David Remnick American journalist, writer and editor Date of Birth: 29.10.1958 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Career
2. Journalism at the Washington Post
3. Editor of The New Yorker
4. Political and Social Activism
5. Book Author
6. Commentary on the Trump Presidency

Early Life and Career

David Remnick was born on October 29, 1958, in Hackensack, New Jersey, to Barbara Siegel, an art teacher, and Edward Remnick, a dentist. Growing up in a secular Jewish household in Hillsdale, New Jersey, Remnick was surrounded by books and influenced by his friend, future comedian Bill Maher.

His passion for writing was nurtured at Pascack Valley High School, where he studied Russian under Francis Falk, sparking an interest in the Soviet Union. After graduating in 1981 from Princeton University with a degree in comparative literature, Remnick pursued a career in journalism.

Journalism at the Washington Post

Remnick began his journalistic career at The Washington Post in 1982, covering the NFL. In 1988, he became the newspaper's Moscow correspondent, where he gathered material for his acclaimed book, "Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire." He won the George Polk Award for Outstanding Foreign Reporting for his work.

Editor of The New Yorker

Remnick joined The New Yorker as a staff writer in 1992 after a decade at The Washington Post. In 1998, he became the magazine's editor, succeeding Tina Brown. He has contributed to the magazine's influential "Talk of the Town" section and was instrumental in bringing Hendrik Hertzberg onboard.

Political and Social Activism

During the Iraq War in 2003, Remnick supported the decision to invade. In 2004, The New Yorker endorsed a presidential candidate for the first time in its 80-year history, John Kerry. Remnick has also been outspoken in his support for the release of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning.

Book Author

Remnick has written six books, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Lenin's Tomb" (1994) and "The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama" (2010). The latter drew upon hundreds of interviews to chronicle Obama's rise to the presidency.

Commentary on the Trump Presidency

Remnick's scathing November 9, 2016, essay in The New Yorker, "The American Tragedy," denounced the election of Donald Trump as a "profoundly dangerous moment in American history." He accused Trump of unleashing fear and bigotry against marginalized groups and called his presidency a test of American values and institutions.