Larry Tye

Larry Tye is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author, known for his in-depth research into the lives of famous Americans, biographies, and revealing histories. His writing is both informative and captivating, presenting histories often overlooked in popular culture.

The son of European immigrants, Larry Tye was born in 1958 and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Harvard University in 1980 and went on to earn his Master of Arts degree from Yale University in 1984. Tye spent the next several decades in journalism, working as a columnist and bureau chief at the Boston Globe, a news editor at several newspapers, and a contributor to USA Today and other periodicals before devoting himself full-time to writing books.

Tye began his career in book writing with Home Lands: Portraits of the New Jewish Diaspora, which explores the stories of Jewish people around the world. He continued to investigate the lives of famous Americans in such works as Rising from the Rails: Pullman Porters and the Making of the Black Middle Class, which featured interviews with surviving Pullman porters from the 1930s and 1940s who helped Construct America’s first racially integrated labour union. Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend focused on the life of the well-known baseball pitcher Satchel Paige.

In 2004, Tye wrote a captivating biography of the legendary entertainer and civil rights activist, Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon. This book was a deep exploration into Kennedy’s childhood, his activism and public service, and the significant impact he had on the world. Tye followed with several more books, including Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero and Jackie Robinson: A Biography. The two works probe the renowned celebrity status of their respective subjects and the cultural importance of their accomplishments.

Tye’s other works include The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays and the Birth of Public Relations, a historical look into the man who developed the practice of public relations, and Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick, which is based on a trove of personal correspondence and interviews with Selznick’s family and colleagues.

In 2018, Tye published his most recent book, Dyland’s Prophecy, about the life and work of religious leader, Martin Luther King Jr. Through detailed research and personal accounts, Tye chronicles King’s moral leadership, his achievements, and his inspiring struggle to bring justice and civil rights to all Americans.

Tye’s books have earned him numerous awards and critical acclaim. He was the recipient of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in journalism for his biographical work on Jackie Robinson and was a finalist for PEN USA’s Robert W. Bingham Award for best-biography in 2007. Additionally, his books have been named best-biography of the year several times by The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The Financial Times.

An experienced storyteller and experienced historian, Larry Tye has written numerous award-winning books on American history, culture, and influence. His dedication to improving understanding of history, through meticulous research and illuminating personal accounts, makes his writing thought-provoking and enjoyable.