Richard Bernstein

Richard Paul Bernstein (May 5, 1944 – March 31, 2025) was an American journalist, columnist and author. He wrote the Letter from America column for the International Herald Tribune. He was a book critic at The New York Times and a foreign correspondent for both Time magazine and The New York Times in Europe and Asia.

Early life and education Richard Paul Bernstein was born in New York City on May 5, 1944, but grew up on a poultry farm in East Haddam, Connecticut. After graduating from Nathan Hale-Ray High School, he earned a B.A. in history from the University of Connecticut and an M.A. in History and East Asian Languages from Harvard University. In 1971, he moved to Taiwan to study Chinese at National Taiwan Normal University. and Berlin Bureau Chief.

Published works

Bernstein's first book, From the Center of the Earth: The Search for the Truth About China (1982), was named one of the "Notable Books of the Year 1982" by The New York Times and solidified his reputation as a China expert. The Coming Conflict with China (1997) was chosen as one of The New York Times "Notable Books of the Year 1997."