George Packer
Encyclopedia
George Packer is an American
journalist, novelist and playwright.
; his maternal grandfather was George Huddleston
, a congressman from Alabama. His sister, Ann Packer
, is also a writer. Packer graduated from Yale College
, where he lived in Calhoun College
, in 1982, and served in the Peace Corps
in Togo
.
His essays and articles have appeared in Boston Review
, The Nation, World Affairs
, Harper's, The New York Times
, and The New Yorker
, among other publications. Packer is a columnist for Mother Jones
and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker
since May 2003.
Packer was a Holtzbrinck Fellow Class of Fall 2009 at the American Academy in Berlin
. The title of his project there is Enlightenment and War.
Packer's most recent book, The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq, analyzes the events that led to the 2003 invasion of Iraq
and reports on subsequent developments in that country, largely based on interviews with ordinary Iraqis.
He was a finalist for the 2004 Michael Kelly Award.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist, novelist and playwright.
Biography
Packer's parents, Nancy Packer and Herbert Packer, were both academics at Stanford UniversityStanford 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...
; his maternal grandfather was George Huddleston
George Huddleston
George Huddleston was a U.S. Representative from Alabama, father of George Huddleston, Jr.Born on a farm near Lebanon, Tennessee, Huddleston attended the common schools....
, a congressman from Alabama. His sister, Ann Packer
Ann Packer (author)
Ann Packer is an American novelist and short story writer, perhaps best known for her critically acclaimed first novel The Dive From Clausen's Pier. She is the recipient of a James Michener Award and a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship...
, is also a writer. Packer graduated from Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
, where he lived in Calhoun College
Calhoun College
Calhoun College is a residential college of Yale University.-Early history:In 1641, John Brockston established a farm on the plot of land that is now Calhoun College...
, in 1982, and served in the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
in Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
.
His essays and articles have appeared in Boston Review
Boston Review
Boston Review is a bimonthly American political and literary magazine. The magazine covers, specifically, political debates, literature, and poetry...
, The Nation, World Affairs
World Affairs (journal)
World Affairs is a bimonthly magazine covering international relations. It is the official journal of the American Peace Society. The magazine has been published since 1837 and was re-launched in January 2008 as a new publication. Each issue contains articles offering diverse perspectives on global...
, Harper's, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, among other publications. Packer is a columnist for Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
since May 2003.
Packer was a Holtzbrinck Fellow Class of Fall 2009 at the American Academy in Berlin
American Academy in Berlin
The American Academy in Berlin is a research and cultural institution in Berlin whose stated mission is to foster a greater understanding and dialogue between the people of the United States and the people of Germany.The American Academy was founded in September 1994 by a group of prominent...
. The title of his project there is Enlightenment and War.
Packer's most recent book, The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq, analyzes the events that led to the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
and reports on subsequent developments in that country, largely based on interviews with ordinary Iraqis.
He was a finalist for the 2004 Michael Kelly Award.
Books
- The Village of WaitingThe Village of WaitingAfter serving with the Peace Corps in Togo in 1982-3, George Packer wrote The Village of Waiting about his experiences there. The book chronicles Packer's time as an English teacher in the small village of Lavie , as well as his visits to the capital Lomé and several other African countries...
(1988). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (1st Farrar edition, 2001). Pb. ISBN 0-374-52780-6 - The Half Man (1991). Random House ISBN 0-394-58192-X
- Central Square (1998). Graywolf Press ISBN 1-55597-277-2
- Blood of the Liberals (2000). Farrar, Straus and Giroux ISBN 0-374-25142-8
- The Fight is for Democracy: Winning the War of Ideas in America and the World (2003, as editor). Harper Perennial. Pb. ISBN 0-06-053249-1
- The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq (2005) Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2005 ISBN 0-374-29963-3
- Betrayed: A Play (2008) Faber & Faber
- Interesting Times: Writings from a Turbulent Decade (2009). ISBN 978-0374175726
Articles
[Richard Holbrooke's plan to avoid the mistakes of Vietnam in Afghanistan]. [An assessment of the post 9/11 decade]Magazine Articles About the Iraq War
- Over Here: Iraq the Place vs. Iraq the Abstraction, World AffairsWorld Affairs (journal)World Affairs is a bimonthly magazine covering international relations. It is the official journal of the American Peace Society. The magazine has been published since 1837 and was re-launched in January 2008 as a new publication. Each issue contains articles offering diverse perspectives on global...
- Comment: "No Blame, No Shame", The New Yorker, May 14, 2007.
- A Reporter at Large: "Betrayed" The Iraqis who trusted America the most, The New Yorker, March 26, 2007.
- "Knowing the Enemy", The New Yorker, December 18, 2006.
- Comment: "Unrealistic", The New Yorker, November 27, 2006.
- "Save Whomever We Can", The New Republic, November 27, 2006.
- Comment: "Alternative Realities", The New Yorker, October 30, 2006.
- Comment: "Keep Out", The New Yorker, October 16, 2006.
- Comment: "Prisoners", The New Yorker, September 18, 2006.
- Comment: "Not Wise", The New Yorker, May 8, 2006.
- Letter from Iraq: "The Lesson of Tal Afar" April 10, 2006.
- Comment: "Saddam on Trial", The New Yorker, October 31, 2005.
- Comment: "Game Plan", The New Yorker, October 24, 2005.
- Comment: "Name Calling", The New Yorker August 8, 2005.
- A Reporter at Large: "The Home Front", The New Yorker, July 4, 2005.
- Letter from Basra: "Testing the Ground", , The New Yorker, February 28, 2005.
- Comment: "Invasion versus Persuasion", The New Yorker, December 20, 2004.
- Comment: "Questions of Greatness", The New Yorker, October 25, 2004.
- A Reporter at Large: "The Next Iraqi War?", The New Yorker October 4, 2004.
- Comment: "The Political War", The New Yorker, September 27, 2004.
- Letter from Athens: "From the Playing Field", The New Yorker, August 30, 2004.
- Comment: Wars and Ideas, The New Yorker, July 5, 2004.
- Letter from Baghdad: "Caught in the Crossfire", The New Yorker, May 17, 2004.
- "War after the War" What Washington doesn't see in Iraq., The New Yorker, November 24, 2003.
- Tuning In: A Butcher in Baghdad, The New Yorker, April 7, 2003.
- "Dreaming of Democracy", New York Times Magazine, March 2, 2003.
Other Topics
- George Packer at FSG
- Blog at the New Yorker
- Biography of Packer at The New Yorker
- Comment: "Mr. Independent", The New Yorker July 2, 2007
- "The Megacity - Decoding the Chaos of Lagos", The New Yorker, November 13, 2006.
- "The Revolution Will Not Be Blogged", Mother Jones, May/June 2004. (Issue on the limitations of the political blogosphere)
- George Packer on Assassins' Gate, Washington Post Book World, October 11, 2005.
- Posts by George Packer at TPMCafe.
- Review of The Assassins' Gate, The Washington Monthly.
- Profile in the Columbia Journalism ReviewColumbia Journalism ReviewThe Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
. - Review of Stephen Koch, “The Breaking Point: Hemingway, dos Passos, and the Murder of Jose Robles”