Michael Capuzzo
American journalist and author
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Michael Capuzzo (born May 1, 1957) is an American journalist and author best known for his New York Times-bestselling nonfiction books The Murder Room and Close to Shore[1] He was formerly a reporter with the Miami Herald and the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he received four Pulitzer Prize nominations.[2] The Murder Room,[3][4] the true story of a private dining club of famous detectives who solve cold murders, and Close to Shore,[5][6] an historic thriller and recreation of the first American shark attack in World War I-era New Jersey, both enjoyed wide acclaim from critics and authors such as Gay Talese, Mark Bowden, John Sanford, and Michael Connelly.[citation needed]
Michael Capuzzo | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 1, 1957 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Journalist, author |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | |
| Notable works | Close to Shore |
| Website | |
| www | |
Early life and education
Capuzzo was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 1, 1957,[2] and raised in the Greater Boston area. He attended Northwestern University, where he studied journalism.
Career
Capuzzo began his career as a reporter with the Miami Herald, where he worked for six years. He then joined The Philadelphia Inquirer, where he worked from 1986 to 1994 before becoming a freelance writer. In 1997, he married Teresa Banik, a food critic for Philadelphia Magazine.[7][2] Formerly a resident of Wenonah, New Jersey, Capuzzo and his wife relocated to Wellsboro, Pennsylvania in 2004.[7] In 2006, he and his wife founded Mountain Home, a monthly magazine serving the Twin Tiers and New York Finger Lakes regions.[8][9][10] He earned an MFA in creative nonfiction from Goucher College in 2011, during which time he completed The Murder Room and was mentored by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Thomas French.[10]
Capuzzo authored Our Best Friends: Wagging Tales to Warm the Heart in 1999. It presents true stories of people and their dogs, including cases of heroism.[11]
The Murder Room, published in a number of countries, was one of five finalists for the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction given by the British Crime Writer's Association for the best true crime book by any writer of any nationality published in England in 2010 or 2011.[12] A TV series based on the book was in development as of 2011, to be written by George Nolfi and produced by Carol Mendelsohn, of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.[8][13]
Capuzzo was interviewed several times on NPR about the book, including Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and the book was the subject of an ABC News primetime hour-long special of 20/20 in September 2010. The book was named "The Big Read" at Coastal Carolina University.
Capuzzo has appeared nationwide as a keynote speaker and at colleges talking about writing; at Rutgers University, he taught an honors colloquium.[1]
Works
- The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes Gather to Solve the World's Most Perplexing Cold Cases (2010).
- Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence (2002)
- Mutts: America's Dogs (with Brian Kilcommons) (2001)
- Cat Caught My Heart : Purrfect Tales of Wisdom, Hope, and Love (edited with Teresa Banik Capuzzo, 1999)
- Our Best Friends : Wagging Tales to Warm the Heart (edited with Teresa Banik Capuzzo, 1999)
- Wild Things: The Wacky and Wonderful Truth about the Animal Kingdom (1995)