Our 7 Most Favorable Reviews in December 2023
…(Harper). Reviewed by Ken Ackerman. “For Jews, who represented about 1.5 million of those immigrants, the story has special poignance. The Jewish migration was a product of the era’s violent antisemitism, particularly in Russia, and a fleeting promise of shelter in America. This is the story Steven Ujifusa relates in…
…a solid choice. Ken Ackerman is a lawyer and writer in Washington, DC. His books include The Gold Ring: Jay Gould, Jim Fisk, and Black Friday 1869 and Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…one compares to Elliot Ackerman. Here’s a summa cum laude Tufts graduate and White House Fellow who also served five tours of duty as a Marine, first in Iraq and later in Afghanistan, fully boots-on-the-ground and also in the chain of command. He has a unique ability to center his…
…how David Grossman, Elliot Ackerman, and Elias Khouri create complex and nuanced characters on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In another chapter, she explores differing responses to race and gender oppression by characters in the stories of Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison. When looking at Margaret Atwood’s The…
Panel in the Spotlight: “Nonfiction: Politics and History”
…World War II), Elliot Ackerman (The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan), and Eugene L. Meyer (Five for Freedom: The African American Soldiers in John Brown’s Army) have no trouble working on the nonfiction side of the ledger. Check out their “Nonfiction: Politics and History” panel at the 2023 Washington…
…the incredible novelist Joanne Leedom-Ackerman. Warm up this winter with poetry, nonfiction, and fiction from local writers. We can't wait to see you there! Hosted by the Inner Loop at Shaw's Tavern, 520 Florida Ave., NW, Washington, DC. Learn more here. Want more people at your event? Advertise in the…
Reflections on a Year of Reading
…Mercury Pictures Presents, Elliot Ackerman’s The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan, and Elizabeth McCracken’s The Hero of This Book. I also had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Louis Bayard about his latest book — and one of my favorites for 2022 — Jackie & Me. (Just for fun, knowing…
The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan
…one compares to Elliot Ackerman. Here’s a summa cum laude Tufts graduate and White House Fellow who also served five tours of duty as a Marine, first in Iraq and later in Afghanistan, fully boots-on-the-ground and also in the chain of command. He has a unique ability to center his…
…of Dori and Lili Ackerman, who live with their parents, Alex and Anna. All four are deaf and largely nonverbal, attributes their neighbors label as defects. In self-imposed seclusion, Anna homeschools the girls until, one day, authorities somehow learn that Dori can hear and speak. Deeming her neglected, they abruptly…
Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times
…how David Grossman, Elliot Ackerman, and Elias Khouri create complex and nuanced characters on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In another chapter, she explores differing responses to race and gender oppression by characters in the stories of Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison. When looking at Margaret Atwood’s The…
Wajahat Ali and Spencer Ackerman in Conversation with Jenn White
…Wajahat Ali and Spencer Ackerman on the War on Terror, Trumpism, and American Identity.” Journalist and Daily Beast columnist Wajahat Ali grew up searching for brown superheroes. Pop culture portrayed people like him as goofy sidekicks, shop owners with funny accents, or sweaty terrorists. Driven by his desire to expand…
…ran in 2020.] Ken Ackerman is a lawyer and writer in Washington, DC. His books include The Gold Ring: Jay Gould, Jim Fisk, and Black Friday 1869 and Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York. Like what we do? Click here to support the…
…of Dori and Lili Ackerman, who live with their parents, Alex and Anna. All four are deaf and largely nonverbal, attributes their neighbors label as defects. In self-imposed seclusion, Anna homeschools the girls until, one day, authorities somehow learn that Dori can hear and speak. Deeming her neglected, they abruptly…
Iron Empires: Robber Barons, Railroads, and the Making of Modern America
…groundbreaking contemporary inventions. Ken Ackerman is a lawyer and writer in Washington, DC. His books include The Gold Ring: Jay Gould, Jim Fisk, and Black Friday 1869 and Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York. Like what we do? Click here to support the…
