Mr. Sam

Karen Frances Blumenthal (March 18, 1959 – May 18, 2020) was a distinguished American business journalist, author, and educator. Raised in Texas, she attended Hillcrest High School and later studied at Duke University. She earned her MBA from Southern Methodist University and embarked on a notable career in journalism. For 25 years, Blumenthal was a financial journalist with the Wall Street Journal, where she also served as a bureau chief in Dallas. Before joining the Journal, she reported for the Dallas Morning News.

Blumenthal is well-known for her biography "Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Woman Living History," which tracks Hillary Clinton's journey, including her 2016 presidential campaign. When Clinton did not win the election, Blumenthal had to quickly update the book's ending. In addition to her journalism career, Blumenthal taught journalism alongside her husband at Duke University and Texas Christian University.

In 2016, Blumenthal began writing young-adult novels, earning several prestigious awards for her work. Her accolades include the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, the Kentucky Bluegrass Award, and three nominations for YALSA’s Award for Nonfiction. Her article "Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks’ Stock" was recognized by Kiplinger’s magazine as one of the top five investment reads of 2007. Her 2003 book, "Six Days in October: The Stock Market Crash of 1929," received the Sibert Honor Book Award, and in 2008, she was honored with the Futrell Award for Outstanding Achievement in Communications and Journalism.

Blumenthal was married to Scott McCartney, a fellow journalist from The Wall Street Journal, and they had two children. She was a dedicated advocate for Dallas public libraries and enjoyed needlepoint and baking, with her needlepoint work earning medals at the Texas State Fair. Karen Blumenthal passed away from a heart attack in May 2020, at the age of 61.