J.R. Moehringer
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John Joseph Moehringer (born December 7, 1964), known by his
pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...
J. R. Moehringer, is an American novelist, journalist, and ghostwriter. In 2000, he won the
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
for newspaper feature writing.JR Moehringer biography - Pulitzer Board
/ref> He collaborated on the 2021 film adaptation of his memoir ''The Tender Bar'' (2005)''.''


Early life and education

Moehringer was born to Dorothy and "Johnny Michaels" (John Moehringer) a WOR-FM radio DJ, in New York City and raised by a single mother in Manhasset, New York, and Scottsdale, Arizona. He graduated from
Saguaro High School Saguaro High School is a former A+ and Blue Ribbon Schools Program certified high school in the Scottsdale Unified School District in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States. Saguaro was opened in 1966. Sports Saguaro's varsity football progra ...
in Scottsdale in 1982 and "graduated by a hair's breadth" from Yale University in 1986.


Career

He began his journalism career as a news assistant at '' The New York Times''. In 1990 he moved to
Breckenridge, Colorado The Town of Breckenridge is the home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Summit County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 5,078 at the 2020 United States Census. Breckenridge is the pr ...
where he worked at the '' Rocky Mountain News''. In 1994 he became a reporter for the
Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...
bureau of the '' Los Angeles Times''. In 1997, the '' Los Angeles Times'' sent him to Atlanta, Georgia, to report on the
South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
as an on-the-scene reporter. His journalism work later took him to Denver, Colorado. While at the ''Los Angeles Times'' he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing in 1998 for his article "Resurrecting the Champ," and received the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing in 2000 for his article "Crossing Over." He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife Shannon Welch, former executive editor at HarperOne and VP and editorial director at Penguin Random House since 2021. They have two children. Moehringer's memoir, ''The Tender Bar'', was published in 2005. It recounts his childhood through his early twenties, and tells of his coming-of-age experiences at a local bar called Publicans (previously known as Dickens, later Edison's), which served as a sanctuary from his chaotic family life. A movie version of the memoir, ''
The Tender Bar John Joseph Moehringer (born December 7, 1964), known by his pen name J. R. Moehringer, is an American novelist, journalist, and ghostwriter. In 2000, he won the Pulitzer Prize for newspaper feature writing. He collaborated on the 2021 film a ...
'', directed by
George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...
and starring Ben Affleck, Tye Sheridan and
Daniel Ranieri Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
, was released on
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on January 7, 2022. After retired tennis star Andre Agassi read ''The Tender Bar'', he asked Moehringer to collaborate with him on his own memoir. The resulting book, '' Open: An Autobiography'', was published in 2009. Moehringer wrote an article for the '' Los Angeles Times Magazine'' about a homeless man who claimed he was Bob Satterfield. In 2007, it was adapted as the basis of the film ''
Resurrecting the Champ ''Resurrecting the Champ'' is a 2007 American sports drama film directed by Rod Lurie and written by Michael Bortman and Allison Burnett, based on a ''Los Angeles Times Magazine'' article entitled "Resurrecting the Champ" by J. R. Moehringer. Th ...
,'' directed by Rod Lurie and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett and Alan Alda. Moehringer's novel ''Sutton'', based on the life of
bank robber Bank robbery is the criminal act of stealing from a bank, specifically while bank employees and customers are subjected to force, violence, or a threat of violence. This refers to robbery of a bank Branch (banking), branch or Bank teller, tell ...
Willie Sutton, was published in 2012. Moehringer
ghostwrote A ghostwriter is hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often ...
Phil Knight's memoir, ''
Shoe Dog ''Shoe Dog'' is a memoir by Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The memoir chronicles the history of Nike from its founding as Blue Ribbon Sports and its early challenges to its evolution into one of the world's most recognized and profitable companies. ...
'', published in 2016, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex's 2023 memoir, '' Spare''.


Awards

*1997, Livingston Award for Young Journalists *2000, Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing *2001, Nieman Fellowship


References


Bibliography

*Moehringer, J.R. ''The Tender Bar: A Memoir''. New York: Hyperion, 2005. , . *Moehringer, J.R. ''Sutton''. New York: Hyperion, 2012. .


External links


Interview with J. R. Moehringer
regarding ''Sutton'', on '' Fresh Air'' (39 mins., 2012) {{DEFAULTSORT:Moehringer, J.R. 1964 births American male journalists 21st-century American memoirists Living people Los Angeles Times people The New York Times writers People from Manhasset, New York Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing winners Yale University alumni Writers from New York City 21st-century American novelists Writers from Scottsdale, Arizona American male novelists People from Breckenridge, Colorado 21st-century American male writers Novelists from New York (state) Livingston Award winners for Local Reporting Ghostwriters