Andrew Francis Lawler (born May 25, 1961) is an American journalist and author. He has written for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', ''

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

'', ''Smithsonian'', ''

Science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

'', ''

Archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

'', and other publications. Lawler investigated the looting of the National Museum of Iraq in

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

as well as ancient sites during the American-led 2003 Iraq invasion. He also reported on cultural heritage destruction in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

from the

Taliban , leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders , leader1_name = {{indented plainlist, * Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013) * Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016) * Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...

’s 2001 fall from power until their return in 2021. His Septembe
2023 National Geographic cover story on Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock
was criticized by some pro-Israel commentators. Lawler has written four books, including the national bestseller '' The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke''. “Mr. Lawler is an intrepid guide to this treacherous territory,” noted ''

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British newspaper published weekly in printed magazine format and daily on Electronic publishing, digital platforms. It publishes stories on topics that include economics, business, geopolitics, technology and culture. M ...

'', which called ''The Secret Token'' “lively and engaging,” though ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...

'' chided the author for giving a “social justice” spin to the tale. His third book is ''Under Jerusalem: The Buried History of the World’s Most Contested City'', which ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' called "a sweeping tale of archaeological exploits and their cultural and political consequences told with a historian’s penchant for detail and a journalist’s flair for narration." The book received the 2024 Felicia A. Holton Award from the ''

Archaeological Institute of America The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is North America, North America's oldest learned society and largest organization devoted to the world of archaeology. AIA professionals have carried out archaeological fieldwork around the world and ...

'', with the award committee praising "Mr. Lawler’s skillful use of prose" that highlighted "archaeology’s impact on the modern world." His fourth and most recent book,
A Perfect Frenzy: A Royal Governor, His Black Allies, and the Crisis that Spurred the American Revolution
' was published in 2025.

' wrote that “the absorbing result of his meticulous research” is “a sharp-eyed look at the messy, sometimes absurd, often cruel birth pangs of a nation.” According to historian Gerald Horne, “this pathbreaking book is a gift this troubled nation needs as it approaches its 250th anniversary.”

Works

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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lawler, Andrew 1961 births The New York Times journalists 21st-century American journalists 20th-century American journalists American male journalists National Geographic people 21st-century American male writers 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers Living people