Steve Coll Books In Order

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

About Steve Coll
An American writer, journalist, and CEO, Steve Coll has been at the forefront of political reporting for some time now. Winning countless awards including a Pulitzer, he’s a respected figure, writing in a number of different prestigious US outlets. Knowing his audience well at this point, he really manages to deliver his pieces in a succinct and highly informative format and style. Creating his own approach to political reporting, he’s done a lot to move the medium forwards in new and interesting directions.

Letting his stories speak for themselves, he really delivers on several different levels, immediately getting right to the heart of the matter. Bringing to light numerous issues in the political landscape, he’s had a long and illustrious career, working as a correspondent both nationally and internationally. Gaining a huge audience worldwide, he’s become a household name for many, reaching scores of readers both far and wide. Maintaining his own idiosyncratic voice on the page, he’s developed a style that is very much his own, essentially creating his own trademark brand.

Over the years he has come to be revered by his many peers and contemporaries alike, making an important name for himself. Working for a think-tank as well, he’s become an important figure not just in literature, but in politics and consultancy as well. Publishing several books over the course of his career, his non-fiction work has proven to be important as well, delving deeply into a number of different subjects. With a lot more to come come too, he has a lot more to say still, as he will carry on writing for some time to come yet.
Early and Personal Life

Born in Washington DC on the 8th of October 1958, Steve Coll would Thomas S. Wooton High School based in Rockville, Maryland. After his graduation in 1976 he would go on to attend Occidental College after moving to Los Angeles, California, graduating in 1980. Gaining majors in history and English, he would also attend the University of Sussex during his time spent studying here.

He would later go on to work in journalism, writing for the Pasadena Weekly initially following his college, publishing general interest articles for the California magazine as well. Later he would go on to work for The Washington Post in 1985, receiving a Pulitzer in 1990 for his financial reporting there. Marrying fellow writer and poet Eliza Griswold, he has four children, as he continues to write and work to this very day.

Writing Career
The first work of non-fiction that Steve Coll would publish was titled ‘The Deal of the Century,’ which was about the breakup of AT&T. This book would be published alongside his countless pieces for publications such as ‘The Washington Post’ and, later, ‘The New Yorker.’ Making a name for himself as a political reporter, he would win a Pulitzer in 1990 for his reporting on the ‘Securities and Exchange Commission,’ which he wrote alongside David A. Vise.

He’s also been made the Dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, which he was made in 2013 on the 18th of March. Other awards he would receive are the Livingston Award in 1991, the ‘Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award’ in 2000, and the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction’ in 2005. Working on several different podcasts too, he’s a highly vocal figure within his field, with lots more to follow still on the horizon.

The Bin Ladens
Running under the subtitle of ‘An Arabian Family in the American Century,’ this was initially brought out in 2008. Published through the Penguin Press publishing imprint, this would be a work of non-fiction becoming a finalist for the Pulitzer, which he previously win for his 2004 book ‘Ghost Wars.’ A stand-alone title, it would look at a period of American history, encompassing an era, looking at the politics in and around that time.

Looking at the rise and fall of the Bin Laden family, this seeks to understand where they came from, and their place in Saudi Arabia. From this, it then hopes to comprehend where Osama himself came from, and how he came to be the figure he finally became doing all that he did. Moving from the famine of the desserts to a life of luxury and yachts, the Bin Laden family became oil-rich, immersing themselves in the West. Studying their story in great detail, Coll gains an insight into what drove and motivated them and, ultimately, Osama.
It’s a well-written and highly comprehensive account that doesn’t hold back, really providing some extremely valuable insight. Giving the reader an inside look, it really manages to bring the Bin Laden family into the spotlight, showing them for who they really are. It’s easy to read and extremely accessible, written in an interesting and straightforward manner that’s highly compelling.

Private Empire
With the subtitle ‘ExxonMobile and American Power,’ this is another informative account of American industry and politics. A stand-alone work of non-fiction, it looks at private corporate power and the industry surrounding the energy conglomerate ExxonMobile. Originally published in 2012, it would win the ‘Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year’ the year of its release.

Analyzing the sway that ExxonMobile has over American politics, and how they lobby Congress, this takes an inside look at the largest company within the United States. Going back over history, from the 2010 ‘Deepwater Horizon’ oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, back to the 1989 ‘Exxon Valdez’ accident, it seeks to cover a whole range of different topics. Leaving few stones unturned, it’s a comprehensive work that manages to cover a lot of ground, as there’s plenty of food for thought. It’s a balanced account that seeks to portray the facts as they are, looking at the financial impact and history of an corporation that’s been integral in so many lives.

Many will find this book highly informative, especially those that may not have had much familiarity with the subject matter beforehand. The approach to its subject is also balanced, while also not taking too much of a back-seat in that it does offer opinions and insight of its own. Coll manages to make his own voice heard while simultaneously not overpowering the central thesis of the book itself.