South Middlesex Times

David Greenberg, a professor at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, describes the current political climate in Washington, D.C., as "divisive." In contrast, he presents an alternative through his latest book on John Lewis. On October 8, after over five years of research and writing, Greenberg's new work titled "John Lewis: A Life" will be released. The 696-page biography published by Simon & Schuster offers an in-depth look at the civil rights leader.

Greenberg notes that "Lewis took on a luster in the final years of his life," embodying what he calls "the best of our political traditions." The book traces Lewis's journey from his experience during "Bloody Sunday" in Selma to his nearly four decades in Congress. It includes insights from interviews with notable figures such as former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"There’s this video footage of John Lewis in his hospital bed," Greenberg said. He highlighted Lewis's commitment to nonviolence principles espoused by Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., describing it as extraordinary.

The project required significant preparation for Greenberg, who has extensive journalism experience but ultimately pursued academia. His career path included working with Bob Woodward at the New Republic before shifting focus to history at Columbia University.

“Being handed the reins at the New Republic,” was a formative experience for him. Despite leaving journalism for academia, Greenberg found a balance teaching both journalism and history at Rutgers since 2004.

His previous works include books on Richard Nixon and Calvin Coolidge. His third book received several awards including the Goldsmith Book Prize from Harvard.

Greenberg views this biography as possibly his most ambitious yet. “It was a labor of love,” he remarked about writing it. Although he only met Lewis once briefly in early 2019, their conversation left a lasting impact on him.

The support from Lewis allowed others close to him to contribute significantly to the project. An assistant named Archie Allen provided valuable materials collected over decades about Lewis's life.

For periods less documented like Lewis’s time in Washington D.C., Greenberg relied on skills learned from Woodward—conducting thorough interviews multiple times when necessary—to craft what he considers “the most definitive story” of John Lewis’s life.

"I came to see John Lewis not just as a civil rights leader," Greenberg concluded but also recognized him as someone who understood compromise without losing conviction—a contrast to many modern politicians fueled by hostility today.