About
Barbara W. Tuchman, née Wertheim, was an American historian known for her engaging and accessible narrative histories. After graduating from Radcliffe in 1933, she worked as a journalist before turning to history. She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1963 for 'The Guns of August,' about the outbreak of World War I, and again in 1972 for 'Stilwell and the American Experience in China.' She is one of only three historians to have won the Pulitzer twice. Her other major works include 'The Proud Tower' and 'A Distant Mirror.' She also served as president of the Society of American Historians.
* 1912-01-28 — † 1989-02-06
Major works
- The Zimmermann Telegram (1958)history
- The Guns of August (1962)history
- The Proud Tower (1966)history
- Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911–1945 (1971)biography
- A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century (1978)history
Key milestones
- 1933Earned a B.A. from Radcliffe College.
- 1963Won the Pulitzer Prize for 'The Guns of August'.
- 1972Won a second Pulitzer Prize for 'Stilwell and the American Experience in China'.
Themes
War and diplomacyNarrative historyPolitical follyImpact of individualsHistorical context
Sources: id.loc.gov · pulitzer.org · archives.yale.edu