Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson
Isaacson in 2012
Walter Isaacson
Born	Walter Seff Isaacson 20 5, 1952
Birthplace	New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Author, journalist, professor, executive
Known for	Biographies of Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo da Vinci, Elon Musk
Education	Harvard University (BA) Pembroke College, Oxford (BA)
Children	1
Awards	Benjamin Franklin Medal (2013) Nichols-Chancellor's Medal (2015) National Humanities Medal (2023)

Walter Seff Isaacson (born May 20, 1952) is an American journalist, author, and professor who has established a career at the intersection of media, public policy, and biographical literature. Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Isaacson served as editor of Time, chairman and CEO of CNN, and president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, before turning his primary focus to writing biographies of figures whose lives shaped science, technology, politics, and the arts. His biographical subjects have included Henry Kissinger, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, Jennifer Doudna, and Elon Musk. A Rhodes Scholar educated at Harvard University and Pembroke College, Oxford, Isaacson has also served in public roles, including as chair of the Broadcasting Board of Governors under President Barack Obama and as vice chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority following Hurricane Katrina. As of 2024, he is a professor at Tulane University and an interviewer on the PBS and CNN news program Amanpour & Company. His most recent book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), examines the opening sentence of the United States Declaration of Independence and its relevance to contemporary American civic life.

Early Life

Walter Seff Isaacson was born on May 20, 1952, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up in the city, which would remain a central part of his identity throughout his career. New Orleans's distinctive culture, history, and community shaped Isaacson's worldview, and he has returned to the city repeatedly in both personal and professional capacities over the decades. His upbringing in the culturally rich environment of southern Louisiana instilled in him an appreciation for storytelling and for the complexity of American history — themes that would later pervade his biographical work.

Isaacson's connection to New Orleans was publicly reaffirmed on numerous occasions throughout his career. He served as vice chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, which oversaw rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and was involved in planning for the city's tricentennial celebrations. His deep roots in the city have been a recurring subject in media profiles, and he has been described as a "hometown boy" by the Times-Picayune.

Education

Isaacson attended Harvard University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was a member of the university's intellectual community during the early 1970s, a period of considerable social and political upheaval on American college campuses.

Following his time at Harvard, Isaacson was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Pembroke College at the University of Oxford, where he earned a second Bachelor of Arts degree. The Rhodes Scholarship, one of the most competitive international academic awards, brought Isaacson into contact with a cohort of scholars from around the world and deepened his engagement with history, philosophy, and political thought. His education at both Harvard and Oxford provided the intellectual foundation for his later work as a journalist and biographer, equipping him with the analytical frameworks and historical perspective that would characterize his writing career.

Career

Journalism and Media Leadership

Isaacson began his career in journalism, rising through the ranks of American media organizations to hold several of the most prominent editorial and executive positions in the industry. His early career trajectory was marked by rapid advancement.

Time Magazine

Isaacson served as editor of Time, one of the most widely circulated newsweekly magazines in the United States. In this role, he oversaw the editorial direction of the publication during a period of transformation in the media industry. In a 1998 profile, The New York Times described Isaacson's efforts to keep the magazine "vigorous" as it approached its 75th anniversary, noting his approach of balancing the demands of work and editorial innovation. His tenure at Time established his reputation as a leader in American journalism and positioned him for further leadership roles in media.

CNN

In 2001, Isaacson was appointed chairman and CEO of CNN, the cable news network founded by Ted Turner. His appointment came at a time of intense competition among cable news networks and during a period of profound national change following the September 11 attacks of 2001. Isaacson's leadership of CNN was the subject of media scrutiny and commentary from press watchdog organizations. Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) published an analysis of his early moves at the network. His time at CNN, though relatively brief, added broadcast news management to his professional portfolio alongside his print journalism background.

Aspen Institute

After leaving CNN, Isaacson became president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C., that convenes leaders from various sectors for discussions on policy and societal issues. His leadership of the Aspen Institute further established him as a figure operating at the intersection of journalism, policy, and intellectual life. Through the Institute, Isaacson was involved in a range of initiatives addressing topics in technology, education, and public discourse.

