Brooks Alexander

David Brooks, born in Toronto in 1961, is a Canadian-American author and commentator who has written extensively on political and cultural matters. He began his career in journalism, starting as a police reporter in Chicago and later interning at National Review. His career progressed through various journalistic roles, including film critic for The Washington Times and opinion columnist for The New York Times.

Brooks has authored several non-fiction books, exploring themes of social trends, character, and the evolution of the American upper class. His writings often reflect a perspective that has been described as centrist or moderate conservative, though he has also identified with a "Burkean" philosophy and has expressed evolving political viewpoints. He has held academic positions, including visiting professor at Duke University and a course instructor at Yale, and has been involved with the University of Chicago's Board of Trustees.

Born in Toronto in 1961, David Brooks spent his early years in New York City. His father taught English literature at New York University, and his mother studied 19th-century British history. Raised Jewish, Brooks attended an Episcopal primary school and later moved to the Philadelphia suburbs, where he completed high school. He pursued higher education at the University of Chicago, earning a degree in history. During his undergraduate studies, Brooks contributed to campus publications, including satirical pieces. Notably, he wrote a spoof of William F. Buckley Jr. that led to an unexpected job offer from Buckley himself.

Following his graduation, Brooks began his journalism career as a police reporter in Chicago. This experience, he later stated, influenced his political views. He then interned at National Review, an experience that exposed him to a different social and intellectual milieu. His subsequent roles included writing movie reviews for The Washington Times and working for The Wall Street Journal, where he served as an editor and later as an op-ed columnist covering international affairs from Brussels. He also joined The Weekly Standard upon its launch and edited an anthology of conservative writing.

Brooks gained wider recognition with his 2000 book "Bobos in Paradise," which examined the new upper class. He later became an opinion columnist for The New York Times in 2003, a position he held for many years. His tenure at the Times was marked by commentary on cultural and political issues. Brooks has authored several other non-fiction books, including "On Paradise Drive," "The Social Animal," and "The Road to Character," which delve into topics of social behavior, personal development, and societal trends. He has also been a visiting professor at Duke University and taught at Yale University.

Brooks's political ideology has been characterized in various ways, including centrist, moderate conservative, and conservative. He has described himself as a "Burkean" and has articulated a philosophy aligned with a moderate Republican or Whig tradition. His views have evolved over time, and he has expressed a willingness to engage with liberal perspectives, sometimes finding himself aligning with Democratic viewpoints. He has reflected on his intellectual journey, including an early encounter with the works of Edmund Burke and a pivotal debate experience during his undergraduate years that challenged his prior socialist leanings.

“In the afternoons he is in the habit of going into crowded rooms and making everybody else feel inferior. The evenings are reserved for extended bouts of name-dropping.”

“Some would say I'm envious of Mr. Buckley. But if truth be known, I just want a job and have a peculiar way of asking. So how about it, Billy? Can you spare a dime?”

“If true, it would be upsetting.”

“I was looking for the kind of conservative writer that wouldn't make our readers shriek and throw the paper out the window. He was perfect.”

“The first six months were miserable. I'd never been hated on a mass scale before.”