An Interview with Sara Ackerman
…II, and novelist Sara Ackerman’s third historical novel set in the islands, Red Sky over Hawaii, transports readers to the adventure — and romance — of a young woman on the Big Island. This lush story offers both a delightful escape and a window on the hardships that Hawaiians of…
Red Dress in Black & White: A Novel
The plot of Elliot Ackerman’s latest novel hinges in part on the real-life nationwide outbreak of protests in Turkey that started in late May 2013. Protesters, initially angered over the planned commercial development of a bedraggled public space, Gezi Park, were met with police in riot gear armed with batons,…
Elliot Ackerman in Conversation with Phil Klay
Widely acclaimed author Elliot Ackerman discusses his new novel, Red Dress in Black and White, a stirring drama that unfolds during the course of a single day in Istanbul. Discover the story of an American woman attempting to leave her life in Turkey — and her husband. Riveting and unforgettably…
5 Most Popular Posts: November 2019
…Scott, and now Elliot Ackerman will be speaking at our annual event drew plenty of readers to check out the specifics. (Oh, and the rumors are true: the Super-Early-Bird rate ends 12/31, so you better register now!) Click here to get our free biweekly e-newsletter, and follow us on Instagram,…
…to write off Elliot Ackerman’s new novel, Waiting for Eden, as just the latest gut-wrenching installment in the (sadly) inexhaustible canon of war literature. The condition of the titular Eden, one of the three main characters and sole survivor of a horrific IED attack on his Humvee in the Hamrin…
…year, it was Elliot Ackerman (Waiting for Eden, Dark at the Crossing, Green on Blue), Kelly J. Ford (Cottonmouths), and Eryk Pruitt (What We Reckon), but I will sign up for as many spots as they’ll allow. We’ll see how many books that adds to what I already have in…
My Year in Reading: 2018 Edition
…for Eden by Elliot Ackerman (reviewed here) Where Did You Get This Number? A Pollster’s Guide to Making Sense of the World by Anthony Salvanto (reviewed here) Debut authors continue to impress, and not just because I know many of the authors whose debuts I’ve read this year. (And just…
7 Best-Reviewed Books in October 2018
…A Novel by Elliot Ackerman (Knopf). Reviewed by Julia Tagliere. “Part mystery, part thriller, part unconventional love story, Waiting for Eden explores with gravity and sensitivity the profound questions of love and fidelity, duty and honor, and how one creates a life worth living.” The Clockmaker’s Daughter: A Novel by…
…to write off Elliot Ackerman’s new novel, Waiting for Eden, as just the latest gut-wrenching installment in the (sadly) inexhaustible canon of war literature. The condition of the titular Eden, one of the three main characters and sole survivor of a horrific IED attack on his Humvee in the Hamrin…
…Historical fiction author Sara Ackerman was thrilled to get her first request for a blurb. “That feeling that someone thinks highly enough about you and your book to want your words on their cover — it's wonderful!” The first time Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones, received a blurb,…
It’s Time for the Gaithersburg Book Festival!
…everyone and includes Elliot Ackerman, Mark Bittman, E.J. Dionne, Keith Donohue, John Feinstein, Julia Fine, Joe Flood, Aminatta Forna, Tom Glenn, Gareth Hinds, Tracey Livesay, Eugene L. Meyer, Madeline Miller, Jenny Yacovissi, and many, many more. Funded in part by generous sponsors and supported by the City of Gaithersburg, the…
…Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi on their shelf. Because so much of romance is internal conflict, it’s important to have many ways to approach emotions. This book offers a solid jumping-off point. Other useful references: While I don’t actually outline, every so often I convince myself to…
“How to Write a Killer Book Proposal” Workshop
…Author and attorney Ken Ackerman. Author Paul Dickson. Publisher Robert Faherty. Literary agent Deborah Grosvenor. Don’t miss your chance to hear from some of the best on Sat., Feb. 3rd, from 9AM-noon, at the Garrett Park Town Hall, 10814 Kenilworth Ave., Garrett Park, MD. Click HERE to register now, or…
Write a Book Proposal that Actually Sells!
…Author and attorney Ken Ackerman. Author Paul Dickson. Publisher Robert Faherty. Literary agent Deborah Grosvenor. Don’t miss your chance to hear from some of the best on Sat., Feb. 3rd, from 9AM-noon, at the Garrett Park Town Hall, 10814 Kenilworth Ave., Garrett Park, MD. Click HERE to register now, or…
How Do Successful Authors Write Book Proposals?
