Career Highlights
Bob Woodward became a household name when he and Carl Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1973, a story that changed journalism forever. Ever since, he’s dedicated his career to pulling back the curtain on the often-hidden workings of government.
Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward, the main reporter on Watergate, provides first-hand insights with his rigorous, fact-driven, and non-partisan reporting, giving readers and audiences an unparalleled look into Washington’s inner circles—perspectives they won’t find anywhere else.
Over the years, he’s chronicled the last ten U.S. presidents, exploring how the presidency has shifted and grown in power. Withh 22 best-selling books to his name—16 of which hit the #1 spot—he’s unmatched among contemporary nonfiction writers. His 21st book, the critically acclaimed Peril, co-written with Robert Costa, examined the pivotal transition from Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Following that, The Trump Tapes took a groundbreaking approach, offering an audiobook with the complete recordings of Woodward’s 20 interviews with Donald Trump, letting the public hear the authentic words of a president and his advisors firsthand.
In his speeches, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter takes audiences into the growing powers of the presidency and the crucial lessons drawn from his decades of reporting on America’s leaders. He also brings sharp insights into the media’s performance and its impact today. As an associate editor at The Washington Post, where he’s worked since 1971, Woodward has extensively covered presidents and their decision-making processes.
He has worked to shine a light on the pivotal moments of American politics. He is one of the most decorated journalists in the field, with nearly every major American journalism award to his name, including his two Pulitzer Prizes. Woodward has won nearly every honour in the industry, leaving audiences captivated with storytelling and analysis that provide wisdom from one of journalism’s…
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Career Highlights
Bob Woodward became a household name when he and Carl Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1973, a story that changed journalism forever. Ever since, he’s dedicated his career to pulling back the curtain on the often-hidden workings of government.
Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward, the main reporter on Watergate, provides first-hand insights with his rigorous, fact-driven, and non-partisan reporting, giving readers and audiences an unparalleled look into Washington’s inner circles—perspectives they won’t find anywhere else.
Over the years, he’s chronicled the last ten U.S. presidents, exploring how the presidency has shifted and grown in power. Withh 22 best-selling books to his name—16 of which hit the #1 spot—he’s unmatched among contemporary nonfiction writers. His 21st book, the critically acclaimed Peril, co-written with Robert Costa, examined the pivotal transition from Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Following that, The Trump Tapes took a groundbreaking approach, offering an audiobook with the complete recordings of Woodward’s 20 interviews with Donald Trump, letting the public hear the authentic words of a president and his advisors firsthand.
In his speeches, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter takes audiences into the growing powers of the presidency and the crucial lessons drawn from his decades of reporting on America’s leaders. He also brings sharp insights into the media’s performance and its impact today. As an associate editor at The Washington Post, where he’s worked since 1971, Woodward has extensively covered presidents and their decision-making processes.
He has worked to shine a light on the pivotal moments of American politics. He is one of the most decorated journalists in the field, with nearly every major American journalism award to his name, including his two Pulitzer Prizes. Woodward has won nearly every honour in the industry, leaving audiences captivated with storytelling and analysis that provide wisdom from one of journalism’s living legends.
Former CIA director and Secretary of Defence Robert Gates wished he’d recruited Woodward into the CIA: “He has an extraordinary ability to get otherwise responsible adults to spill [their] guts to him…his ability to get people to talk about stuff they shouldn’t be talking about is just extraordinary and may be unique.” Therein lies the genius talent of Bob Woodward.
Published Works
No one in political investigative journalism comes close to author Bob Woodward’s influence, reputation, and credibility. Withh 22 best-selling books to his name, 15 of which went on to become major successes, Woodward was the main reporter behind some of the most critical revelations in modern history. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein set a gold standard for investigative journalism with their Watergate reporting, which continues to inspire new generations of reporters. Bob Woodward has an uncanny ability to get Washington insiders to open up, offering a rare and comprehensive look into the political battles, the decision-making behind wars, the cost of politics, presidential leadership, homeland security efforts, and much more.
Woodward provides first-hand insights into the workings of power, drawing from classified documents, internal memos, meeting notes, and hundreds of hours of recorded interviews with the most critical players, including presidents, and chronicled their leadership during pivotal moments in history. This meticulous attention to detail is why Fear: Trump in the White House became such a phenomenon. The book sold over 1.1 million copies in its first week in September 2018, smashing Simon & Schuster’s 94-year record for first-week sales. In just four months, it reached nearly 2 million copies across hardback, ebook, and audio formats.
In October 2022, Woodward broke new ground by releasing The Trump Tapes, an audiobook featuring the full recordings of his 20 interviews with Donald Trump. This was a first for him, offering listeners the chance to hear raw, unfiltered conversations straight from the source. To add even more value, he’s covered and written about the last several presidents, offering important perspectives on the messes of the presidents he’s written about.
Presidents he’s covered include Nixon, Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden, giving him unique authority on presidential leadership and crises. His ability to capture the complexities of the American president and the decisions they face is extraordinary and may be unique in modern journalism. Author Bob Woodward provides non-partisan revelations to readers and speech audiences, offering commentary throughout the recordings and delivering crucial context and insights. It’s a fascinating way to experience his work and see history unfold through his lens. The Trump Tapes is considered by Simon and Schuster “…as historically important as the Frost/Nixon interviews.”
