David Baldacci | |
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Born | Richmond, Virginia, U.S. | August 5, 1960
Occupation | Novelist |
Education | Virginia Commonwealth University (BA) University of Virginia (JD) |
Period | 1996–present |
Genre | Thrillers, children's literature |
Notable works | Absolute Power |
Spouse | Michelle Collin (m. 1990) |
Children | 2 |
Signature | |
Website | |
www |
David Baldacci (born August 5, 1960) is an American novelist. An attorney by education, Baldacci writes mainly suspense novels and legal thrillers. [1]
David Baldacci was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from Henrico High School and earned a B.A. in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, after which he practiced law for nine years in Washington, D.C.
Baldacci began writing stories as a child, when his mother gave him a notebook in which to record them. [2] He wrote for more than two decades, penning short stories and later screenplays without much success. [3]
While practicing law, he turned to novel writing, taking three years to write Absolute Power . [4] Published in 1996, it was sold internationally. To date, Baldacci has published 46 novels for adults as well as seven novels for younger readers.
Baldacci resides in Fairfax County, Virginia, with his family. He has daughter and a son. [5]
Baldacci and his wife, Michelle, are the co-founders of the Wish You Well Foundation, [6] which works to combat illiteracy in the United States by funding adult literacy programs. [7] Baldacci became involved with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society after his sister, author Sharon Baldacci, was diagnosed with MS. [8]
Baldacci has served for more than a decade on the board of trustees of the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Connecticut. In 2019, he donated $1 million to the home. [9]
Baldacci's first novel, Absolute Power , tells the story of a fictional American president and his Secret Service agents who are willing to commit murder in order to cover up the accidental death of a woman with whom the President was having an affair. It was adapted as a film, Absolute Power (1997), starring Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman.
Baldacci wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of his novel Wish You Well ; the movie was shot on location in southwest Virginia with Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn, Josh Lucas, and Mackenzie Foy in the lead roles.
Baldacci was a consulting producer on King & Maxwell , a TNT television series based on his characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. Jon Tenney and Rebecca Romijn starred.
The Christmas Train , Baldacci's eighth novel, was adapted in 2017 by Hallmark Channel as a Hallmark Hall of Fame feature presentation. The TV movie starred Dermot Mulroney, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Danny Glover and Joan Cusack and was directed by Ron Oliver.
Baldacci's novel One Summer was adapted in 2021 for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and starred Sam Page, Sarah Drew and Amanda Schull.
Baldacci's novels have been published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 130 million worldwide sales as of 2018. [10]
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator, and writer. He first came to prominence as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring in A Bit of Fry & Laurie (1989–1995) and Jeeves and Wooster (1990–1993). He also starred in the sketch series Alfresco (1983–1984) alongside Laurie, Emma Thompson, and Robbie Coltrane and in Blackadder (1986–1989) alongside Rowan Atkinson. Since 2011 he has served as president of the mental health charity Mind.
Ellen Burstyn is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women in dramas, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, making her one of the few performers to achieve the "Triple Crown of Acting". She has also received a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Rebecca Alie O'Connell is an American actress and former model. She is known for her role as Mystique in the original trilogy (2000–2006) of the X-Men film series, as Joan from The Punisher (2004), the dual roles of Laure Ash and Lily Watts in Femme Fatale (2002), and Una Chin-Riley on Star Trek: Discovery (2019) and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022–present). She has also had a recurring role as Alexis Meade on the ABC television series Ugly Betty. Her other major roles include Eve Baird on the TNT series The Librarians, voicing Lois Lane in the DC Animated Movie Universe, and as the host of the reality competition show Skin Wars.
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The Five People You Meet In Heaven is a 2003 novel by Mitch Albom. It follows the life and death of a ride mechanic named Eddie who is killed in an amusement park accident and sent to heaven, where he encounters five people who had a significant impact on him while he was alive. It was published by Hyperion and remained on the New York Times Best Seller list for 95 weeks.
Absolute Power is a 1996 book by David Baldacci. In 1997, it was made into a film starring Clint Eastwood.
Simple Genius is a thriller novel by American writer David Baldacci, which topped the New York Times bestseller list for the week ending April 28, 2007. The book was initially published on April 24, 2007 by Grand Central Publishing.
Wish You Well is a novel written by David Baldacci. First published in 2001, the story starts with the Cardinal family planning to move from New York to California due to money problems, then shifts to the mountains of Virginia after a car accident leaves the father dead and the mother in a catatonic state. The time period is in the 1940s.
Innocent means a lack of guilt with respect to any kind of crime, sin, or wrongdoing.
King & Maxwell is an American drama television series that ran on TNT from June 10 to August 12, 2013. The series featured Jon Tenney and Rebecca Romijn as Washington, D.C.–based former Secret Service agents solving crimes as private detectives. NCIS: Los Angeles creator Shane Brennan created the show based on David Baldacci's novels. On September 20, 2013, TNT canceled the series after one season.
The Hit is a thriller novel written by American author David Baldacci. This is the second installment to feature Will Robie, a U.S. Government assassin who first appeared in Baldacci's 2012 novel The Innocent. The book was initially published on April 23, 2013, by Grand Central Publishing.
The King and Maxwell book series is a crime novel book series created by David Baldacci. There are currently six books in the series featuring two former Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell.
The Sixth Man is a crime fiction novel by American writer David Baldacci. The book was initially published on April 19, 2011 by Grand Central Publishing. This is the fifth installment in the King and Maxwell book series.
First Family is a crime fiction novel written by the American writer David Baldacci. This is the fourth installment in the King and Maxwell book series. The book was published on April 21, 2009, by Grand Central Publishing.
Split Second is a crime fiction novel written by American writer David Baldacci. This is the first novel in the King and Maxwell book series. The book was published on September 30, 2003, by Grand Central Publishing.
King and Maxwell is a crime fiction novel written by American writer David Baldacci. This is the sixth and final installment in the King and Maxwell book series. The book was initially published on November 19, 2013, by Grand Central Publishing.
The Christmas Train is a fiction novel written by David Baldacci. The book was initially published on October 17, 2003, by Grand Central Publishing. The book was adapted into a TV movie by the same name and released on the Hallmark Channel for the 2017 Christmas season.
Wish You Well is a 2013 family film directed by Darnell Martin, written by David Baldacci from his 2001 novel of the same name, and starring Mackenzie Foy, Josh Lucas and Ellen Burstyn and JP Vanderloo. The movie is set in rural Virginia and follows Lou and her younger brother Oz who are forced to move to their great grandmother's farm following a tragic accident which killed their father and severely injured their mother.
Vega Jane is a series of four young adult fantasy novels written by American author David Baldacci. It follows the adventures of a teenage girl as she uncovers secrets about the fictional village of Wormwood and faces the dangers of the 'Quag', a forest filled with beasts. The series was first published in the US in 2014 by Scholastic Press. The Finisher (novel) and The Keeper spent a collective 41 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list for Children's Middle Grade E-books with The Finisher peaking at number one, and The Keeper peaking at number three.
Long Shadows is a 2022 American crime thriller written by David Baldacci and published by the Grand Central Publishing. It is the author's 51st crime book and 7th in the Memory Man/Amos Decker series which features an eponymous detective as the central character. The novel was ranked as the New York Times Best Seller in October 2022.
Anyone who's been to an airport bookstore in the last 10 years has seen Baldacci.
author Sharon Baldacci was diagnosed with MS.