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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 Literature portal |
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Ron Chernow (born March 3, 1949) is a famous American writer and journalist. He is known for writing popular books about history and important people. These books are called biographies.
In 2011, Ron Chernow won the Pulitzer Prize for his book Washington: A Life. This book was about George Washington, America's first president. 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 very popular. The book about Alexander Hamilton even inspired the famous Hamilton musical! Ron Chernow helped the musical makers to make sure the history was correct.
Contents
Ron Chernow's Early Life and School
Ron Chernow was born on March 3, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Israel, owned a store and started a stock company. His mother, Ruth, worked as a bookkeeper. Ron has a brother named Bart Chernow. His family is of Jewish background.
When he was in high school, Ron was very successful. He was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" and was the class president. He graduated from Forest Hills High School in 1966. After high school, he went to Yale University and then Cambridge University. He studied English literature at both universities. He started a PhD program but did not finish it.
Ron Chernow married Valerie Stearn in 1979. Valerie was a professor at the New York City College of Technology. She passed away in January 2006.
Ron Chernow's Writing Career
Ron Chernow started his career as a freelance journalist. This means he wrote articles for different newspapers and magazines. From 1973 to 1982, he wrote over 60 articles for various national publications.
In the mid-1980s, he worked as a director for a group called the Twentieth Century Fund. He helped them with financial policy studies. In 1986, he left that job to focus on writing books. Besides his biographies, Ron Chernow also writes articles for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He has also appeared on TV and radio shows to talk about business and politics.
Books About Business and Money
Ron Chernow has written several books about important people and companies in the world of business and money.
The House of Morgan
In 1990, Ron Chernow published his first book, The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance. This book tells the story of four generations of the J.P. Morgan banking family. A reviewer from The New York Times Book Review said the book felt like an exciting novel. The House of Morgan won the National Book Award for Nonfiction.
The Warburgs
In 1993, Chernow wrote The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family. This book is about the Warburg family, who moved to the U.S. from Germany. The Warburgs were a very important family known for their work in finance, science, and art. This book won the George S. Eccles Prize for Excellence in Economic Writing. It was also named one of the ten best books of the year by the American Library Association.
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
In 1998, Ron Chernow published a long book called Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.. This book is about John D. Rockefeller, a very rich businessman who started the Standard Oil Company. The book 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
Ron Chernow has also written biographies about important American political figures.
Alexander Hamilton
In 2004, Chernow published Alexander Hamilton. This book was nominated for an award and won the first George Washington Book Prize. It was on The New York Times Best Seller list for three months. A professor named Stephen B. Presser said the book was a "happy rarity" because it was popular but also very good for scholars. He said it was one of the best books to learn about early American history.
This biography was later turned into the famous musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical opened on Broadway in 2015. Ron Chernow helped the musical's creators to make sure the historical details were correct.
Washington: A Life
Ron Chernow's 904-page book, Washington: A Life, came out on October 5, 2010. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography and the American History Book Prize. Professor Gordon S. Wood, a well-known expert on America's founding fathers, said it was "the best, most comprehensive, and most balanced single-volume biography of Washington ever written." He felt that after reading the book, George Washington finally became easy to understand.
Grant
In 2011, Ron Chernow decided to write a book about Ulysses S. Grant. Grant was a famous general during the Civil War and later became president. Chernow said it made sense to write about Grant after Washington, as both were important generals and two-term presidents.
His book, Grant, was released on October 10, 2017. In this book, Chernow argues against the common idea that Grant was just an "adequate president" or a "dull companion." The book received many positive reviews. The New York Times named it one of the 10 Best Books of 2017.
Future Literary Work
Mark Twain
In 2025, Ron Chernow released a full biography of the famous writer Mark Twain. It was published by Penguin Press.
Board Memberships
In 1990, Ron Chernow became a member of the PEN American Center. This is an organization that supports writers. In 2006, he became the President of its Board of Trustees. He took over from the novelist Salman Rushdie.
Awards and Honors
Ron Chernow has received special degrees from several colleges, including Long Island University and Hamilton College.
- 1990: National Book Award for Nonfiction for The House of Morgan (winner)
- 1993: George S. Eccles Prize for Excellence in Economic Writing for The Warburgs (winner)
- 1998: National Book Critics Circle Award for Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (nominated)
- 2004: George Washington Book Prize for Alexander Hamilton (winner)
- 2004: National Book Critics Circle Award for Alexander Hamilton (nominated)
- 2011: Pulitzer Prize for Biography for Washington: A Life (winner)
- 2011: American History Book Prize for Washington: A Life (winner)
- 2013: BIO Award from Biographers International Organization for helping biography as an art form.
- 2015: National Humanities Medal
- 2016: Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site Advancing American Democracy (winner)
- 2017: Gold Medal Honoree from the National Institute of Social Sciences
- 2017: The Lincoln Forum's Richard Nelson Current Award of Achievement
- 2018: American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in Biography
- 2019: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
Film and TV Appearances
Ron Chernow has appeared in several documentaries and TV shows, often as himself or as an advisor.
- 1996: Biography, "J. Pierpont Morgan: Emperor of Wall Street" (documentary), as himself
- 2000: The American Experience, "The Rockefellers: Part 1" (documentary), as advisor
- 2000: The American Experience, "The Rockefellers: Part 2" (documentary), as advisor
- 2007: The American Experience, "Alexander Hamilton" (documentary), as advisor
- 2010: Tavis Smiley, "October 12, 2010 episode" (talk show), as guest
- 2010: Rediscovering Alexander Hamilton (documentary), as himself/historian
- 2020: Grant, as writer
See also
In Spanish: Ron Chernow para niños
