared as himself or as an advisor.
- 1996: Biography, "J. Pierpont Morgan: Emperor of Wall Street" (documentary)
- 2000: The American Experience, "The Rockefellers: Part 1 & 2" (documentary), as advisor
- 2007: The American Experience, "Alexander Hamilton" (documentary), as advisor
- 2010: Rediscovering Alexander Hamilton (documentary), as himself/historian
- 2020: Grant, as writer
Images for kids
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Ron Chernow's signature
