Robert Caro to receive the National Book Award for lifetime achievement


Robert Caro, whose towering series of books The Years of Lyndon Johnson is a milestone in political journalism, will receive the National Book Award's lifetime achievement award for "Distinguished Contribution to American Letters," in November, The Associated Press reports. Caro has already won a competitive National Book Award and two Pulitzer Prizes for the series, which comprises four books, released in 1982, 1990, 2002, and 2012. His first book, a definitive biography of the controversial city planner Robert Moses called The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York, also won a Pulitzer.
"Caro's in-depth and long-term exploration of the lives of two prominent men makes a much larger contribution to American Letters than it might seem at first glance," Lisa Lucas, executive director of the National Book Foundation, said in a statement. "His life's work, and his stunning prose, teaches us to better understand political influence, American democracy, and the true power of biography."
Caro has said that he knows the very last sentence of what will be the very last book in his Johnson series, though he has yet to reveal when it will come out.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Greg Cwik is a writer and editor. His work appears at Vulture, Playboy, Entertainment Weekly, The Believer, The AV Club, and other good places.
-
Is Rachel Reeves going soft on non-doms?
Today's Big Question Chancellor is reportedly considering reversing controversial 40% inheritance tax on global assets of non-doms, after allegations of 'exodus' of rich people
-
Is the G7 still relevant?
Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
A disproven medical theory could be guiding RFK Jr.'s health policy
The Explainer The miasma theory is one of the oldest medical beliefs in history
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia