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Brad Meltzer          

Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author, Host of Brad Meltzer’s "Lost History" & Brad Meltzer’s "Decoded" on the History Channel

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of "The Lightning Rod", "The Escape Artist", and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like "The Nazi Conspiracy", about a secret plot to kill FDR, Stalin, and Winston Churchill at the height of WWII – and the "Ordinary People Change the World" kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the PBS KIDS TV show, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids books are "I am Mister Rogers" and "I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg".

In addition to his fiction, Meltzer is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction ("The First Conspiracy"), Advice ("Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter"), Children’s Books ("I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln") and even comic books ("Justice League of America"), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.

He is also the host of "Brad Meltzer’s Lost History" and "Brad Meltzer’s Decoded" on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, which made national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the 9/11 Museum in New York, where it is now on display. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.

He also recently delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan, in front of 70,000 people, including his graduating son. Entitled "Make Magic" and called “one of the best commencement addresses of all time,” it’s been shared millions of times across social media.

For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Meltzer thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.

His newest thriller, "The Lightning Rod", brings back characters Nola and Zig in a setting that will blow your mind. His newest non-fiction book, "The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy -- and Why It Failed", which he wrote with Josh Mensch, is a true story about a secret assassination plot to kill JFK at the start of his Presidency and, if successful, would’ve changed history.

His illustrated children’s books "I Am Amelia Earhart" and "I Am Abraham Lincoln", which he does with artist Chris Eliopoulos, were written for his own children, to give them better heroes to look up to. His other non-fiction books, "Heroes for My Son" and "Heroes for My Daughter", are collections of heroes – from Jim Henson to Sally Ride — that he’s been working on since the day his kids were born and is on sale now, as well as "History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time".

He’s also one of the co-creators of the TV show, "Jack & Bobby".

Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Meltzer is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. "The Tenth Justice" was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. "Dead Even" followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all thirteen of his novels. "The First Counsel" came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then "The Millionaires", which was about two brothers who steal money and go on the run. "The Zero Game" is about two Congressional staffers who are – literally – gambling on Congress. "The Book of Fate", is about a young presidential aide, a crazed assassin, and the 200 year-old code created by Thomas Jefferson that ties them together. For authenticity, "The Book of Fate", was researched with the help of former Presidents Clinton and Bush. "The Book of Lies", is about the missing murder weapon that Cain used to kill Abel, as well as the unsolved murder of Superman creator Jerry Siegel’s father. Meltzer is one of the only people to interview Jerry Siegel’s family about the murder and, with his charitable site www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, has been the driving force behind the movement to repair the house where Superman was created.

Oh, and yes, Meltzer was recruited by the Department of Homeland Security to brainstorm different ways that terrorists might attack the US.

Meltzer supports many worthy causes including putting mentors in underserved public schools with City Year, fighting breast cancer with Sharsheret, and serving on the Boards of the National Archives, the Women's Suffrage National Monument Foundation, and the National Medal of Honor Museum.

His books have spent over a year on the bestseller lists, and have been translated into over 25

Speech Topics


What’s Your Legacy?

When the Wall Street Journal told Brad that one of his charitable acts would be in his obituary, it sent Brad on a quest to find out what else his legacy might be. Hear the funny, inspiring, and always entertaining story that will never let you look at your life the same way again.

Leadership Lessons from People Who Changed the World

What can we learn about leadership from Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Amelia Earhart, George Washington, Gandhi or Einstein? Brad Meltzer’s two million-selling I AM series has helped teach an entire generation about the world’s greatest heroes. Brad’s latest book, #1 Amazon best-seller The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington was praised by Bill Clinton and lauded by George H.W. Bush as “a wonderful book about leadership.” In this thought-provoking talk, the best-selling author looks at these figures through the lens of leadership and promoting positive organizational values and culture. What do these great heroes have in common? Meltzer contends that their accomplishments didn’t come from their resumes. Instead, they came from the moral values they displayed as kids — values that we need to get back to in corporate culture today: decency, humility, generosity and selflessness. So much more than a history lesson, this fascinating motivational keynote zeroes in on the enduring elements of leadership and culture that transcend trends, technology and changing times.

The Greatest Risk You’ll Ever Take

What’s the greatest risk you’ll ever take in your life? It’s admitting what you want. We all know what we want. But we rarely admit it. Why? Because putting yourself out there—especially emotionally—is scary. If you admit what you want, you risk not getting it. And failure terrifies us. So how do you actually pull it off? How do you take the greatest risk you’ll ever take in your life and admit what you want? You need to do three things: Remember what you love, remember what got you’re here, and most important, remember what terrifies you. See the commencement address that will leave you breathless.

Don't Let Anyone Tell You 'No'

Brad's family moved from Brooklyn to Miami with only $1,200 to their name. A decade later, he got 24 rejection letters for his first novel. A year after that, he started his climb to the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List and his own television show. The adventure between is a classic tale with a truly incredible ending.

How To Be A Hero

On the night Brad Meltzer's first son was born, he began collecting heroes for his boy. And for nearly a decade, Meltzer studied these heroes throughout history. From Thomas Jefferson (who had the humility to never publicly take credit for writing the Declaration of Independence) to the Wright Brothers (who brought extra materials to every test flight, anticipating their own failure) to George Washington to Rosa Parks to Mr. Rogers, Meltzer reminds us that their stories are not about fame-- they're about what we are all capable of on our very best days. See why Meltzer's book on heroes-- from Jackie Robinson, to Abraham Lincoln, to Eleanor Roosevelt-- shot up the inspirational bestseller list.

News


Author Brad Meltzer brings hidden truths to Winter Park Library
Author Brad Meltzer, host of History Channel's "Decoded," has studied some of history's biggest conspiracy theories. He'll be discussing his latest novel, "The House of Secrets," co-authored with Tod Goldberg, at a meet-and-greet fundraiser at the Winter Park Library, followed by a public signing session Friday, June 10.
Brad Meltzer to sign latest book at Preservation Week booth
On Sunday, June 26 New York Times best-selling author, television host and library advocate Brad Meltzer will sign copies of his latest book at the Preservation Week booth at 1 p.m. Meltzer is the 2016 Preservation Week Honorary Chair and will be an Auditorium Speaker at 10:30-11:30 a.m. on June 26 at the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando.
Brad Meltzer Launches Revamped Website, Teases Upcoming “Big” TV News
Bestselling author Brad Meltzer just unveiled a really slick-looking, totally revamped website. While the old website was perfectly fine, at least in my opinion, the new one looks simply fantastic and is more user-friendly on top of boasting a far more stylish layout.
10 things you didn't know about author Brad Meltzer | Huffington Post
Brad Meltzer is a well known, best selling novelist who writes political thrillers and non-fiction. He's also a comic book author, having written for DC Comics' ...
Brad Meltzer's "The Fifth Assassin" - - News - Miami - Miami New ...
For two years, a slight, balding man in Miami has hunched over his desk, making dozens of calls a day peppered with phrases custom-built to perk up Secret ...

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