Lawrence Wright Wins Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism

By: E&P Staff The New York Public Library has announced that Lawrence Wright has won the 2007 Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism for his book "The Looming Tower: al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11." The $15,000 award is given annually for work "brings clarity and public attention to important issues, events, or policies."

"I want to thank the judges for this marvelous validation of my work," said Wright. in a written statement "My goal in writing The Looming Tower was to examine the roots of al-Qaeda and to understand the nature of the threat that this terror organization poses to America and other western countries. Our struggle against Islamic extremism will not end soon. The political, psychological, and emotional despair that gave rise to this movement has not been altered or resolutely addressed. And the legacy of the war in Iraq is sure to define this contest for another generation."

The four other finalists each received a $1,000 cash prize. They include are: Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Assistant Managing Editor, The Washington Post, for "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq?s Green Zone" (Alfred A. Knopf); Michelle Goldberg, Senior Writer, Salon.com, for "Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism" (W. W. Norton); Jed Horne, Metro Editor, The Times-Picayune, for "Breach of Faith: Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City" (Random House); and Thomas E. Ricks, Senior Pentagon Correspondent, The Washington Post, for "Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq (The Penguin Press).