Alex Beam
Encyclopedia
Alex Beam is an American
writer
and journalist
, who is currently a columnist
for The Boston Globe
.
, as his father Jacob D. Beam
was a diplomat. Beam attended Phillips Exeter Academy
, where he was Foreign Correspondent for the twice-weekly school newspaper, The Exonian
, and graduated from Yale University
in 1975. He helped establish a small weekly newspaper in Ludlow, Vermont, The Black River Tribune.
Beam worked at Newsweek
and BusinessWeek
, where his tenure included Boston
and Moscow
bureau chief, before joining the Boston Globe. His twice-weekly column for the Globe has appeared since 1987. He was a John Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University
in 1996-1997.
In addition to his journalistic work, Beam is the author of two novels set in Russia
, Fellow Travelers (1987) and The Americans Are Coming! (1991), both published by St. Martin's Press
. He has also published two works of non-fiction. Gracefully Insane: Life and Death Inside America's Premier Mental Hospital, which explored the history of McLean Hospital
, was published in January 2002. His second non-fiction book, about the Great Books movement, A Great Idea at the Time: the Rise, Fall and Curious Afterlife of the Great Books, was published in 2008. Both were named Notable Books in the annual list compiled by the New York Times Book Review.
For a time Beam wrote a weekly blog about squash
, the sport, for Vanity Fair
's online edition.
.
's supporters, criticizing them for continuing to mourn the deaths of 96 supporters during the Hillsborough disaster
, which he called a "riot". He also referred to the city as doggy' and 'grotty'. The reaction to Beam's column reached the UK's Daily Mail
, and was the subject of criticism by Liverpool's supporters. Responding to this on an independent fan site, Alan Farlie stated that "the reason people are still "agonising" is that there are many who lost family and friends on a bright summer's day. There are still many who were at Hillsborough that day and who remember being crushed as their fellow fans died around them, crushed to death, because of failures in organisation and policing." The Globe later issued a correction to the online version of the article, acknowledging that the disaster was not a riot, and that the official investigation blamed poor crowd control and inadequate stadium design.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, who is currently a columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
.
Biography
Beam grew up 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....
, as his father Jacob D. Beam
Jacob D. Beam
Jacob Dyneley Beam was an American diplomat.Beam was born in Princeton, New Jersey. His father was a German professor at Princeton University, and the younger Beam earned a bachelor's degree in 1929 from Princeton...
was a diplomat. Beam attended Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
, where he was Foreign Correspondent for the twice-weekly school newspaper, The Exonian
The Exonian
The Exonian, the oldest preparatory school paper in America, is published weekly by its student board at Phillips Exeter Academy. Over half the student body, as well as many parents and alumni/ae, hold subscriptions to the paper, which acts as a forum for the ideas of the Exeter community and...
, and graduated from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1975. He helped establish a small weekly newspaper in Ludlow, Vermont, The Black River Tribune.
Beam worked at Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
and BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
, where his tenure included Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
bureau chief, before joining the Boston Globe. His twice-weekly column for the Globe has appeared since 1987. He was a John Knight Journalism Fellow 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...
in 1996-1997.
In addition to his journalistic work, Beam is the author of two novels set in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Fellow Travelers (1987) and The Americans Are Coming! (1991), both published by St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
. He has also published two works of non-fiction. Gracefully Insane: Life and Death Inside America's Premier Mental Hospital, which explored the history of McLean Hospital
McLean Hospital
McLean Hospital is a psychiatric hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts.It is noted for its clinical staff expertise and ground-breaking neuroscience research...
, was published in January 2002. His second non-fiction book, about the Great Books movement, A Great Idea at the Time: the Rise, Fall and Curious Afterlife of the Great Books, was published in 2008. Both were named Notable Books in the annual list compiled by the New York Times Book Review.
For a time Beam wrote a weekly blog about squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, the sport, for Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
's online edition.
Personal life
His son Christopher Beam is currently a political blogger for SlateSlate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
.
Controversy
In December, 2010, Beam wrote an article in the Globe about Liverpool Football ClubLiverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
's supporters, criticizing them for continuing to mourn the deaths of 96 supporters during the Hillsborough disaster
Hillsborough disaster
The Hillsborough disaster was a human crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Hillsborough, a football stadium, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in Sheffield, England, resulting in the deaths of 96 people, and 766 being injured, all fans of Liverpool F.C....
, which he called a "riot". He also referred to the city as doggy' and 'grotty'. The reaction to Beam's column reached the UK's Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, and was the subject of criticism by Liverpool's supporters. Responding to this on an independent fan site, Alan Farlie stated that "the reason people are still "agonising" is that there are many who lost family and friends on a bright summer's day. There are still many who were at Hillsborough that day and who remember being crushed as their fellow fans died around them, crushed to death, because of failures in organisation and policing." The Globe later issued a correction to the online version of the article, acknowledging that the disaster was not a riot, and that the official investigation blamed poor crowd control and inadequate stadium design.
External links
- Alex Beam columns via Boston Globe