Marjorie Williams
Encyclopedia
Marjorie Williams was a writer, reporter, and columnist for Vanity Fair
and The Washington Post
, writing about American society and profiling the American "political elite."
Williams was born in Princeton, New Jersey
to a scientist-turned-homemaker mother and a father who was an editorial director at Viking Press
.
After attending Harvard for two years, Williams dropped out in her junior year and moved to New York
to work in publishing. Williams had a flair for the business but preferred to go into journalism, and in 1986 she got a job as an editor for The Washington Post.
A year later she became a reporter for the paper's "Style" section. Williams' deft political profiles were an immediate success and eventually she branched out to Vanity Fair
, covering everyone from Bill Clinton
to Barbara Bush to Colin Powell
as well as penning profiles of her own struggles and foibles. In 2000 she became an op-ed columnist for the Post. A year and a half later, she was diagnosed with liver cancer
; in spite of being told she only had a few months left, Williams lived for more than three years. Her final Post column, written in November 2004, focused on her young daughter's Halloween
costume. In June 2011 the National Society of Newspaper Columnists named it one of the top 15 newspaper columns in American history.
Williams died on January 16, 2005, three days after her 47th birthday. She is survived by her stepmother, three sisters, her husband Timothy Noah
(of The New Republic magazine), and her two children. Her ashes were buried in Rock Creek Cemetery
near the Adams Memorial
.
In November 2005 a posthumous collection of Williams's writings, edited by her husband, was published under the title, The Woman at the Washington Zoo. The book won PEN American Center
's Martha Albrand Award For First Nonfiction and a National Magazine Award
in the category of essays and criticism. The latter was for a previously-unpublished essay in the book about Williams' experiences as a cancer patient, a shorter version of which appeared in Vanity Fair prior to the book's publication. A second anthology, Reputation: Portraits in Power was published in October 2008.
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...
and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, writing about American society and profiling the American "political elite."
Williams was born in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
to a scientist-turned-homemaker mother and a father who was an editorial director at Viking Press
Viking Press
Viking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
.
After attending Harvard for two years, Williams dropped out in her junior year and moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to work in publishing. Williams had a flair for the business but preferred to go into journalism, and in 1986 she got a job as an editor for The Washington Post.
A year later she became a reporter for the paper's "Style" section. Williams' deft political profiles were an immediate success and eventually she branched out to 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...
, covering everyone from Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to Barbara Bush to Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
as well as penning profiles of her own struggles and foibles. In 2000 she became an op-ed columnist for the Post. A year and a half later, she was diagnosed with liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
; in spite of being told she only had a few months left, Williams lived for more than three years. Her final Post column, written in November 2004, focused on her young daughter's Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
costume. In June 2011 the National Society of Newspaper Columnists named it one of the top 15 newspaper columns in American history.
Williams died on January 16, 2005, three days after her 47th birthday. She is survived by her stepmother, three sisters, her husband Timothy Noah
Timothy Noah
Timothy Robert Noah is an American journalist. He is a senior editor of The New Republic, where he writes the TRB column and a political blog...
(of The New Republic magazine), and her two children. Her ashes were buried in Rock Creek Cemetery
Rock Creek Cemetery
Rock Creek Cemetery — also Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery — is an cemetery with a natural rolling landscape located at Rock Creek Church Road, NW, and Webster Street, NW, off Hawaii Avenue, NE in Washington, D.C.'s Michigan Park neighborhood, near Washington's Petworth neighborhood...
near the Adams Memorial
Adams Memorial (grave marker)
The Adams Memorial is a grave marker located in Section E of Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C., that features a cast bronze allegorical sculpture by Augustus Saint-Gaudens...
.
In November 2005 a posthumous collection of Williams's writings, edited by her husband, was published under the title, The Woman at the Washington Zoo. The book won PEN American Center
PEN American Center
PEN American Center , founded in 1922 and based in New York City, works to advance literature, to defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship. The Center has a membership of 3,300 writers, editors, and translators...
's Martha Albrand Award For First Nonfiction and a National Magazine Award
National Magazine Award
The National Magazine Awards are a series of US awards that honor excellence in the magazine industry. They are administered by the American Society of Magazine Editors and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City...
in the category of essays and criticism. The latter was for a previously-unpublished essay in the book about Williams' experiences as a cancer patient, a shorter version of which appeared in Vanity Fair prior to the book's publication. A second anthology, Reputation: Portraits in Power was published in October 2008.