…and done that: Ken Ackerman. A lawyer as well as a writer, Ken is the author of five works of narrative history. His Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York was named a New York Times Notable Book of…
Writing a Killer Nonfiction-Book Proposal!
…copies in print. Ken Ackerman, Author: Ken, a lawyer as well as a writer, is the author of five works of narrative history. Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York, was named a New York Times Notable Book of…
Lenin: The Man, the Dictator, and the Master of Terror
…in shaping. Kenneth D. Ackerman’s latest book, Trotsky in New York, 1917: Portrait of a Radical from Times Square to Petrograd, is set for release in September 2016. He is also the author of Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York, as well as…
Author Elliot Ackerman is uniquely qualified to write about his chosen subjects, the ongoing and apparently unending conflicts in the Middle East in which the U.S. is embroiled and often foments. A scholar-soldier, Ackerman was a White House fellow as well as a Marine who served five tours in Iraq…
An Interview with Kenneth D. Ackerman
…Revolution, author Kenneth D. Ackerman returns to old New York City, the site of his critically acclaimed biography Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York. This time, it is a very different tale: Leon Trotsky, who will shortly become world-renowned as a leader of…
…includes covers for Jennifer Ackerman’s The Genius of Birds, with an enigmatic bird looking over its shoulder, and Steve Toutonghi’s Join, depicting the networking of minds featured in the dystopian thriller. The cover for Manuel Gonzales’ The Regional Office Is Under Attack features wacky art and a two-word blurb from…
The Mechanical Horse: How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life
…bike ride. Kenneth D. Ackerman’s latest book, Trotsky in New York, 1917: Portrait of a Radical from Times Square to Petrograd, is set for release in September 2016. He is also the author of Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York, as well as…
…of party tricks. Jennifer Ackerman’s The Genius of Birds offers ample evidence that when you call someone a birdbrain, he or she should be downright pleased. It’s packed with stories demonstrating that birds “get” language, counting, and mapping, among other things. Pigeons, it seems, choose the right door on “Let’s…
Orhan Pamuk in Conversation with Elliot Ackerman
Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk's latest novel, A Strangeness in My Mind, employs different perspectives from a host of beguiling characters to tell the coming-of-age story of an Istanbul street vendor and the love of his life. Admission: 1 ticket: $16 1 ticket + 1 book: $30 2 tickets +…
Announcing the Independent’s New Book: “A Sampler”
…and other engaging articles. Edited by Kitty Kelley, Ken Ackerman, and Stephanie Eller, A Sampler would be a terrific addition to any bookshelf. Click here to order your copy!
…Nikki Giovanni, and Diane Ackerman. Most Frederick Reads events are free to the public, underwritten by our partners as a gift to the community. Events take place year-round at a variety of Frederick County venues, including the Weinberg, Frederick Community College, art galleries, libraries, and even in the homes of…
Interview with Publisher Ken Ackerman
…by her nephew Ken Ackerman. Horse Radish is American Jewish 20th-century history in a nutshell. Horse Radish is not a literary work; no effort is made to craft sentences or make the prose beautiful; rather, it is Rachel Farber speaking just the way she would have told the stories of…
First Son: The Biography of Richard M. Daley
…for Chicago. Kenneth D. Ackerman is the author of Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York; Young J. Edgar: Hoover and the Red Scare, 1919-1920; Dark Horse: The Surprise Election and Political Murder of President James A. Garfield, and The Gold Ring: Jim Fisk,…
Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization
…Kearns Goodwin, Kenneth D. Ackerman or John Waugh — or have an outstanding editor.Miles takes the reader or scholar on a journey of 800 years, from the origins of the Carthaginians in the Phoenician settlements of Lebanon, mainly Tyre, in what is now Lebanon. The Phoenicians crossed the Mediterranean Sea…
…as a result.Kenneth D. Ackerman’s most recent book is Young J. Edgar: Hoover, the Red Scare, and the Assault on Civil Liberties. Visit him on his blog at www.ViralHistory.com. BUY CLARENCE DARROW: ATTORNEY FOR THE DAMNED from Amazon.comBUY CLARENCE DARROW: ATTORNEY FOR THE DAMNED from Politics & ProseBUY CLARENCE DARROW:…
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