Jeff Goodell

Jeff Goodell is a noted American writer who has had an impressive career creating well-received books on a wide variety of topics. He is best known for his focus on science topics such as climate change, energy policy, and the environment. He has become a major voice in the discussion about climate change, voicing his opinion on popular topics such as global warming and carbon emissions.

Goodell was born in 1967 in Richmond, Virginia, and grew up in a rural part of the state. His parents were teachers, and Goodell himself gravitated to performing arts, taking part in plays, studying music, and attending theater. After graduating from high school, he went to the University of Virginia, where he earned an undergraduate degree in English literature, and then later attended the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where he earned a master’s degree in writing and reporting.

Goodell has written for various magazines and newspapers, including Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Esquire, and The New York Times, and has authored six books on science and technology issues. Energy: A Human History was released in 2018 and focused on the history of energy and its impact on humans, especially in regards to climate change. He followed that up in 2020 with The Diligent: A Voyage Through the Worlds of the Slave Trade. The book focuses on his journey across the Atlantic and explores the history of the slave trade. Goodell’s other books include Our Story: How One Family Got Lost In The Woods Of History; How to Cool the Planet: Geoengineering And The Audacious Quest To Fix Earth's Climate; and Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future.

Goodell’s work has earned him numerous awards, including the Overseas Press Club's John B. Oakes Award and the American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award, among others. In 2021, Goodell released his seventh book, The Broken Ladder: Opportunity, Education, and The American Dream, which dives into the education system in America and how it affects the social and economic divide. He is also the Senior Contributing Editor of The Atlantic and has been a frequent guest on news shows, discussing climate change and various other issues related to the environment.

Goodell’s work is praised for being well researched, engaging, and often humorous. His dedication to investigate and write about topics such as climate change, energy policy and the environment has earned him a great deal of respect within these fields. He is considered one of the most knowledgeable experts on these topics and is continuously sought out for his opinion. His easy to understand yet powerful writing style has earned him a wide range of readers and a strong reputation among his peers and fellow scientists. His impressive body of work will no doubt keep him at the forefront of conversations related to these topics for many years to come.