Thomas French
Encyclopedia
Thomas French is an American journalist. He worked for the St. Petersburg Times
(Florida) from 1981 until he took early retirement to teach in 2008. He currently occupies the Riley Endowed Chair in Journalism at Indiana University School of Journalism.
, with French winning the prize for Feature Writing for his piece “Angels and Demons,” which detailed the story of the murders of Jo, Michelle and Christe Rogers and the eventual capture of the murderer Oba Chandler
. He also completed the series "South of Heaven" (later expanded into a novel), which detailed the experiences of High School students at the end of the 1980s at Largo High School with the cooperation of LHS Journalism Teacher Jan Amburgy. Another story that he collaborated on was "13", a mini-series that ran in the St. Petersburg Time about middle schoolers at Booker T. Washington Middle Magnet school for International Studies in Tampa, Florida (Ybor City).He is also famous for "The Exorcist in Love", an in-depth investigation into the life and work of Laura Knight (now Laura Knight-Jadczyk).
According to Washington Post reporter Anne Hull
, whose work helped the Washington Post earn the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for public service, French's work has set the standard for a generation of reporters.
He has now written a new book about Lowry Park Zoo
in Tampa, Florida
, Zoo Story
.
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
(Florida) from 1981 until he took early retirement to teach in 2008. He currently occupies the Riley Endowed Chair in Journalism at Indiana University School of Journalism.
Journalism
In 1998, the Times won its sixth Pulitzer PrizePulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
, with French winning the prize for Feature Writing for his piece “Angels and Demons,” which detailed the story of the murders of Jo, Michelle and Christe Rogers and the eventual capture of the murderer Oba Chandler
Oba Chandler
Oba Chandler was an American convicted rapist and murderer who was put to death via lethal injection for the June 1989 triple murders of a woman and her two daughters whose bodies were found in Tampa Bay, Florida. All three were discovered floating with their hands and feet bound, concrete blocks...
. He also completed the series "South of Heaven" (later expanded into a novel), which detailed the experiences of High School students at the end of the 1980s at Largo High School with the cooperation of LHS Journalism Teacher Jan Amburgy. Another story that he collaborated on was "13", a mini-series that ran in the St. Petersburg Time about middle schoolers at Booker T. Washington Middle Magnet school for International Studies in Tampa, Florida (Ybor City).He is also famous for "The Exorcist in Love", an in-depth investigation into the life and work of Laura Knight (now Laura Knight-Jadczyk).
According to Washington Post reporter Anne Hull
Anne Hull
Anne Hull is an American journalist, on the national staff of the Washington Post.She won a 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.-Life:...
, whose work helped the Washington Post earn the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for public service, French's work has set the standard for a generation of reporters.
He wrote a seminal piece of journalism called 'A Cry In The Night' that dominated our craft for a long time and made a model for the rest of us to follow," Hull said. "He's been my teacher since the day I met him. IU will soon get a glimpse of his passion and ferocious belief that journalism should be fair and truthful but also raucous, subversive, emotional and daring.
He has now written a new book about Lowry Park Zoo
Lowry Park Zoo
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo is a nonprofit zoo located in Tampa, Florida. In 2004, Lowry Park Zoo was voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the US by Child Magazine, and is recognized by the State of Florida as the center for Florida wildlife conservation and biodiversity .Tampa's Lowry Park Zoological...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, Zoo Story
Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives
Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives is a book by Thomas French which started as a series of articles for the St. Petersburg Times. It details the history of Lowry Park Zoo and tells the story of its transformation from a dilapidated shame, to an institution which was voted one of the best...
.