Paul Tough is an American journalist and author. He is best known for his work on education, poverty, and child development. He has written several books, including How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, which was a New York Times bestseller. He is also the author of Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why and The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us. He has written for The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. He is a senior fellow at the think tank New America and a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine. He is a passionate advocate for educational equity and has been a leader in the effort to make sure that all children have access to the resources they need to succeed.