This journal about traveling with bird-destruction teams in Turkey is honest, informative and full of voice. This is an intimate sharing of a difficult journey. The author uses first person not to grandstand, but to communicate knowingly, American to American, … Read more
We appreciated the good writing in this piece, the evocative detail garnered through interview. It’s a wonderful example of how narrative techniques can flesh out a story that’s been reported, until then, largely as breaking news. Among the effective detail … Read more
This story gives background on the acquittal of Sami Al-Arian of terrorism charges. In 930 words, Gezari provides an intimate sense of his family, some history of his marriage and a thematic conclusion about American justice. Read “For … Read more
A narrative is a story that has a beginning, middle and end. It engages the reader’s mind and heart. It shows actors moving across its stage, revealing their characters through their actions and their speech. At its heart, a narrative … Read more
Martin and photographer Mike Siegel followed a couple for more than two years as they tried to regain custody of their baby daughter. We liked the ending to the piece, sad and intimate. Read “What’s Best for Baby … Read more
This moving series examines the development of a friendship between high school seniors Iven and Gary, which thrives not despite but because of the financial, legal, academic and family challenges they face. Baltimore Sun reporter Liz Bowie delicately details the mutual loyalty that … Read more
This piece is plot-driven, yet builds character, as it illuminates conflicts created by human encroachment into fire-prone areas. The piece offers both adventure and context. With skillful asides, Foster alludes well to some of the “backstories” of the American West: … Read more
This story provides facts, reveals wrongs, while weaving a good tale and involving the reader in the lives of its characters. In the words of the piece’s editor, Bruce DeSilva: “In telling the story, we disdained the usual term-paper-indictment approach … Read more
This is a narrative measured out in minutes. It is precisely and, as the Pulitzer board wrote in their commendation, meticulously reconstructed. Keller traces the minutes leading up to the tornado’s destruction of parts of a town, and also the … Read more
This piece is full of French’s signature muscular approach to theme and idea. He’s eager to frame a story, provide his "take." His gutsiness makes him an authoritative and compelling guide. He establishes themes at the outset. His themes in … Read more