Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 19 (1998) Winner
A. Scott Berg
エー・スコット・バーグ
A. Scott Berg
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1949-12-04 （Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Judaism
- Residence History
- Norwalk, Connecticut (birth) → Los Angeles, California (raised / residence)
Career
- Occupations
- biographer, journalist, author, screenwriter, producer
- Active Years
- 1978-
- Affiliations
- Princeton University Board of Trustees (1999–2003)
- Influenced By
- F. Scott Fitzgerald (influence via works and life), Carlos Baker (mentor), Maxwell Perkins (early subject / influence)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palisades Charter High School | — | — | — | 〜1967 | United States |
| Princeton University | School of Arts and Sciences | English | A.B. | 1967–1971 | United States |
Palisades Charter High School
Period:
〜1967
Year of Graduation:
1967
Country:
United States
High school graduation year estimated
Princeton University
School of Arts and Sciences
/ English
Degree:
A.B.
Period:
1967–1971
Year of Graduation:
1971
Country:
United States
Senior thesis titled 'Three to Get Ready' — a study of editor Maxwell Perkins
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | National Book Award (paperback biography) | Max Perkins: Editor of Genius | Biography (paperback) | National Book Foundation | 受賞 |
| 1999 | Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography | Lindbergh | — | Pulitzer Prize | 受賞 |
| 1982 | Guggenheim Fellowship | — | — | John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation | 受賞 |
| 1999 | Golden Plate Award | — | — | American Academy of Achievement | 受賞 |
National Book Award (paperback biography)
1980
Work:
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius
Category:
Biography (paperback)
Organization:
National Book Foundation
Result:
受賞
Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography
1999
Work:
Lindbergh
Organization:
Pulitzer Prize
Result:
受賞
Guggenheim Fellowship
1982
Organization:
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result:
受賞
Golden Plate Award
1999
Organization:
American Academy of Achievement
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius
1978 BiographyA detailed biography of editor Maxwell Perkins, based on extensive archival research, exploring his role in shaping 20th-century American literature.
publishingliterary historythe role of the editor
Goldwyn: A Biography
1989 BiographyBiography of film producer Samuel Goldwyn, intertwining Hollywood history with the life of a major industry figure.
film historyHollywoodcultural history
Lindbergh
1998 BiographyA comprehensive biography of aviator Charles Lindbergh, reconstructing his public achievements and private life from vast archival material.
aviation historyfame and scandalthe duality of public and private life
Adaptations
- [Film] Genius (film / inspired by Max Perkins biography — Berg served as executive producer) / Michael Grandage (2016)
Kate Remembered
2003 Biography / MemoirA memoir-like biography detailing Berg's 20-year friendship with actress Katharine Hepburn; it provoked mixed reactions upon publication.
friendshipHollywoodremembrance
Wilson
2013 Biography / HistoryA biography of Woodrow Wilson, covering his political career and personal life.
political historyWorld War Ileadership portrait
World War I and America: Told by the Americans Who Lived It (editor)
2017 Editor / HistoryAn edited volume presenting American experiences of World War I through firsthand accounts and documents.
World War Iprimary accountsediting
Bibliography
- Max Perkins: Editor of Genius (1978)
- Goldwyn: A Biography (1989)
- Lindbergh (1998)
- Kate Remembered (2003)
- Wilson (2013)
- World War I and America: Told by the Americans Who Lived It (editor, 2017)
Adaptations
- Genius (2016 film, based on the Max Perkins biography; Berg served as executive producer)
- The Last Tycoon (2017 Amazon TV series; Berg served as consulting producer)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- detailed narrative based on extensive primary sourcessympathetic but critically balanced approachstory-driven biographical nonfiction
- Recurring Motifs
- portraits of 20th-century American cultural figuresconflict between fame and privacycontrast between public persona and private life
Legacy
A. Scott Berg is regarded as a biographer who combines exhaustive archival research with narrative readability. His works on figures such as Maxwell Perkins and Charles Lindbergh have been widely recognized, earning him honors including the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.
Academic Societies
- American Academy of Achievement (associated)
Archives
- Princeton University Library (holds research materials)
- Charles Lindbergh collections / Lindbergh family archives
In Popular Culture
- Involvement in the film 'Genius' (2016); adaptations of his biography to screen
- Served as consulting producer on the TV series 'The Last Tycoon' (2017)
Quotes
-
"When I was about 22, I had an idea that I was going to write a series of biographies of 20th Century American cultural figures and each one was gonna be from a different part of the country and each one was gonna be from a different slice of the apple pie."
Source: Interview (Kentucky Author Forum / various) (1998) -
"Credited with 'almost single-handedly rescuing Maxwell Perkins from the anonymity he desired.'"
Source: The New Yorker (article) (2016)
Trivia
- Mother Barbara (Freedman) Berg and father Dick Berg, a film producer.
- Became fascinated with F. Scott Fitzgerald as a young student and chose Princeton in part because it was Fitzgerald's alma mater.
- Partner is film producer Kevin McCormick.
- Raised in a Jewish household.