Tucson Festival of Books | Jacob Soboroff

Jacob Soboroff

Jason Frank Rothenberg

Jacob Soboroff, an NBC News senior political and national correspondent, comes to the festival with the newly published "Firestorm," an in-depth look at the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles last year. Soboroff grew up in Pacific Palisades and his brother lost his home in the fire. Soboroff's previous book was The New York Times bestseller "Separated: Inside an American Tragedy," which explored the Trump administration’s child separation policy.

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Awards: Walter Cronkite Award for Individual Achievement by a National Journalist + Hillman Prize for Broadcast Journalism

Scheduled events:

The Art of the Deep Dive

The "art of the deep dive" refers to an exhaustive investigation and analysis of a complex issue, going far beyond surface-level daily news coverage. Overall, it emphasizes commitment to a craft that values truth, accuracy, and depth over sensationalism and speed. These award-winning journalists take us behind the scenes in the recent election, at the Justice Department, and during one of our country’s worst national disasters.

Student Union Gallagher Theater (Seats 337)

Sat, Mar 14, 10:00 am - 10:55 am
Current Issues / Politics / Social Science
Signing area: Sales & Signing - UA Campus Store (Mall) (following presentation)

Panelists: Jonathan Karl, Carol Leonnig, Jacob Soboroff
Moderator: Dan Balz
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of Beach Fleischman, Trisa and Andy Schorr

Investigative Reporting

A free and adversarial press is essential to a fully functioning democracy, holding those in power to accountability and educating the public. Meet three authors on the front lines of investigative reporting, covering difficult subjects and risking their safety to bring us the truth.

Student Union Gallagher Theater (Seats 337)

Sat, Mar 14, 1:00 pm - 1:55 pm
Current Issues / Politics / Social Science
Signing area: Sales & Signing - UA Campus Store (Mall) (following presentation)

Panelists: Aaron Davis, Jacob Soboroff, Miranda Spivack
Moderator: Dan Balz
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of Beach Fleischman, Sandra Borg and Michael Doubleday

Hotshots: Courage in the Flames

Explore the peril, power, and personal toll of wildfire in America from battling blazes on elite hotshot crews to reporting on catastrophic fires that reshape communities and landscapes. Join authors Kelly Ramsey, River Selby, and Jacob Soboroff as they share firsthand stories of courage, resilience, and the changing face of fire in the West.

National Park Experience Stage (Seats 146, Wheelchair accessible)

Sat, Mar 14, 4:00 pm - 4:55 pm
Nature / Environment
Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - National Parks (following presentation)

Panelists: Kelly Ramsey, River Selby, Jacob Soboroff
Moderator: Kevin Fedarko
Sponsor: Session made possible courtesy of Western National Parks

Books:

Firestorm

The Great Los Angeles Fires and America's New Age of Disaster
Current Issues / Politics / Social Science
HarperCollins Publishers
January 2026
ISBN 9780063467965
400 pages
Buy now

Separated

Inside an American Tragedy
Current Issues / Politics / Social Science
HarperCollins Publishers
June 2021
ISBN 9780062992208
388 pages
$17.99
Buy now