During his time at the Aspen Institute, Isaacson was also involved with the My Brother's Keeper Alliance, a public-private partnership launched during the Obama administration aimed at creating opportunities for young men of color.

Public Service

Isaacson has held several positions in public service alongside his work in media and writing. Under President Barack Obama, he served as chair of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the government board that oversees Voice of America and other U.S. international broadcasting operations. He held this position from July 2, 2010, to January 27, 2012, succeeding James K. Glassman and being succeeded by Jeff Shell.

Isaacson also served as vice chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, which was established to coordinate and oversee the rebuilding of Louisiana following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. His involvement in recovery efforts reflected his continuing commitment to his home state. He was additionally a member of the Defense Innovation Board, which advises the United States Department of Defense on technology and innovation matters.

Biographical Writing

Isaacson's most widely known work has been as a biographer. Over the course of several decades, he has authored a series of biographies focused on figures who made transformative contributions to politics, science, technology, and the arts. His approach to biography has been characterized by extensive research, access to his subjects or their papers, and an effort to connect individual lives to broader historical and cultural currents.

Early Books

Isaacson's first book, Pro and Con (1983), was followed by The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made (1986), co-authored with Evan Thomas. The Wise Men examined the lives and influence of six American foreign policy figures — including Dean Acheson, Averell Harriman, and George Kennan — who shaped the postwar international order.

In 1992, Isaacson published Kissinger: A Biography, a comprehensive examination of the life and career of Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor. The book drew on extensive interviews and documents to present a detailed portrait of one of the most influential and controversial figures in American foreign policy.

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

In 2003, Isaacson published Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, a biography of Benjamin Franklin that examined the Founding Father as a scientist, diplomat, writer, and political thinker. The book received attention from critics and readers. Kirkus Reviews reviewed the biography, and it became a commercial success. The biography marked Isaacson's move toward writing about historical figures whose lives illuminated broader themes of innovation, curiosity, and the American experiment — themes that would recur throughout his subsequent work.

Einstein: His Life and Universe

Isaacson's 2007 biography, Einstein: His Life and Universe, examined the life of Albert Einstein, drawing on newly available personal correspondence and archives to present a portrait of the physicist's intellectual development, personal relationships, and political views. Kirkus Reviews assessed the biography as a contribution to the understanding of Einstein's life and work. The book further solidified Isaacson's reputation as a biographer capable of making complex scientific and intellectual subjects accessible to a general readership.

Steve Jobs

In 2011, Isaacson published Steve Jobs, an authorized biography of the Apple Inc. co-founder, who had personally asked Isaacson to write the book. The biography was based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs conducted over two years, as well as interviews with family members, colleagues, competitors, and friends. Jobs died on October 5, 2011, and the biography was published shortly afterward on October 24, 2011.

The book became an immediate commercial phenomenon. It rose rapidly to the number one spot on Amazon's bestseller list. The cover design featured a black-and-white photograph of Jobs, consistent with Apple's minimalist aesthetic.

Following the book's publication, Isaacson wrote an essay for the Harvard Business Review titled "The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs," which distilled insights from his research into Jobs's management and creative practices. The biography was later adapted into the 2015 film Steve Jobs, directed by Danny Boyle and written by Aaron Sorkin.

The Innovators

In 2014, Isaacson published The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution, a departure from single-subject biography. The book examined the collaborative history of the digital revolution, tracing contributions from Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage through to the creators of the Internet and World Wide Web. A review in The Maroon at Tulane University discussed the book's exploration of how innovation emerges from teamwork and collaboration rather than solitary genius.

Leonardo da Vinci

In 2017, Isaacson published Leonardo da Vinci, a biography of the Renaissance polymath based on thousands of pages from Leonardo's notebooks. The book examined Leonardo as an artist, scientist, engineer, and anatomist, emphasizing the connections between his curiosity about the natural world and his artistic achievements. The biography continued Isaacson's thematic interest in figures who combined creativity with scientific inquiry.

The Code Breaker

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race was published in 2021. The book centered on Jennifer Doudna, the Nobel Prize-winning biochemist who was instrumental in the development of CRISPR gene-editing technology. The biography examined the science behind CRISPR, the competitive race to develop the technology, and the ethical questions raised by the ability to edit human genes. It marked Isaacson's first biography of a living woman and expanded his biographical scope into contemporary biotechnology.

