A L Owen

David Owen, born February 14, 1955, is an American journalist and author who has had a distinguished career in print media. He attended The Pembroke-Country Day School in Kansas City, Missouri, and later studied at Colorado College before graduating from Harvard University in 1978 with a degree in English. During his time at Harvard, he served as an editor for The Harvard Lampoon. Owen has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1991 and has held contributing editor roles at publications such as Golf Digest and The Atlantic Monthly, as well as being a senior writer for Harper's Magazine.

His journalistic work has explored a range of topics. He received an Alicia Patterson Journalism Fellowship in 1984 to investigate standardized testing within the American education system. Owen's personal life includes his residence in Washington, Connecticut, with his wife, Ann Hodgman, and their two adult children, both of whom are writers. His extensive bibliography includes books covering themes from high school experiences and scholastic aptitude to the intricacies of home construction, the world of golf, and the history of technological innovation.

David Owen's academic background includes graduating from The Pembroke-Country Day School in 1973 and attending Harvard University, where he earned an English degree in 1978. His early involvement with The Harvard Lampoon foreshadowed a career in writing. Owen has been a fixture at The New Yorker since 1991, contributing significantly as a staff writer. His journalistic experience also includes extensive work as a contributing editor for publications like Golf Digest and The Atlantic Monthly, and as a senior writer for Harper's Magazine. He was also a regular columnist for Home magazine and contributed to Spy magazine. A significant recognition of his investigative skills came in 1984 with an Alicia Patterson Journalism Fellowship, which he used to research standardized testing in American education.

Owen's authorship spans a diverse array of subjects, reflecting his broad journalistic interests. His early books, such as "High School: Undercover with the Class of '80" (1981) and "None of the Above: Behind the Myth of Scholastic Aptitude" (1985), delve into educational systems and societal structures. He has explored American enterprise in "The Man Who Invented Saturday Morning" (1988) and the practicalities of domestic life and construction in "The Walls Around Us: The Thinking Person's Guide to How a House Works" (1991) and "Sheetrock and Shellac" (2006). A significant portion of his work focuses on golf, including titles like "My Usual Game; Adventures in Golf" (1995), "The Making of the Masters" (1999), and "Hit & Hope: How the Rest of Us Play Golf" (2003). More recent works address sustainability in "Green Metropolis" (2009) and the complexities of energy and climate issues in "The Conundrum" (2012).