Philip Terzian
Encyclopedia
Philip Terzian is an American journalist and has been Literary Editor of The Weekly Standard
, a conservative magazine in Washington, D.C.
since February 2005. He is the author of Architects of Power: Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and the American Century (Encounter Books
2010).
A native of Kensington, Maryland
, Terzian was graduated from Villanova University
with a degree
in English
in 1973. He did graduate work at Oxford University under Colin Matthew
, and earned a diploma at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia
.
He worked as a reporter and editor at The Anniston Star
in Alabama
, Reuters
and U.S. News & World Report
. During 1974-78 he was assistant editor of The New Republic
. He was associate editor of the Lexington Herald in Kentucky
, assistant editorial page editor of the Los Angeles Times
, and during 1986-92, was editor of the editorial pages at the Providence Journal.
In 1970 he was a speechwriter
for Lawrence O'Brien
, then chairman of the Democratic National Committee
. He later wrote speeches (1978–79) for U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance
.
For two decades before joining The Weekly Standard, Terzian wrote a column syndicated
by the Scripps Howard News Service, and reported from a dozen foreign countries. He has been a Pulitzer Prize
finalist for Distinguished Commentary, a Pulitzer Prize
juror, and has been a media fellow at the Hoover Institution
at Stanford University
. He has been a contributor to the Wall Street Journal, The New Criterion
, Harper's, The American Spectator
, the Times Literary Supplement, and other publications. A former member of the American Society of Newspaper Editors
, he is a member of the American Council on Germany and the Association of Literary Scholars and Critics
.
The Weekly Standard
The Weekly Standard is an American neoconservative opinion magazine published 48 times per year. Its founding publisher, News Corporation, debuted the title September 18, 1995. Currently edited by founder William Kristol and Fred Barnes, the Standard has been described as a "redoubt of...
, a conservative magazine in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
since February 2005. He is the author of Architects of Power: Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and the American Century (Encounter Books
Encounter Books
Encounter Books is an American conservative book publisher. It is an activity of Encounter for Culture and Education, Inc. Encounter Books draws its name from Encounter , the now defunct literary magazine founded by Irving Kristol and Stephen Spender....
2010).
A native of Kensington, Maryland
Kensington, Maryland
Kensington is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,873 at the 2000 census. Greater Kensington encompasses the entire 20895 zip code and its population is an order of magnitude larger than that of the town at its center....
, Terzian was graduated from Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
with a degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in English
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
in 1973. He did graduate work at Oxford University under Colin Matthew
Colin Matthew
Henry Colin Gray Matthew , an historian, was the first editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and editor of the diaries of William Ewart Gladstone....
, and earned a diploma at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia
Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary , formally called the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, is the largest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States. Founded in 1818, VTS is situated on an campus in Alexandria, Virginia, just a few miles from downtown Washington, DC. VTS...
.
He worked as a reporter and editor at The Anniston Star
The Anniston Star
The Anniston Star is the daily newspaper serving Anniston, Alabama, and the surrounding six-county region. Average Sunday circulation in September 2004 was 26,747. The newspaper is locally-owned by Consolidated Publishing Company, which is controlled by the descendants of Col. Harry M. Ayers, one...
in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
and U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
. During 1974-78 he was assistant editor of The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
. He was associate editor of the Lexington Herald in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, assistant editorial page editor of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, and during 1986-92, was editor of the editorial pages at the Providence Journal.
In 1970 he was a speechwriter
Speechwriter
A speechwriter is a person who is hired to prepare and write speeches that will be delivered by another person. Speechwriters are used by many senior-level elected officials and executives in the government and private sectors.-Skills and training:...
for Lawrence O'Brien
Lawrence O'Brien
Lawrence David O'Brien was a Canadian politician.O’Brien represented Labrador in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal from 1996 until his death in 2004...
, then chairman of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
. He later wrote speeches (1978–79) for U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance
Cyrus Vance
Cyrus Roberts Vance was an American lawyer and United States Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1980...
.
For two decades before joining The Weekly Standard, Terzian wrote a column syndicated
Syndicated columnist
This list of syndicated columnists comprises columnists whose recurring columns are published in multiple periodical publications .*Ghaith Abdul-Ahad*Yasmin Alibhai-Brown*Timothy Garton Ash*Lucius Beebe*Max Boot...
by the Scripps Howard News Service, and reported from a dozen foreign countries. He has been a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
finalist for Distinguished Commentary, a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
juror, and has been a media fellow at the Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He has been a contributor to the Wall Street Journal, The New Criterion
The New Criterion
The New Criterion is a New York-based monthly literary magazine and journal of artistic and cultural criticism, edited by Hilton Kramer and Roger Kimball. It has sections for criticism of poetry, theater, art, music, the media, and books...
, Harper's, The American Spectator
The American Spectator
The American Spectator is a conservative U.S. monthly magazine covering news and politics, edited by R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. and published by the non-profit American Spectator Foundation. From its founding in 1967 until the late 1980s, the small-circulation magazine featured the writings of authors...
, the Times Literary Supplement, and other publications. A former member of the American Society of Newspaper Editors
American Society of Newspaper Editors
The American Society of News Editors is a membership organization for editors, producers or directors in charge of journalistic organizations or departments, deans or faculty at university journalism schools, and leaders and faculty of media-related foundations and training organizations...
, he is a member of the American Council on Germany and the Association of Literary Scholars and Critics
Association of Literary Scholars and Critics
The Association of Literary Scholars, Critics and Writers was organized in 1994 as the Association of Literary Scholars and Critics by a group of over 400 scholars troubled by what they saw as an over reliance on post-modern theory in the academy...
.