Jeanne Marie Laskas
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Jeanne Marie Laskas (born September 22, 1958) is an American writer, journalist, and professor.


Career

Laskas is the author of eight books, including ''To Obama: With Love, Joy, Anger, and Hope'' (2018), based on a ''New York Times Magazine'' article, and ''Concussion'' (2015). Similarly, Concussion is based on her 2009 '' GQ'' article "Game Brain" about
forensic pathologist Forensic pathology is pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. A post mortem examination is performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathologist, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases an ...
Bennet Omalu, who tried to publicize his findings of
chronic traumatic encephalopathy Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head. The encephalopathy symptoms can include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. The disease often gets wor ...
(CTE) in American football players despite
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
opposition. The article was also adapted by Laskas and screenwriter
Peter Landesman Peter Landesman (born 3 January 1965) is an American screenwriter, film director, producer, journalist, novelist and painter. He wrote a number of cover stories for ''The New York Times Magazine'', ''The New Yorker'', ''The Atlantic Monthly'' an ...
into a film of the same name, starring
Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...
as Omalu. Laskas is currently a '' GQ'' correspondent and contributes to the ''New York Times Magazine''. Laskas' other works include ''Hidden America'' (2012)'', Growing Girls'' (2006),''The Exact Same Moon'' (2003), and ''Fifty Acres and Poodle'' (2000). Laskas' work has been widely anthologized, including in ''The'' ''Best American Magazine Writing 2008'' ("Underworld") and ''The'' ''Best American Sportswriting 2000'', ''2002'', ''2008'', ''2010'' ("Game Brain"), and ''2012''. Her ''New York Times Magazine'' article "The Mailroom" was a finalist in feature writing for the 2018
National Magazine Awards The National Magazine Awards, also known as the Ellie Awards, honor print and digital publications that consistently demonstrate superior execution of editorial objectives, innovative techniques, noteworthy enterprise and imaginative design. Or ...
. Her '' GQ'' piece about coal miners, "Underworld," was also a finalist in feature writing in 2008. Her earliest essays and features are compiled in ''The Balloon Lady and Other People I Know'' (1996). Laskas has been writing for national magazines for 20 years, with work appearing in ''
The New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. The magazi ...
,
Smithsonian Magazine ''Smithsonian'' is a magazine covering science, history, art, popular culture and innovation. The first issue was published in 1970. History The history of ''Smithsonian'' began when Edward K. Thompson, the retired editor of ''Life'' magazine ...
,
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 185 ...
'', and ''
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 ...
''. She was formerly a contributing editor at ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
,'' and a weekly syndicated columnist (''"''Significant Others") at ''
The Washington Post Magazine ''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 ...
.'' She also wrote "Ask Laskas" in ''
Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...
'' and the "My Life as a Mom" column for ''
Ladies' Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine that ran until 2016 and was last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th centur ...
''. Laskas is a Distinguished Professor of English and Founding Director of the Center for Creativity at
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The university is composed of seventeen undergraduate and graduate schools and colle ...
.


Bibliography


Books

* * ''We Remember: Women Born at the Turn of the Century Tell the Stories of Their Lives in Words and Pictures'', (editor), with an introduction by
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
, nonfiction (New York: Morrow, 1999). * ''Fifty Acres and a Poodle: A Story of Love, Livestock, and Finding Myself on a Farm'', nonfiction (New York: Bantam Dell, 2000). * ''The Exact Same Moon: Fifty Acres and a Family'', nonfiction (New York: Bantam Dell, 2003). * ''Growing Girls: The Mother of All Adventures'', nonfiction (New York: Bantam Dell, 2006). * ''Hidden America: From Coal Miners to Cowboys, an Extraordinary Exploration of the Unseen People Who Make This Country Work'', nonfiction (New York: Penguin, 2012). * ''Concussion'', nonfiction (New York: Penguin Random House, 2015). * ''To Obama: With Love, Joy, Anger, and Hope'' (New York: Penguin Random House, 2018).


Essays and reporting

* Laskas, Jeanne Marie (January 17, 2018).
To Obama With Love, Hate, and Desperation
" ''New York Times Magazine''. *


References


External links


Author's websiteLaskas' writing at ''GQ'' magazine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laskas, Jeanne Marie 1958 births Living people 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American women writers American columnists Esquire (magazine) GQ (magazine) Ladies' Home Journal Reader's Digest Saint Joseph's University alumni The New Yorker people The Washington Post people University of Pittsburgh alumni University of Pittsburgh faculty Villanova University alumni American women columnists Writers from Pittsburgh