Fordham’s Department of Communication and Media Studies is proud to announce the five finalists for the Ann M. Sperber Book Prize, which honors outstanding works of nonfiction that illuminate the power of journalism and storytelling from the previous calendar year. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the award.

The finalists’ books showcase the extraordinary breadth of nonfiction writing rooted in the traditions of journalism. They are: Connie, A Memoir, by Connie Chung; Newshawks in Berlin: The Associated Press and Nazi Germany, by Walter R. Heinzerling and Mark Herschaft; Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes, by Stephen A. Smith; The Lede: Dispatches from a Life in the Press, by Calvin Trillin; and Small Acts of Courage, by Ali Velshi.

Amy Aronson, professor of journalism and media studies and director of the Sperber Prize, said the five finalists emerged from a pool of 51 titles considered for this year’s award. A committee of judges adjudicates the selection process, with the winner to be announced Oct. 1. The Sperber Prize recipient will be awarded a $1,000 prize and be invited to keynote a public ceremony held at Fordham’s Manhattan campus on Monday, Nov. 10. The 6 p.m. event is free and open to the public.

“From memoirs of trailblazing reporters to histories that reveal the conflicting demands and hard choices journalists face in reporting under authoritarian regimes, these books testify to the enduring power of storytelling to inform, to challenge, and to connect,” Aronson said. “Together, these books remind us that behind every byline is both a human story and an indispensable civic purpose.”

The Sperber Prize is given in honor of the late Ann M. Sperber, the author of Murrow: His Life and Times, the critically acclaimed biography of journalist Edward R. Murrow. One edition of that work was published by Fordham University Press, connecting the Sperber family to the University. Through the generous support of Ann’s mother, Lisette, the $1,000 award was established to promote and encourage biographies and memoirs that focus on a media professional. It has been presented annually by Fordham University’s Department of Communication and Media Studies since 1999.

Previous winners of the Sperber Prize include Working by Robert Caro; Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Charles M. Blow; Cronkite by Douglas Brinkley; Lives of Margaret Fuller by John Matteson; Black Radical: The Life and Times of William Monroe Trotter by Kerri Greenridge; Reporter by Seymour M. Hersh; The Publisher: Henry Luce and His American Century by Alan Brinkley; Avid Reader: A Life by Robert Gottlieb; and All Governments Lie! The Life and Times of Rebel Journalist I.F. Stone by Myra MacPherson. The most recent awards went to The Newspaper Axis: Six Press Barons Who Enabled Hitler by Kathryn Olmstead (bestowed in 2023) and No Ordinary Assignment: A Memoir by Jane Ferguson (bestowed in 2024).

More About This Year’s Finalists:

Connie Chung, Connie: A Memoir (Grand Central)—This long-awaited memoir traces Chung’s groundbreaking career as one of the first women and the first Asian American to anchor a major network evening newscast. With her sharp insights and trademark wit, she recounts her rise in television news when women were rarely seen in the anchor chair, her bold and memorable interviews with presidents and world leaders, and the challenges she faced navigating gender and racial barriers. Alongside her professional journey is a personal one—of family, identity, and resilience—delivered with candor and wisdom.

Walter R. Heinzerling and Mark Herschaft, Newshawks in Berlin: The Associated Press and Nazi Germany (Columbia UP)—Meticulously researched, this history chronicles the American journalists who covered Nazi Germany from its earliest days through the aftermath of World War II. The authors document the AP’s coverage that helped unveil the Holocaust, while they also disclose fierce internal debates about how to report in a dictatorship, revealing decisions that pitted industry ambitions against journalistic ethics. The book illuminates the dilemmas of eyewitness reporting under an authoritarian regime and offers vital lessons for journalists today.

Stephen A. Smith, Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes (Gallery Books/13A)—One of the most recognizable and outspoken voices in sports journalism, Smith reveals the deeply personal story of the man behind the microphone. With candor and wit, he traces his journey from a working-class childhood in Queens, the influence of his family and community, and the setbacks and breakthroughs that shaped his career. Smith’s story is as much about perseverance as it is about success—a chronicle of determination, missteps, and the relentless pursuit of a voice.

Calvin Trillin, The Lede: Dispatches from a Life in the Press (Random House)—With trademark humor and elegance, Trillin reflects on a lifetime in journalism. Blending memoir, essays, and anecdotes, The Lede is both a love letter to the craft of reporting and a meditation on what it means to bear witness through words. Trillin’s reflections underscore the enduring necessity—and joy—of clear-eyed, curious, and compassionate storytelling.

Ali Velshi, Small Acts of Courage (St. Martin’s)—The MSNBC anchor offers a sweeping family memoir that interweaves personal history with themes of migration, resilience, and justice. Tracing his family’s odyssey across continents and generations—from India to Africa, and eventually to Canada and the United States—he reveals how histories of relocation and displacement shaped his values. Interwoven with this history, Velshi explores his ideals of pluralism, democracy, and moral courage, and how they resonate in today’s political climate.

For more information about the Sperber Prize, please visit the Sperber Prize page here.

Media Contact:
Amy Aronson, Ph.D., Department of Communication and Media Studies, Fordham University