Speaking Engagements
Bob Woodward has a knack for pulling back the curtain on the inner workings of Washington, bringing audiences into a world of politics and power with stories that surprise, shock, and always intrigue. Whether sharing insights from recent events or drawing on historical context, his talks are engaging and thought-provoking. As a sought-after keynote speaker, if you would like to book Bob Woodward for a speaking engagement, he will take audiences on a journey through the corridors of power, analysing the successes and messes of political leaders to provide a view of Washington that is both candid and insightful.
His clear and concise delivery strips away the spin, offering a genuine glimpse into the realities of politics in a time dominated by 24-hour news cycles, social media, and the chaos of modern discourse. Keynote Bob Woodward speaking events delve into a range of topics, including presidential leadership, the evolution of American politics, and the intersection of media and democracy. His speaking fee reflects his stature as a leading voice on these critical issues, making him an ideal speaker for your event.
On the professional front, Woodward serves as an associate editor at The Washington Post, a role he’s held since joining the paper in 1971. With an illustrious career, he’s earned nearly every major American journalism accolade. His groundbreaking reporting with Carl Bernstein on the Watergate scandal helped the Post secure the 1973 Pulitzer Prize. Woodward also led the reporting on the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, a series that won the Pulitzer Prize for National Affairs in 2002.
Professional Recognition
Bob Schieffer of CBS News said, “Woodward has established himself as the best reporter of our time. He may be the best reporter of all time.” Lloyd Green wrote in a review for The Guardian that Fear “depicts a White House awash in dysfunction, where the Lord of the Flies is the closest thing to an owner’s manual.” The Weekly Standard called Woodward “the best pure reporter of his generation, perhaps ever.” In 2003, Al Hunt of The Wall Street Journal called Woodward “the most celebrated journalist of our age.” In listing the all-time 100 best non-fiction books, Time magazine has called All the President’s Men, by Bernstein and Woodward, “perhaps the most influential piece of journalism in history.”
Bob Woodward has an impressive catalogue of 15 #1 national bestsellers, solidifying his reputation as “the most celebrated journalist” in non-fiction. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward is widely regarded as a living journalistic legend for his groundbreaking work and dedication to uncovering the truth.
His iconic works include All the President’s Men (1974) and The Final Days (1976), both co-written with Carl Bernstein and focusing on the Watergate scandal—a pivotal moment that earned Woodward a Pulitzer Prize for his work. This achievement underscores the reputation of Woodward as a trailblazing journalist who has earned nearly every American journalism award. He teamed up with Scott Armstrong for The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court (1979), and in 1984, he explored the life of John Belushi in Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi.
Woodward has tackled a wide range of topics, from covert CIA operations in Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA 1981-87 (1987) to presidential leadership in books like The Commanders (1991), The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House (1994), and Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate (1999). His exploration of modern presidencies continued with Bush at War (2002), Plan of Attack (2004), State of Denial: Bush at War Part III (2006), and Obama’s Wars (2010). A Pulitzer Prize in 2002 recognised his reporting on the aftermath of September 11, solidifying his place in journalism history. More recently, Woodward turned his lens to Donald Trump in Fear: Trump in the White House (2018), Rage (2020), and Peril (2021), the latter co-authored with Robert Costa.
Beyond his chart-topping titles, Woodward has written several other national bestsellers, including The Secret Man: The Story of Watergate’s Deep Throat (2005), The Choice (1996), Maestro: Greenspan’s Fed and the American Boom (2000), The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008 (2008), The Price of Politics (2012), and The Last of the President’s Men (2015). Each book pulls back the curtain on Washington and showcases his knack for diving deep into the stories behind the headlines, making complex issues accessible and compelling. His work on the media and how well it informs the public leaves readers and audiences awestruck by insights that uncover the truths of power and politics.
This extensive body of work cements his reputation as the best speaker to address the intricacies of politics and journalism. For those seeking similar insights, related speakers include other renowned voices in political journalism and media analysis. Newsweek magazine has excerpted six of Woodward’s books in headline-making cover stories; “60 Minutes” has done pieces on eight of his books; and three of his books have been made into feature films.
In November 2017, the online learning portal MasterClass released “Bob Woodward Teaches Investigative Journalism”. In it, Woodward reveals the lessons he’s learnt during his career, teaching students what truth means, how to uncover it, and how to build a story with it.
Personal Background
Woodward, born on March 26, 1943, in Illinois, started carving out his path early. After earning his degree from Yale University in 1965, he spent five years as a communications officer with the U.S. Navy. Once his military service wrapped up, he dove into journalism, starting as a reporter at the Montgomery County Sentinel in Maryland. He spent a year there before landing a spot at The Washington Post, where his career truly began to take off, and went on to become one of the most influential journalists of his time.
Currently associate editor at The Washington Post, Woodward has become a leading voice in analysing presidential leadership during economic crises and shedding light on the inner workings of secret government. Woodward looks at the expanding powers of the presidency and the current state of American politics, emphasising the role of the media in uncovering truths behind political events. His speeches provide a view of Washington they’ll never get elsewhere, offering audiences compelling perspectives on the dynamics of power and leadership. His ability to deliver stories that are sometimes surprising leaves speech audiences captivated.
For those seeking similar expertise, related speakers offer complementary insights into politics, media, and government.
