Harlow Giles Unger

Harlow Giles Unger is an American historian, journalist, and educator renowned for his extensive contributions to the study of American history. A bestselling author of more than thirty books, he has written acclaimed biographies of Founding Fathers, including "The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation’s Call to Greatness," which earned him recognition as a "Premier Presidential Biographer" by the Washington Post. His work "Lafayette" received multiple honors, including the American Revolution Round Table Book Prize and the Daughters of the American Revolution book award. Other notable biographies include "Lion of Liberty" (on Patrick Henry), as well as studies of John Quincy Adams, John Marshall, and George Washington.

Unger’s career spans journalism, academia, and historical research. Educated at Yale University and California State University, he began as a foreign correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune Overseas News Service before contributing to publications across Britain and Canada. Later, he taught English and journalism at colleges in New York and served as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow in American History at Mount Vernon. His writing is celebrated for its accessibility, earning him praise as "America’s most readable historian." Beyond biographies, he authored the three-volume "Encyclopedia of American Education," a standard reference in academic libraries, and works on alternative education like "But What if I Don't Want to Go to College?"

An avid skier and horseman, Unger has lived in Paris and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before settling in New York City. His recent works include a biography of Thomas Paine, continuing his exploration of pivotal figures in American history.