Jeff Shaara was born in New Jersey and grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. He graduated Florida State University with a degree in Criminology. He began writing at age 40 after a successful career as a dealer in rare coins and precious metals. Jeff published his first novel in 1996, “Gods and Generals”, which debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list. Since then, he has authored 18 novels, covering historical topics from the American Revolution through the Korean War, 15 of which were New York Times bestsellers. Jeff is the only four-time winner of the “William Young Boyd Award” for military fiction, given by the American Library Association. He is the recipient of several other prestigious awards, including the “Bob Hope Award for Entertainment” from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, among several others.
Jeff Shaara has significant experience with public speaking. Every one of his novels has been accompanied by a book signing tour, spanning as many as 59 cities. He has appeared on CSpan Book TV more than a dozen times and twice on CSpan In Depth. He’s also appeared twice on the Today Show, and has been featured on dozens of local TV programs including “CBS Sunday Morning” and “CNN Headline News”. Jeff delivered the commencement address for the University of Delaware in 2005 to an audience of 23,000 people. Previous speaking engagements include keynote addresses for a number of publishing, library, military, and college-related events.
To learn more about Jeff Shaara, please visit his personal website.
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 In one of his most accomplished, compelling novels yet, acclaimed New York Times bestseller Jeff Shaara accomplishes what only the finest historical fiction can do - he brings to life one of the most consequential figures in U.S. history - Theodore Roosevelt - peeling back the many-layered history of the man, and the country he personified.
In gripping prose, Shaara tells the story of the man who both defined and created the modern United States. |
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NATIONAL BESTSELLER - In a "riveting" (Booklist) tale that picks up where To Wake the Giant left off, Jeff Shaara transports us to the Battle of Midway in another masterpiece of military historical fiction.
Jeff Shaara recounts in electrifying detail what happens when these two sides finally meet, in what will be known ever after as one of the most definitive and heroic examples of combat ever seen. In The Eagle's Claw, he recounts, with his trademark you-are-there immediacy and signature depth of research, one single battle that changed not only the outcome of a war but the course of our entire global history. |
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The New York Times bestselling master of military historical fiction tells the story of Pearl Harbor as only he can in the first novel of a gripping new series set in World War II's Pacific theater.
With you-are-there immediacy, Shaara opens up the mysteries of just how Japan--a small, deeply militarist nation--could launch one of history's most devastating surprise attacks. In this story of innocence, heroism, sacrifice, and unfathomable blindness, Shaara's gift for storytelling uses these familiar wartime themes to shine a light on the personal, the painful, the tragic, and the thrilling--and on a crucial part of history we must never forget. |
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The master of military historical fiction turns his discerning eye to the Korean War in this riveting novel, which tells the dramatic story of the Americans and the Chinese who squared off in one of the deadliest campaigns in the annals of combat: the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as Frozen Chosin.
Written with the propulsive force Jeff Shaara brings to all his novels of combat and courage, The Frozen Hours transports us to the critical moment in the history of America's "Forgotten War," when the fate of the Korean peninsula lay in the hands of a brave band of brothers battling both the elements and a determined, implacable foe. |
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Blending evocative historical detail with searing depictions of battle, Jeff Shaara immerses readers in the world of commanders and common soldiers, civilians and statesmen. From the Union side come the voices of Generals Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and George Thomas--the vaunted "Rock of Chickamauga"--as well as the young private Fritz "Dutchie" Bauer. From the Rebel ranks come Generals Bragg, Patrick Cleburne, and James Longstreet, as well as the legendary cavalry commander, Nathan Bedford Forrest. A tale of history played out on a human scale in the grand Shaara tradition, The Smoke at Dawn vividly recreates the climactic months of the war in the West, when the fate of a divided nation truly hangs in the balance.
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Jeff speaks to a wide range of audiences, including military audiences, general reading groups, history groups, academic groups, and the general public.
History Through Storytelling A walk through the topics Jeff Shaara has covered in his many novels, from the Revolutionary War thru Korea, with many stops in between. The importance of "getting it right", and how research fuels the story. With emphasis on Jeff's most current novel.
The Legacy of My Father How Michael Shaara's writing career opened the door for Jeff, and how that legacy continues to impact Jeff's work and writing style.
The Craft of Writing Historical Fiction Jeff talks about the craft itself, how the words go from mind to the written page, and why "telling a good story" is the most important ingredient. Emphasis on keeping the history accurate, while still creating readable historical fiction.
Book-Related Speaking Engagements Jeff delivers speaking events specific to his current books at the time.
‘For Love of the Game’: A family saga, a rediscovered manuscript and an unlikely movie — The Atlantic
— Spartanburg County Public Libraries