Elon Musk

In 2023, Isaacson published Elon Musk, a biography of the entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter). The biography was based on extensive access to Musk over a period of approximately two years, during which Isaacson shadowed the entrepreneur and conducted numerous interviews with Musk and those in his orbit. The book examined Musk's childhood in South Africa, his business ventures, his management style, and his acquisition of Twitter.

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written

Isaacson's most recent book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), takes as its subject the opening sentence of the United States Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." The book examines how Thomas Jefferson composed the sentence, the philosophical influences behind it, and its enduring relevance to American civic life. In a discussion at Harvard University, Isaacson described the book as an exploration of how the Declaration's ideals might help a divided nation recall common values. He discussed the book at the National Constitution Center, the 2025 Texas Tribune Festival, the George W. Bush Presidential Center, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, among other venues.

A profile in The Free Press in November 2025 discussed Isaacson's views on the state of American civic life in connection with the book.

Academic Career and Other Ventures

As of 2024, Isaacson is a professor at Tulane University in his hometown of New Orleans. He has also delivered commencement addresses and lectures at other institutions, including Vanderbilt University, where he spoke at the 2015 Senior Day ceremony.

Isaacson serves as an advisory partner at Perella Weinberg Partners, a New York City–based financial services firm, reflecting his continued involvement in the business world alongside his writing and academic pursuits.

In 2024, Isaacson and Ishaan Pomichter, a Tulane student, launched Boswell & Co., a startup that publishes biographies and memoirs utilizing artificial intelligence tools.

Personal Life

Isaacson was born and raised in New Orleans, and he has maintained close ties to the city throughout his life. He has one child. After spending much of his career based in New York and Washington, D.C., Isaacson returned to New Orleans, where he took up a professorship at Tulane University.

His involvement in post-Katrina recovery efforts as vice chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority demonstrated his personal commitment to the rebuilding of his home city and state. He was also involved in efforts related to the New Orleans tricentennial in 2018.

Since 2018, Isaacson has served as an interviewer on Amanpour & Company, the PBS and CNN news program hosted by Christiane Amanpour.

Recognition

Isaacson has received a number of awards and honors for his contributions to journalism, literature, and public service.

In 2013, he received the Benjamin Franklin Medal from the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) in recognition of his contributions to understanding innovation and creativity.

In 2015, he received the Nichols-Chancellor's Medal from Vanderbilt University.

In 2023, Isaacson was awarded the National Humanities Medal, one of the highest honors bestowed by the United States government for contributions to the humanities.

His status as a Rhodes Scholar from Harvard and Oxford placed him early in his career within a network of scholars and public figures, and his subsequent appointments to positions at Time, CNN, the Aspen Institute, and the Broadcasting Board of Governors reflected a pattern of recognition across multiple sectors of American professional life. His biographies have been bestsellers, with Steve Jobs in particular achieving rapid commercial success upon its release.

Isaacson was also featured in NOLA.com as a prominent figure in New Orleans's cultural and intellectual life, with local media describing him as among the city's most notable residents.

Legacy

Isaacson's body of biographical work has contributed to public understanding of figures whose lives intersected with major developments in science, technology, politics, and the arts. His biographies of Franklin, Einstein, Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, and others share a thematic interest in the nature of creativity, the relationship between science and art, and the qualities that enable individuals to produce work that reshapes their fields.

His career has spanned the traditional boundaries between journalism, media management, public policy, and scholarship. By holding leadership positions at Time, CNN, the Aspen Institute, and the Broadcasting Board of Governors — while simultaneously producing a body of literary work — Isaacson has operated across sectors in a manner that few contemporary American journalists or authors have matched.

With The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, published in advance of the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, Isaacson has turned his biographical lens toward an idea rather than a single individual, examining the philosophical and political foundations of American democracy through the Declaration of Independence. His launch of Boswell & Co. in 2024, a biography-focused startup integrating AI tools, suggests a continuing interest in how technology intersects with the craft of storytelling — a theme consistent with the concerns of much of his earlier work.