Nicholas Kristof

Nicholas Kristof is an acclaimed American journalist, author, and commentator who is best known for being an award-winning opinion columnist for The New York Times. He came to prominence in 1989 when he won a Pulitzer Prize along with his wife and co-author Sheryl WuDunn for their coverage of Chinese human rights issues. Kristof has been writing for the New York Times ever since, and his editorial and opinion pieces are highly esteemed due to their poignant take on current affairs and social issues.

Kristof was born in 1959 in Yamhill County, Oregon, and is the son of an accounting professor. His parents inspired him to pursue his passions, which included writing and pursuing social justice. He graduated from Harvard College in 1981 and then proceeded to study law at Magdalen College, Oxford in England as a Rhodes Scholar. Afterward, he continued to pursue his interest in journalism and human rights by joining The New York Times' Tokyo bureau in 1984.

Since joining The New York Times, Kristoff has earned numerous accolades within the journalism community, most notably the two Pulitzer Prizes he won in 1990 for his coverage of the Tiananmen Square protests in China. His other awards include the George Polk Award for Foreign Reporting and the Overseas Press Club Award. He has also been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In addition to his work in newspapers, Kristoff has also authored several books. His books have focused on social issues such as poverty and injustice around the world. His topics have ranged from sex trafficking to Chinese labor rights. In 2006, his book Half the Sky was published which was based on five years of research into the oppression of women in Africa and Asia. It won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize in 2009 and has gone on to be adapted into a documentary film in 2012.

Kristoff's books show his passion for advocacy and real-world solutions. Recently, he published Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope which examines the challenges American's face due to economic class divides. The book examines how the middle class is struggling in today's world and calls out political issues that need to be addressed. In this book and in all his work, Kristoff is keen on bringing attention to inequality in the world.

Kristoff remains one of the most highly acclaimed and awarded journalists in The New York Times editorial history. His criticism of social injustices and foreign reporting have earned him a reputation as an essential commentator on important issues. He is a strong advocate for human and social rights and continues to fight for justice on a global scale.