Robert Caro

Robert Caro is an author and journalist well-regarded for his biographies on prominent United States political figures, specifically Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson. His body of work includes "The Power Broker" and four volumes of "The Years of Lyndon Johnson," with a fifth volume planned. Caro's commitment to exhaustive research is evident in the years he invests in each project. For instance, his work on "The Power Broker" involved 522 interviews and took seven years to complete, far surpassing the initial nine-month projection. Caro's detailed narrative style is a testament to this dedicated research process. His portrayal of Lyndon Johnson is balanced, highlighting both Johnson's political manipulation and his progressive achievements, such as the Voting Rights Act.

His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes in Biography, two National Book Awards, and the National Humanities Medal awarded by President Barack Obama in 2010. His book "The Power Broker" is included in the Modern Library's list of the 100 greatest non-fiction books of the twentieth century. Beyond his writing, Caro is known for his public speaking engagements, such as his notable speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention to introduce Senator Ted Kennedy. His public appearances continue to engage audiences, including his 2019 appearance at the LBJ Presidential Library.

Caro's meticulous work process extends to his writing rituals, which include using discontinued white legal pads and Smith Corona Electra 210 typewriters, editing manuscripts with red 314 Berol Draughting pencils, and setting a stringent 1,000-word daily writing goal. His commitment to the craft of writing is further highlighted by his plans to write a full-scale memoir after completing his series on Lyndon Johnson. His current book, "Working," is described as a semi-memoir focused on the arts of researching, interviewing, and writing. Caro's influence in the field of biography and history is underscored by the Robert Caro '53 Prize for Literary Excellence in the Writing of History, awarded annually by the Horace Mann School.