Chopin in Paris the life and times of the great composer

After attending school, Szulc was hired as a reporter for The Associated Press in Rio. In 1949, he arrived in New York to cover the UNited Nations for United Press International until 1953. He was then hired by the New York Times to the night rewrite desk, where he later became managing editor. He also wrote an occasional piece entitled Times Talk where Szulc discussed life in general and his various travels. Szulc was a foreign correspondent with the New York Times from 1953 to 1972. He was the first reporter to discover the beginnings of the Bay of Pigs Invasion, he covered revolutions and cold war intrigue, and generally always seemed to be in the right place at the right time to get the story.

In his later years, Szulc wrote 20 books. consisting of foreign policy and politics and the many scenarios he had witnessed. He wrote biographies of both Pope John Paul II and Fidel Castro, as well as "Chopin in Paris: The Life and Times of the Romantic Composer" and "The Illusion of Peace: Foreign Policy in the Nixon Years." After retiring from the Times, Szulc wrote freelance books and articles, including "Twilight of the Tyrants."

Tad Szulc died at his home on May 21, 2001 of cancer. He was 74.