Baldacci Lauded for Supporting Education

For me, one of the genuine highlights of last autumn’s Bouchercon in San Diego was watching David Baldacci interviewed on stage. The best-selling Virginia lawyer turned author was that conference’s Lifetime Guest of Honor. I was of course familiar with his work, both from books and movie adaptations of those yarns, but I had not been aware that he was such a strong advocate for literacy or was so concerned (justifiably) about the near-future survival of U.S. democracy.

Listening to him speak made me want to investigate his fiction further. It also left me with a heightened interest in his career. So my eye was drawn by this new item from In Reference to Murder:

David Baldacci has been named PEN/Faulkner’s 2024 Literary Champion. This annual honor from the D.C.-based nonprofit celebrates a "lifetime of devoted literary advocacy and a commitment to inspiring new generations of readers and writers." In addition to selling more than 150 million copies of his thrillers, Baldacci has created the Wish You Well literacy foundation and generously supported the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Connecticut. Baldacci’s 50th novel for adults, A Calamity of Souls, will be released in April.

Baldacci will accept his award, along with the other 2024 PEN/Faulkner Awards winners and finalists, in a celebration to be held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., on May 2, 2024.

Congratulations, Mr. Baldacci!