Jonathan Agronsky

The son of journalist Martin Agronsky,[1] Jonathan Agronsky's paternal grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants to the United States.[2] Agronsky began studying English at Dartmouth College in 1964,[3] but failed his studies twice before graduating with an AB in 1971. He used his studentship to avoid the draft for the Vietnam War, something which he has expressed embarrassment about despite disagreeing with the war. He began professionally writing in 1967.[1] Though he followed his father's career, he had planned to be a college football player, joining a team at the age of eight and playing varsity halfback at prep school before joining and, ten days later, quitting the team at Dartmouth due to injury and malcontent.[3]

Some of his earlier columns include contributing to the Penthouse Vietnam Veterans Advisor in the 1970s and 1980s; he also wrote an article on Marion Barry in the magazine in 1991,[4] a topic he was an expert in, publishing a book on Barry the same year.[5] At this time he worked for Voice of America in Washington, DC.[3] He also wrote for the Washington City Paper.[6] As well as journalistic writing, he has written books and scripts for film and radio.[1]

His book on Barry, The Politics of Race, was said by Kirkus Reviews to give "a careful, sober, and balanced account of Barry's decline and fall, and of a manipulation of the politics of race", but to "not explore the profound political cleavages evident in the result of Barry's trial".[7] He has written on other legal matters, including in 1987 on Miranda rights in ABA Journal.[8] In 2009 he was included in The Nine Lives of Marion Barry, a documentary film about the controversial politician.[9]

In 2020, he began writing a book on David Whiting.[10]