NSC Recommended Reading List

Nathan's Home Library

Peter F. Collier

Nathan S. Collier comes from a long line of esteemed writers and thinkers. Pictured left is Nathan’s great-grand uncle Peter Fenelon Collier. Peter F. Collier founded Collier’s Weekly magazine which was established in 1888 and quickly became a popular and widely circulated magazine which was known for its trailblazing efforts in investigative journalism. Outlets such as Collier’s practiced a style of journalism coined 'muckraking journalism' for its purposeful exposure of corruption in government and among public officials. Collier's Weekly played a pivotal role in the creation of child labor laws, the passage of the Housing Act of 1937 which encouraged urban renewal and assistance programs. It also supported in the Women's suffrage movement and a passage published in Collier’s by Upton Sinclair titled 'Is Chicago Meat Clean?' resulted in the passing of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906.

Nathan endowed the Collier Prize for State Government Accountability in honor of Peter F. Collier, the largest journalism awards in the United States. The prize encourages news outlets to carry on Peter Fenelon Collier's legacy by crafting investigative pieces that hold government officials accountable for their actions and policies.

Robert Collier

Nathan's great-grandfather Robert Collier was also an avid reader and 20th century writer who authored several self-help books among the first of this genre. His most popular book is titled Secret of Ages, which sold over 300,000 copies in his lifetime and extended through seven different volumes.