Sam Tanenhaus, a journalist, historian and biographer, has been named the Zubrow Distinguished Visiting Journalist (DVJ) in the College of Arts and Sciences for the fall 2025 semester.
The program brings leading journalists to Cornell each semester to meet with faculty, staff and students.
“One of the exciting aspects of our DVJ program is the ability to bring journalists across a broad range of expertise to campus, thanks to the generosity of our donors. Sam Tanenhaus is one of the premier biographers and storytellers today, and I’m looking forward to the insights he will share with us,” said Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences.
Tanenhaus is the former editor-in-chief of both the New York Times’ Book Review and the Week in Review and was a Times writer at large. He has also been a contributing editor and writer at Vanity Fair, and the U.S. writer at large for the British monthly Prospect. He is currently a contributing writer to The Washington Post.
His feature articles and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Review of Books, New York Times’ Magazine, The Atlantic, Esquire, Newsweek, Time, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and more.
His books include “Whittaker Chambers: A Biography,” which received the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and was shortlisted for both the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize, and “The Death of Conservatism.” His new book, “Buckley: The Life and the Revolution that Changed America,” was published in June.
“I’m looking forward to talking with students and asking for their thoughts on media and politics,” said Tanenhaus. “I’m also hoping to sit in some classes – in particular one on modern U.S. history and another on narrative writing. My own work combines the two, and I’m in continual search of new ideas and approaches.”
While on campus, Tanenhaus will offer a master class on writing op-eds. He’ll also meet with students to discuss his career and topics such as how to convert nonfiction into storytelling.
“Sam’s visit offers a unique opportunity for students and faculty to learn from a master craftsman of both narrative and historical writing,” said Loewen. “He has a wonderful ability to make what could be dry history compelling.”
The Distinguished Visiting Journalist program is funded through an endowment from Jan Rock Zubrow ’77 and Barry Zubrow, as well as additional philanthropic support from Carol MacCorkle ’64, Jay Branegan ’72, Rose Gutfeld Edwards ’78 and the Dr. Guinevere Griest ’44 Fund for Public Engagement in A&S.
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