Steve Coll
Biography
Steve Coll is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and author, renowned for his in-depth investigative reporting and narrative non-fiction. Born in 1958, he began his distinguished career at The Washington Post, where he served as a foreign correspondent in South Asia and later as the newspaper's managing editor. Coll gained widespread acclaim for his meticulously researched books, particularly "Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001," which earned him a Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 2005. Its sequel, "Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001–2016," further cemented his reputation as a leading authority on U.S. foreign policy and intelligence operations in the region. Beyond his writing, Coll has held significant academic positions, including serving as the Dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 2013, where he continues to influence future generations of journalists with his commitment to rigorous, ethical reporting.
Selected Thoughts
«The most important thing for a journalist is to be skeptical, but not cynical.»
«The CIA did not create bin Laden, but its actions in the 1980s and early 1990s certainly helped to empower him and shape the forces that would later be unleashed against the United States.»
«America’s long war in Afghanistan was never an uncomplicated moral proposition, but by 2016, it had become a contest between illusions.»
Writing Style
Meticulously researched, narrative non-fiction characterized by detailed historical accounts, extensive interviews, and accessible prose. His style is analytical and insightful, often focusing on geopolitical complexities and the human elements within grand historical narratives.