Tom Shachtman
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Beyond Writing: An Author and His Community Although the essence of writing is sitting alone in a room, authors are members of communities and need to participate in those communities. That is why I've worked for many years with The Writers Room in New York City, recently completing two terms as president of the board of directors. In Northwest Connecticut, I'm pleased to be able to write and edit newsletters for various local organizations; write a column in The Lakeville Journal; and to serve on the board of The Upper Housatonic National Heritage Area, and on the Connecticut Council for the Humanities. |
Biography TOM SHACHTMAN Tom Shachtman has written thirty books, and many television documentaries. His latest, RUMSPRINGA: TO BE OR NOT TO BE AMISH, was published by North Point Press/ TERRORS AND MARVELS: How Science and Technology Changed the Character and Outcome of World War II (Morrow, June 2002), is an alternate selection of the History, Military, and Book-of-the-Month clubs. TORPEDOED (with Edmond D. Pope), and I SEEK MY BRETHREN were published in 2001. ABSOLUTE ZERO AND THE CONQUEST OF COLD (1999) was praised by The New York Times Book Review as written "with passion and clarity," by the Library Journal as "a truly wonderful book," and by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as "an absolute delight." It is currently being developed for a television documentary series with a grant from the National Science Foundation. The Economist called AROUND THE BLOCK (1997) "a near-classic," The New Yorker "A grand idea, splendidly executed," and The Washington Post Book World called it "thoughtful, interesting … a good and useful book." THE INARTICULATE SOCIETY (1995) was judged "perceptive and disturbing" by the Washington Post, and by The Wall Street Journal, "a provocative examination of the American way with words." Business Week labeled SKYSCRAPER DREAMS (1991) "fascinating history ... the stuff of grand comedy," and The New York Times cited it for "superb reporting on the industry’s wheeling and dealing." "Fascinating ... illuminating ... stunning detail," the Chicago Tribune wrote of THE GILDED LEAF (with Patrick Reynolds, 1989). His other histories are DECADE OF SHOCKS, 1963-1974 (1983); THE PHONY WAR, 1939-1940 (1982); EDITH AND WOODROW (1981); THE DAY AMERICA CRASHED (1979); and, with the late Robert J. Lamphere, THE FBI-KGB WAR (1986). He has also written a dozen more books for adults and children, including three novels, BEACHMASTER, WAVEBENDER and DRIFTWHISTLER, (1988-1991) now published in several languages. His non-fiction children's books include THE PRESIDENT BUILDS A HOUSE, about the work of Habitat for Humanity (1989), and, with Harriet Shelare, VIDEO POWER (1988). Among his collaborations with criminologist Robert K. Ressler are WHOEVER FIGHTS MONSTERS and I HAVE LIVED IN THE MONSTER, both BOMC alternates and multi-million copy best-sellers overseas. He has also written the coffee-table perennial, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES OF NEW ENGLAND (1997). Shachtman, a lifetime member of the Writers Guild of America, has written scripts for documentaries broadcast by ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, syndicators and local stations. Films and tapes that he also directed and produced, notably the three one-hour programs of the CHILDREN OF POVERTY trilogy, won first prizes at San Francisco, Atlanta, New York International and other festivals, six New York area Emmys, and have been shown in Congress and at the White House. He has also written the English dialogue for Herzog's NOSFERATU, feature scripts for Disney and Amblin, off-off-Broadway plays, and a ballet. In addition to working on book projects, he writes a highy-regarded monthly column for THE LAKEVILLE JOURNAL (CT) entitled "The Long View,' giving historical context to current events. He holds a B.S. in experimental psychology, an M.F.A. in theater, and taught writing at New York University and at Harvard University Extension. He has also lectured at more than a dozen other colleges and universities around the country on various historical, social, and economic subjects. A former executive at the National Geographic Society, he has been a consultant to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and to the New York Zoological Society. He is a long-term member of The Authors Guild, the Writers Guild of America, and is a former president of the board of The Writers Room in New York City, an urban writers' colony. He is currently a trustee of the Connecticut Council on the Humanities, and a director of the newly-formed Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area. |
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