About Chuck

CHUCK THOMPSON is the author of the widely reviewed political screed Better Off Without ’Em: A Northern Manifesto for Southern Secession, acclaimed comic travel memoirs Smile When You’re Lying and To Hellholes and Back, and a two-volume World War II survey (The 25 Best World War II Sites: Pacific Theater and The 25 Essential World War II Sites: European Theater), regarded as the most comprehensive catalog of World War II sites in existence. His most recent book, The Status Revolution: The Improbable Story of How the Lowbrow Became the Highbrow, was published in January 2023 by Simon & Schuster.

Created, written and executive produced by Chuck, Sometimes When We Touch: The Reign, Ruin and Resurrection of Soft Rock, is a three-part music documentary that began streaming on Paramount+ in January 2023.

He’s currently the editor of the nonprofit environmental news website Columbia Insight. Previously, he spent seven years with CNN as executive producer of CNN Travel and editorial director of CNNGo.com. He’s also been an editor with WikiTribune, deputy editor of Men’s Journal, features editor for Maxim and editor in chief of Travelocity magazine.

Thompson’s writing has appeared in numerous publications and websites including The New Republic, Politico, Outside, Outdoor Life, Gen/Medium, Forge/Medium, Men’s Journal, Atlantic Monthly, Salon, National Geographic Adventure, Esquire, Popular Mechanics, Men’s Health, Publishers Weekly, Reader’s Digest, Cowboys & Indians and the Los Angeles Times.

Awards include a Peabody Award (team award) for contributions to CNN.com coverage of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill; Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Gold Award for 2017 U.S./Canada Travel; and 2021 Society of Professional Journalists award for environmental reporting.

Raised in Juneau, Alaska, he graduated from the University of Oregon with degrees in history and journalism; he’s lived in Japan, Hong Kong, New York City, Dallas, and Portland, Oregon, and traveled on assignment in more than 60 countries.