Brad Meltzer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brad Meltzer
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Meltzer at a signing for The Escape Artist at Barnes & Noble in Union Square, Manhattan
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| Born | April 1, 1970 |
| Occupation |
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| Alma mater | University of Michigan, Columbia Law School |
| Period | 1997–present |
| Genre | political thriller, superhero fantasy, non-fiction |
| Notable works | The Tenth Justice Jack & Bobby Identity Crisis |
| Notable awards | 2008 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue (or One-Shot) |
| Spouse |
Cori Flam
(m. 1995) |
| Children | 3 |
Brad Meltzer (born April 1, 1970) is a famous American writer. He writes many different kinds of books, including exciting thrillers and true stories. He also creates TV shows and writes comic books, especially for DC Comics. Meltzer is known for his detailed research and for writing inspiring books for young readers.
Contents
About Brad Meltzer's Early Life
Brad Meltzer was born on April 1, 1970. In 1993, he lived in Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts. He worked during the day selling things for Games magazine. At night, he worked on his very first novel. Later, Meltzer went to Columbia Law School and was chosen for the Columbia Law Review.
Brad Meltzer's Amazing Career
Brad Meltzer's books are very popular. Many of them have appeared on bestseller lists. This includes his fiction books, non-fiction books like History Decoded, and even children's books. His children's books include I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln. He even won an Eisner Award for his comic book work on Justice League of America.
Finding the Missing 9/11 Flag
Meltzer helped find the missing 9/11 flag. This was the flag that firefighters raised at Ground Zero after the World Trade Center site attacks. He used his TV show, Brad Meltzer's Lost History, to tell the flag's story. He asked Americans to help find it.
Just four days later, a former Marine came forward. He had seen Meltzer's show and wanted to return the flag. Meltzer then showed the flag at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York. You can see it there today.
Working with Presidents and Experts
Meltzer is known for doing a lot of research for his books. Even former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush are fans! They have helped him with his research. President Bush even gave Meltzer a secret letter he left for President Clinton.
In 2006, Meltzer worked with experts from the CIA and FBI. They brainstormed new ways to keep the U.S. safe.
Inspiring Speeches and Projects
Meltzer is also a motivational speaker. His TEDx Talk, "How to Write Your Own Obituary", has been watched over 50,000 times. He gave another popular TED Talk called "Write Your Story, Change History".
He also helped save the house where Superman was created in Cleveland, Ohio. He helped raise over $100,000 for this project. Meltzer has also worked to promote reading in Florida.
In 2015, Meltzer was one of four authors chosen to entertain at Barbara Bush's 90th birthday party. He also helped his 11th-grade history teacher find a new kidney. He asked his many Facebook fans for help, and they found a donor!
At a 2015 baseball game, Meltzer threw out the first pitch. Then he had a fun lightsaber battle with the team mascot, Billy the Marlin! In May 2024, Meltzer gave a speech at the University of Michigan. It was called Make Magic and has been shared millions of times online.
Brad Meltzer's Novels
Meltzer's first novel, Fraternity, was rejected 24 times. But he sold his second novel, The Tenth Justice, while still in law school. In 1994, he helped write the oath for AmeriCorps members. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have used this oath.
Meltzer created one of the first author websites in 1996 for The Tenth Justice. All of his thrillers have made The New York Times bestseller list. The Hollywood Reporter has called him one of "Hollywood's Most Powerful Authors."
Popular Thriller Series
His "Culper Ring" novels are very popular. They imagine a secret spy ring, started by George Washington, that still exists today. His 2013 novel, The Fifth Assassin, is about a killer who tries to copy famous presidential assassinations.
Meltzer's 2018 novel The Escape Artist was a #1 bestseller.
Brad Meltzer's Non-Fiction Books
In May 2010, Meltzer released his first non-fiction book, Heroes For My Son. He started working on it the night his first son was born. The book shares stories from the lives of 52 people. These include Jim Henson, Rosa Parks, and Mr. Rogers. It was written to inspire his son. This book became a #2 bestseller. He also wrote Heroes for My Daughter, which was also a bestseller.
Ordinary People Change the World Series
In 2014, Meltzer and artist Chris Eliopoulos started a series of biographies for kids. The first books were I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln. These books also became bestsellers.
The series is called Ordinary People Change the World. It tells the stories of famous Americans in a fun way for young readers. Other books in the series include I Am Albert Einstein, I Am Rosa Parks, I Am Jackie Robinson, and I Am Martin Luther King, Jr.. In 2019, PBS made an animated TV show based on the series called Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.
Meltzer has also written non-fiction books for adults about history. These include The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington (2019) and The Lincoln Conspiracy (2020).
Brad Meltzer's Comic Books
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Meltzer has written many comic books for DC Comics. He wrote a six-issue story for Green Arrow in 2002-2003.
In 2004, he wrote the miniseries Identity Crisis. This became one of the most popular and best-selling comic books of that time. It is often listed among DC Comics' "best comics."
Meltzer also wrote for Superman/Batman #26 in 2006. This book was a tribute to Sam Loeb, the son of writer Jeph Loeb, who passed away. Meltzer then wrote for the new Justice League of America series. He and artist Gene Ha won an Eisner Award in 2008 for their work on issue #11.
He also wrote for Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comic book series. In 2014, Meltzer and artist Bryan Hitch worked together on a new version of Batman's first appearance for Detective Comics #27. He also contributed to Action Comics 1000 in 2018.
In 2023, Meltzer and other creators started a new company called Ghost Machine. They will publish their own comic books. Meltzer's first comic for Ghost Machine will be First Ghost, a supernatural story set in the White House.
Brad Meltzer's Television Work
Meltzer helped create the TV show Jack & Bobby. It was about two brothers, one of whom would become president. The show ran for one season from 2004 to 2005.
He also hosted the History channel series Brad Meltzer's Decoded. This show explored mysteries and historical secrets. It aired from 2010 to 2012.
In 2014, Brad Meltzer's Lost History started on the H2 network. Meltzer hosted this show too. Each episode looked for missing historical items. Viewers were asked to help find these treasures. In 2016, Meltzer hosted America's 9/11 Flag: Rose from the Ashes, which showed how Lost History found the missing 9/11 flag.
Brad Meltzer's Personal Life
Brad Meltzer lives in Florida with his wife, who is a lawyer. They have two sons and one daughter. He is Jewish.
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