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Authors Guild Foundation to Honor Robert A. Caro at 33rd Annual Gala

NEW YORK, NY — The Authors Guild Foundation proudly announces that its highest honor, the Preston Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community, will be presented to Robert A. Caro at its annual gala on Monday, April 7, 2025. Caro, the author of The Power Broker and The Years of Lyndon Johnson, has won two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Book Awards, and virtually every other major literary prize. His work has transformed our understanding of political power and how it affects lives for good and for ill. Caro was president of the Authors Guild from 1979-1981 and has served on the Guild Council since 1981. 

“Caro redefined what biography could achieve,” said Deborah Wilson, executive director of the Authors Guild Foundation. “His commitment to living in the places he writes about, interviewing every possible source, examining every document—famously ‘turning every page’—has changed how we understand and document lives.” 

The Preston Award for Distinguished Service recognizes a writer whose career has been marked by dedication to the work, leadership in the writing community, and lasting contributions to the literary world. The award celebrates Caro’s enduring commitment to the art of writing, to his fellow authors, and to advancing the cause of literature. The recipient of this award is recognized as someone whose work and influence have left a profound and lasting impact on the cultural landscape.  

A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and former Newsday reporter turned master biographer, Caro has practiced deep investigative writing and helped shape its future through his book,Working, which details his exacting reporting and writing methods. He built upon and wielded this knowledge throughout his leadership of the Guild. 

“Bob was profoundly involved with the Authors Guild,” said Sidney Offit, the founding president of the Foundation. “He did not retire from working with literary organizations after his success.  He always writes with intensity because it was the only way he knows how. He is so modest that he’s always been surprised by the acclaim he received.” 

The annual Authors Guild Foundation Gala gathers approximately 400 writers, publishers, agents, philanthropists, and champions of the written word who support our advocacy work and literary programming.

Additional honorees and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. 

For more information, including sponsorship opportunities and ticket information, please contact Nikki Maniscalco at gala@authorsguildfoundation.org

About the Authors Guild and Authors Guild Foundation

With more than 15,000 members, the Authors Guild is the nation’s oldest and largest professional organization for published writers in the United States. It is dedicated to advocating for authors’ rights, fair pay, free expression. It protects writers against challenges such as censorship, book bans, the misuse of AI, and nonpayment. It offers resources, legal support, and a professional community to help authors sustain their careers and thrive in an evolving literary landscape.  

The Authors Guild Foundation is the charitable arm that supports the work of the Authors Guild. It strengthens the Guild’s efforts to combat book bans, advocate for free expression, and champion writers’ rights. Additionally, the Foundation expands access to educational programs and literary events, connecting writers and readers through initiatives like the WIT Literary Festival and public talks.  

Together, they safeguard writers, defend free expression, and make literature accessible for everyone.