Alexandra Alter

I write about books, publishing and the literary world for The New York Times.

What I Cover

I’ve covered books for The Times since 2014. I write profiles of authors, features about literary trends, breaking news about the publishing industry, and stories about the ways that books intersect with current social, political, technological and cultural issues.

My Background

I grew up in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and attended Columbia University, where I studied religion with a focus on Buddhist philosophy, then received a dual master’s degree from Columbia in journalism and religion. I worked as a religion reporter for the Miami Herald, then joined The Wall Street Journal, where I reported on lifestyle, religion and culture. I wrote about books for The Journal for several years before joining The Times.

Journalistic Ethics

I follow The Times’ extensive ethics policy. To report on the world of books, we get advanced copies from publishers, and reading them helps to shape our coverage decisions. But we don’t accept gifts of value. When I travel to cover a story, The Times covers my costs. In my reporting, in rare cases when sources are unable to speak on the record about a subject — either because they are not authorized to speak publicly, or may face repercussions for doing so — I abide by agreements that grant them anonymity. But I also carefully consider their credibility and seek out verification or corroboration. Above all, I aim for fairness, nuance and accuracy.

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• Email: alexandra.alter@nytimes.com

• X: @xanalter

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