Lawrence Wright

Lawrence Wright is an American author who has been acclaimed for his work in nonfiction writing, as well as for his deep understanding of the subjects he covers in his books. He is the author of several best-selling books, including "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11," "Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief," and "Thirteen Days in September: The Dramatic Story of the Struggle for Peace." His works have earned him critical acclaim, and major awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, the Helen Bernstein Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Wright was born in 1947 in Texas and raised in a religious and intellectually inquisitive family. He began his academic studies at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in philosophy and receiving a Bachelor's degree in 1969. Wright's early works were largely journalistic, first reporting for the Magazine of Austin, and then for The Texas Observer. He would later become one of the founding writers for Texas Monthly, writing in-depth pieces that explored various topics from his home state, from politics to art.

He graduated from the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University in 1975, and soon after began working as a staff writer for The New Yorker. It was in this position that Wright was able to truly explore his craft and develop the style of investigative journalism he is known for today. His notable New Yorker stories include "The Counter-Terrorist," which exposed an Australian terrorist plot, and "Remembering Satan," an exposé detailing a false child-abuse case that horrified the nation.

It was during this time at The New Yorker that Wright began to hone his skills as a narrative nonfiction writer. He wrote several acclaimed books, including "Twins: Genes, Environment, and the Mystery of Identity" (1995) and "Remembering Satan" (1994). He gained national recognition for his work with "The Looming Tower," which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for in 2007.

Wright continued to write and release acclaimed works, such as "Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief" (2013) and "Thirteen Days in September: The Dramatic Story of the Struggle for Peace" (2014). He was awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction for the latter.

Throughout his career, Wright's works have been acclaimed for their meticulously researched and written stories. He has been heralded as a master storyteller, possessing a deep understanding of the complexities of the real-life events he chronicles in his books. He dives deeply into the topics he covers, and is considered a go-to authority on the subjects he writes about.

Though he is primarily known for his nonfiction work, Wright has also contributed to several works of fiction. With long-time friend and collaborator David Mamet, he co-wrote the screenplays for "House of Games" and "The Spanish Prisoner," both of which garnered positive reviews. Throughout his extensive and acclaimed career, Lawrence Wright has made a lasting impression as an acclaimed and respected author.