Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 18 (1997) Winner
Sam Tanenhaus
サム・タネンハウス
Sam Tanenhaus
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1955-10-31 （United States）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Tarrytown, New York → Essex, Connecticut
Career
- Occupations
- writer, historian, biographer, journalist, editor, visiting professor
- Active Years
- 1977-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grinnell College | English | Department of English | B.A. | 1973–1977 | United States |
| Yale University | English Literature | Department of English | M.A. | 1977–1978 | United States |
Grinnell College
English
/ Department of English
Degree:
B.A.
Period:
1973–1977
Year of Graduation:
1977
Country:
United States
Yale University
English Literature
/ Department of English
Degree:
M.A.
Period:
1977–1978
Year of Graduation:
1978
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Los Angeles Times Book Prize | Whittaker Chambers: A Biography | — | Los Angeles Times | 受賞 |
| 1997 | National Book Award for Nonfiction | Whittaker Chambers: A Biography | — | National Book Foundation | 最終候補 |
| 1998 | Pulitzer Prize (Biography) | Whittaker Chambers: A Biography | — | The Pulitzer Prizes | 最終候補 |
Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1997
Work:
Whittaker Chambers: A Biography
Organization:
Los Angeles Times
Result:
受賞
National Book Award for Nonfiction
1997
Work:
Whittaker Chambers: A Biography
Organization:
National Book Foundation
Result:
最終候補
Pulitzer Prize (Biography)
1998
Work:
Whittaker Chambers: A Biography
Organization:
The Pulitzer Prizes
Result:
最終候補
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Literature Unbound: A Guide for the Common Reader
1984 literary criticismA collection of essays introducing readers to approaches for reading and understanding literature.
reading guidanceliterary approach
Louis Armstrong: Musician
1988 biography (young readers)A biography presenting the life and achievements of jazz legend Louis Armstrong.
music historyAfrican American culture
Old Greenwich Village: An Architectural Portrait
1995 architecture / photographic portraitA photographic and descriptive portrait of historic architecture in Greenwich Village.
urban historyarchitecture
Whittaker Chambers: A Biography
1997 biography / historyA detailed biography of Whittaker Chambers, examining his life and ideas during the Cold War era.
anti-communismCold Warrole of intellectuals
The Death of Conservatism
2009 political commentaryA critical examination of the state and future of American conservatism.
conservatismAmerican politicsintellectual history
Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America
2025 biography / political historyA comprehensive biography of William F. Buckley and his influence on American politics.
conservative movementpolitical changeindividuals and ideas
Bibliography
- Literature Unbound: A Guide for the Common Reader (1984)
- Louis Armstrong: Musician (1988)
- Old Greenwich Village: An Architectural Portrait (1995)
- Whittaker Chambers: A Biography (1997)
- The Death of Conservatism (2009)
- Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America (2025)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- critical and analyticalbiographical narrationcontextual historical emphasis
- Recurring Motifs
- intersection of American politics and culturerole of intellectualsintellectual history of conservatism
Legacy
As an editor, critic, and biographer—including his tenure as editor of The New York Times Book Review—he has influenced contemporary literary and intellectual discourse. He is widely respected for his detailed biographies of Cold War–era figures and analyses of conservatism.
Trivia
- His siblings include psycholinguist Michael Tanenhaus, filmmaker Beth Tanenhaus Winsten, and legal historian David S. Tanenhaus.
- Served as editor of The New York Times Book Review from 2004 to 2013.
- Won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for 'Whittaker Chambers' and was a finalist for the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.