Background
Robert Shogan was born on September 12, 1930 in New York City, in the family of Albert and Millie (Jacobs) Shogan.
Robert Shogan was born on September 12, 1930 in New York City, in the family of Albert and Millie (Jacobs) Shogan.
Robert received Bachelor of Arts at Syracuse University in 1951. In 1951-1952 he had a postgraduate stusies at Institute of Public Administration, University of Michigan, and Columbia University.
Mr. Shogan began his career at the Detroit Free Press. At Newsweek, he covered the U.S. Supreme Court — an experience that led him to write “A Question of Judgment: The Fortas Case and the Struggle for the Supreme Court”, about former justice Abe Fortas. Mr. Shogan worked at the Miami News during the 1960 John F. Kennedy-Richard M. Nixon presidential race.
After early stints with the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek magazine, he joined the Los Angeles Times in 1973 and became national political correspondent.
Until his retirement in 1999, and later in occasional commentary articles, he covered the political goings-on of the East Coast for readers on the West Coast and elsewhere who turned to his incisive reportage. After his retirement, Mr. Shogan taught at institutions including Johns Hopkins University.
Mr. Shogan also distinguished himself from other reporters by his unwillingness to be “swept up in the idea of the moment.” His writing combined shoe-leather reporting with his long-view of history, a sensibility reflected in his numerous books.
One title reflecting his longevity was “The Riddle of Power: Presidential Leadership from Truman to Bush”. His historical volumes also included “Hard Bargain: How FDR Twisted Churchill’s Arm, Evaded the Law, and Changed the Role of the American Presidency”.
Served with United States Army, 1952-1954. Member Phi Beta Kappa.
On May 26, 1959 Robert married Ellen Shrewsbury, with whom he had two daughters: Cynthia Diane and Amelia Ford.