Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 12 (1991) Winner
Nicholas Lemann
ニコラス・レマン
Nicholas Lemann
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1955-05-10 （New Orleans, Louisiana, United States）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Judaism (Reform-leaning)
- Residence History
- New Orleans (birthplace) → Cambridge, Massachusetts (Harvard University) → New York City (residence/work)
Career
- Occupations
- journalist, academic, editor, author
- Active Years
- 1972-
- Affiliations
- Authors Guild (board member), National Academy of Sciences — Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (board), Academy of Political Science (board), New York Institute for the Humanities (member)
- Memberships
- American Philosophical Society (member), American Academy of Arts and Sciences (member), New York Institute for the Humanities (member), Authors Guild (board member)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metairie Park Country Day School | — | — | High School Diploma | 〜1972 | United States |
| Harvard University | Faculty of Arts and Sciences | American History and Literature | BA（magna cum laude） | 1972–1976 | United States |
Metairie Park Country Day School
Degree:
High School Diploma
Period:
〜1972
Year of Graduation:
1972
Country:
United States
Graduated from a private school in New Orleans
Harvard University
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
/ American History and Literature
Degree:
BA（magna cum laude）
Period:
1972–1976
Year of Graduation:
1976
Country:
United States
Served as president of The Harvard Crimson during studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Raymond Clapper Memorial Award | — | — | Unknown | 受賞 |
| 1992 | PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction | The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration and How It Changed America | — | PEN America | 受賞 |
| 2010 | Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences | — | — | American Academy of Arts and Sciences | 選出 |
Raymond Clapper Memorial Award
1980
Organization:
Unknown
Result:
受賞
PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction
1992
Work:
The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration and How It Changed America
Organization:
PEN America
Result:
受賞
Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
2010
Organization:
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Result:
選出
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration and How It Changed America
1991 History / NonfictionA history of the great Black migration in the 20th century and its social and economic consequences, examining urban change and race relations in America.
migrationraceurbanizationsocial history
The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy
1999 Nonfiction / History of EducationA historical examination of standardized testing and meritocracy in American society, tracing the origins and evolution of tests like the SAT.
educationtestingsocial stratification
Redemption: The Last Battle of the Civil War
2006 History / American HistoryFocuses on the end of Reconstruction and the return of white rule in the South ('Redemption'), exploring political and social changes in the U.S.
Reconstructionracepolitical history
Transaction Man: The Rise of the Deal and the Decline of the American Dream
2019 Nonfiction / Economy & PoliticsAn analysis of how deal-centric politics and economics have shaped American public life and affected the middle class.
political economycapitalismdecline of public goods
Bibliography
- The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration and How It Changed America (1991)
- The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy (1999)
- Redemption: The Last Battle of the Civil War (2006)
- Transaction Man: The Rise of the Deal and the Decline of the American Dream (2019)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Fact-driven, detailed nonfictionCombines historical context with policy analysisClear, explanatory prose
- Recurring Motifs
- race and inequalitydynamics of institutionsurban and migration change
Legacy
Regarded as a writer and educator who bridged magazine journalism and academia. As dean of Columbia Journalism School he advanced educational reforms and publishing initiatives.
Academic Societies
- American Philosophical Society
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- New York Institute for the Humanities
Quotes
-
My family's faith was a kind of super-Reform Judaism — no kosher laws, no bar mitzvahs, no tallit, no kippot.
Source: Big Think video "Nicholas Lemann: Growing Up Jewish in the American South" -
I continue to support the Khmer Rouge in its principles and goals but I have to admit that I deplore the way they are going about it.
Source: The Harvard Crimson (1975) (1975)
Trivia
- Began writing for the alternative weekly Vieux Carre Courier at age 17 in New Orleans.
- Served as president of The Harvard Crimson and wrote the 'Brass Tacks' column while at Harvard.
- Won the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction in 1992 for The Promised Land.
- Served as dean of Columbia Journalism School from 2003 to 2013.
- Launched Columbia Global Reports in 2015.