American journalist and author (born April 10, 1934 , New York, N.Y.—died April 23, 2007 , Menlo Park, Calif.) received a Pulitzer Prize in 1964 for his penetrating coverage of the Vietnam War as a staff reporter (1960–67) for the New York Times and went on to become the best-selling author of 21 meticulously researched books. After graduating (B.A., 1955) from Harvard University, Halberstam worked as a reporter for the Daily Times Leader, West Point, Miss., and for the Nashville Tennessean (now the Tennessean) before joining the New York Times. Halberstam's examination of power resulted in three volumes that were viewed loosely as a trilogy: The Best and the Brightest (1972) chronicled the military failings of the U.S. during the Vietnam War; The Powers That Be (1979) reviewed the impact that the media had on history; and The Reckoning (1986) scrutinized the auto industry.
Besides covering politics and economics, Halberstam penned works on lighter topics and was especially noted for those that dealt with baseball (The Summer of '49 [1989]) and basketball (Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made [1999]). Halberstam's War in a Time of Peace: Bush, Clinton, and the Generals (2001) was a contender for a Pulitzer Prize. Two books—New York September 11: By Magnum Photographers (2001) and Firehouse (2002)—were written in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Coldest Winter, a book about the Korean War, appeared posthumously.
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