Paul Tough

Paul Tough is a Canadian-American writer and journalist known for his work on education, child development, and social inequality. He is the author of How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, a bestseller that examines how noncognitive skills such as perseverance, curiosity, optimism, and self-control influence children’s outcomes. His other books include Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America, Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why, The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us, and The Inequality Machine: How College Divides Us.

Tough has served as a contributing writer and former editor at The New York Times Magazine, and his journalism has appeared in outlets such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, GQ, and the public radio program This American Life. He speaks frequently on topics including education, parenting, equity, and student success, and lives with his wife and two sons in Austin, Texas.