Photo: Gabriel Amadeus Cooney

The New York Times Book Review described Tracy Kidder's book Among Schoolchildren (1989) as "full of the author's genuine love, delight and celebration of the human condition." A contributing editor of The Atlantic since 1981, Kidder has proven that description true by writing on such varied topics as urban elementary-school classrooms, computer-hacker basements, and rural nursing-home bedrooms, often dedicating several months to a year to the intense study of the issues, locales, and personalities related to his subject.

In 1982, Kidder won a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for The Soul of a New Machine, a book that was celebrated for its insight into the world of corporate, high-technology America. Recent works include House (1985), Among Schoolchildren (1989), and Old Friends (1993).

Born in New York City, Kidder attended Phillips Academy and Harvard University. After graduating with a B.A. in 1967 he served a full tour of duty in Vietnam. Since his first article for The Atlantic in July, 1973, he has written for the magazine on railroads, energy, architecture, the environment, and more. He lives with his wife and family in western Massachussetts.