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Bruni Receives Thomas Wolfe Prize

 November 5, 2021

Frank Bruni, professor of the practice of journalism and public policy, has received the Thomas Wolfe Prize from the department of English and Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.  It recognizes contemporary writers with distinguished bodies of work.

Bruni joined The New York Times in 1995, coming from The Detroit Free Press, where he was the chief movie critic and religion writer. Over the next 25 years, he served The Times as metro reporter, White House correspondent, Rome bureau chief, chief restaurant critic and opinion columnist. He is the author of three New York Times best-selling books.  A Morehead Scholar, Bruni graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1986 with a BA in English.

Bruni talks about the privilege of being a writer, a liberal education and the importance of truth and empathy in writing on the Aaron Keck radio show.

As part of the award, Bruni gave the Thomas Wolfe Lecture on Oct. 28, and is part of the 225th anniversary of the department of English and Comparative Literature. Previous winners include Pat Conroy, Reynolds Price, Lee Smith and Dorothy Allison.