Author Bio
Number one New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci’s riveting novels have thrilled countless readers, taking them to the heights of government power and into the minds of those who pull the strings, and to the wonders of small town America and into the hearts of characters we love.
Baldacci’s bestselling novels can be found on bookshelves in millions of American homes, as well as in motion picture studios, on top journalists’ news desks, and even in the Oval Office. He has received personal letters, honors, and recognition from heads-of-state and government department heads, who credit him for getting it right in his fiction.
Born in Virginia in 1960 and raised in Richmond, Baldacci received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. He practiced law for nine years in Washington, D.C., as both a trial and corporate attorney, before becoming a full-time writer.
The tremendous success of his first novel, Absolute Power, which was adapted into a major motion picture starring Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman, turned Baldacci into an instant household name. In addition to his subsequent novels listed above, Baldacci is the author of the popular Freddy and the French Fries series for young readers, as well as the short story, “The Mighty Johns,” that was featured as part of a mystery anthology published in 2002.
Baldacci’s books have all become national and international bestsellers—translated into over 40 languages and sold in more than 85 countries—with nearly 70 million copies in print. His books have been publicly discussed and/or read by everyone from Howard Stern and Don Imus, to Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh, to George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, to Charlie Rose and Larry King.
Baldacci has made numerous television and radio appearances over the years, including the Today Show, Weekend Today, Good Morning America, Tom Snyder, and CBS This Morning, and he narrated a one-hour special for TRU TV’s “Murder by the Book” series last year. He has been featured in countless national and international publications, and his writing has been published in magazines and newspapers published worldwide. He has also authored seven original screenplays and numerous short stories.
Baldacci is passionate about keeping families reading. In 1999 he founded, along with his wife, the Wish You Well Foundation (www.WishYouWellFoundation.org). The organization’s mission is to support family literacy in the United States by fostering and promoting the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs. In 2006, his foundation partnered with America’s Second Harvest, the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the U.S., to donate books to families in need. The joint initiative is called “Feeding Body and Mind.” Donations are coming from all around the world, and they are now seeking corporate sponsorship to continue broadening their efforts.
David Baldacci serves as a national ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and participates in numerous charities, including the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, the American Cancer Society, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the ACE (American College Education) program. He sits on boards at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Baldacci lives with his wife and their two young children in his native Virginia. For more information about the author, please visit www.davidbaldacci.com.