Walter Isaacson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter Isaacson
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Isaacson in 2012
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| Born |
Walter Seff Isaacson
May 20, 1952 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Education | Harvard University (AB) Pembroke College, Oxford (BA) |
| Spouse(s) |
Cathy Wright
(m. 1984) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Benjamin Franklin Medal (2013) Nichols-Chancellor's Medal (2015) National Humanities Medal (2023) |
| Chair of the Broadcasting Board of Governors | |
| In office July 2, 2010 – January 27, 2012 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | James K. Glassman |
| Succeeded by | Jeff Shell |
Walter Seff Isaacson (born May 20, 1952) is an American writer and journalist. He is famous for writing biographies about important people. These include Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk.
Walter Isaacson has held many big jobs. He was the head of CNN, a major news channel. He also edited Time magazine. He led the Aspen Institute, an organization that studies big ideas. Today, he teaches at Tulane University. He also interviews people for the TV show Amanpour & Company.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Walter Isaacson was born on May 20, 1952. His hometown is New Orleans, Louisiana. His dad was an engineer, and his mom was a real estate agent.
He went to Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. There, he was the student body president. After high school, he studied at Harvard University. He focused on history and literature. He graduated from Harvard in 1974. Later, he went to Pembroke College, Oxford in England. He studied philosophy, politics, and economics as a Rhodes scholar.
Walter Isaacson's Career
Walter Isaacson started his journalism career in London. He worked for The Sunday Times. Then, he worked for a newspaper in his hometown, New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Working in Media
In 1978, Isaacson joined Time magazine. He worked his way up to become the magazine's editor in 1996. This was a very important role.
In 2001, he became the chairman and CEO of CNN. He led CNN during the September 11 attacks, a very difficult time. Some people criticized CNN's coverage, and Isaacson tried to address their concerns. He left CNN in 2003.
From 2003 to 2018, Isaacson was the president and CEO of the Aspen Institute. This group helps people discuss important topics. After that, he became a history professor at Tulane University. In 2017, he started a podcast called Trailblazers. It talks about how technology affects business.
Writing Famous Biographies
Walter Isaacson is well-known for his books. He has written many biographies. These books tell the life stories of famous people.
- Kissinger: A Biography (1992)
- Benjamin Franklin: An American Life (2003)
- Einstein: His Life and Universe (2007)
- American Sketches (2009)
In 2011, he published Steve Jobs. This book was about the founder of Apple Inc.. It became a huge bestseller around the world. Isaacson interviewed Steve Jobs many times for the book.
In 2014, he released The Innovators. This book explores how computers and the Internet were created. It talks about the inventors and smart people behind these changes.
His book about Leonardo da Vinci came out in 2017. It received great reviews. Paramount Pictures bought the rights to make a movie based on this book. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio plans to produce and star in it.
In 2021, Isaacson published The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race. This book is about Jennifer Doudna. She won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work on CRISPR gene editing. The book became a number one bestseller.
His most recent biography, Elon Musk, was published in 2023. It tells the story of the founder of Tesla and SpaceX.
Government Work
Walter Isaacson has also worked with the U.S. government. In 2005, he helped oversee the rebuilding efforts in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
He was also appointed to lead a government board. This board runs international broadcasts like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe. He served in this role from 2009 to 2012. He has also worked on groups that help with economic and educational opportunities in other countries.
Other Activities
Walter Isaacson is involved with many organizations. He is an advisory partner at a financial company called Perella Weinberg. He also serves on the boards of groups like Teach for America and Bloomberg Philanthropies. He is also part of the Rockefeller Foundation.
He is an honorary fellow at Pembroke College, Oxford, where he studied. At Tulane University, he teaches classes on the digital revolution and U.S. history. He also helps organize the annual New Orleans Book Festival.
Awards and Honors
Walter Isaacson has received many awards for his work.
In 2023, he received the National Humanities Medal from President Joe Biden. This award recognized his ability to connect science and humanities.
His book Steve Jobs won the Gerald Loeb Award in 2012. In the same year, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people.
He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also received the Benjamin Franklin Medal in 2013. In 2014, he gave the Jefferson Lecture, which is a high honor for people in the humanities.
He has received honorary degrees from many universities. The Isaacson School of Media and Communications at Colorado Mountain College is named after him.
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See also
- Great man theory of history
- New Yorkers in journalism
