John Hersey

John Hersey was an American journalist, novelist, and professor, recognized as an early practitioner of New Journalism due to his integration of fictional storytelling techniques into non-fiction reportage. After winning the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1945 for his acclaimed work, ‘A Bell for Adano,’ John Hersey established himself as an early practitioner of New Journalism. He began his career in 1937 as private secretary to author Sinclair Lewis before joining Time magazine. During World War II, Hersey served as a Newsweekly correspondent for Time and Life magazines, reporting across Europe and Asia.

Hersey’s commitment to journalism and literature continued, culminating in his last fiction writing class at Yale in 1984. In 1985, Hersey revisited Hiroshima to write ‘Hiroshima: The Aftermath,’ which accompanied the republication of his original reportage. He also published the novel ‘The Call’ in 1985. Hersey’s profound contributions were further acknowledged posthumously in 2008 with a first-class rate postage stamp, cementing his legacy in journalism and literature.