Joseph Ellis, a professor of history at Mount Holyoke since 1972, is one of the nation’s foremost scholars of American history. He is the author of seven books, including bestsellers American Sphinx, which won the National Book Award (1997); Founding Brothers: the Revolutionary Generation, which received the Pulitzer Prize in history (2000); and His Excellency: George Washington (2004). His most recent book, American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies in the Founding of the Republic (Knopf, 2007) is a study of political creativity in the founding era.
Ellis’s commentaries have been featured on CSPAN, CNN, and PBS’s Lehrer News Hour. He has appeared in several documentaries on early America, including “John and Abigail [Adams]” for PBS’s The American Experience and a History Channel documentary on George Washington. His essays and book reviews appear regularly in national publications, such as The New York Times, The New Republic, The New Yorker, The Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal. In addition to frequent public lectures throughout the United States, Ellis conducts seminars for federal judges with Professor Gordon Wood of Brown on “The Founders and Original Intent.”
All speaking requests should be directed to Kim Thornton, Random House Speakers Bureau (212-572-2299).
News Links
- "Professor reexamines history in new book," Office of Communications and Marketing, May 13, 2015
- "Could the Founding Fathers solve today's political gridlock?" Los Angeles Times, February 21, 2014
- "Ellis Writes on Tea Party for LA Times," Los Angeles Times, October 15, 2013
- "Ellis Book Featured in Gazette," Office of Communications, August 8, 2013
- "When American narratives collide," Los Angeles Times, May 6, 2012
- "Joseph J. Ellis; Abigail and John Adams, a love story," Constitutional Daily, November 9, 2011
- "In Jefferson's view," Los Angeles Times, October 19, 2011
- "Q&A with Joseph Ellis," Ladue News, October 17, 2011
- "Writers on a New England Stage," New Hampshire Public Radio, August 3, 2011
- "Ellis' Book Reviewed in Providence Journal," Providence Journal, May 10, 2011
- "Ellis Helps WGBY Mark Patriot's Day Week," WGBY, April 22, 2011
- "Revolutions: The Dictators Are Gone, Now What?" National Public Radio, March 30, 2011
- "Ellis on NPR's Talk of the Nation," NPR Talk of the Nation, March 30, 2011
- "Ellis Talks about Adams Love Story," Minnesota Public Radio News, February 09, 2011
- "Love in the American Revolution," Office of Communications, December 22, 2010
- "Ellis's New Book reviewed in NYT ," The New York Times, December 20, 2010
- "Ellis’s New Book a NY Times Best Seller," Office of Communications, November 12, 2010
- "Dear John, Dear Abigail: A Love Story Through Letters,"NPR, October 27, 2010
- "Ellis to Speak about First Family," Office of Communications, October 21, 2010
- "Joseph J. Ellis Reads from First Family: Abigail and John Adams," Vanity Fair, October 4, 2010
- "Ellis Writes on Constitutional Compromise," American Heritage, July 13, 2010
- "Immaculate misconception and the Supreme Court," The Washington Post, May 7, 2010
- "Tea Party Adopts 'Don't Tread On Me' Flag," WBUR Radio, March 25, 2010
- "Joe Ellis on the Tea Party Movement," Office of Communications, March 3, 2010
- "Madison’s Radical Agenda," American Heritage, February 25, 2010
- "American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic," Los Angeles Times, February 1, 2010
- "Ellis Book Among Decade's Most Notable," Associated Press, December 11, 2009
- "Joe Ellis on Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize," Office of Communications, October 16, 2009
- "Are 'They' Or 'We' The Government?" National Public Radio, August 10, 2009
- "MHC's Ellis on Presidential Conspiracy Theories," The Daily Beast, July 27, 2009
- "Historians’ Advice for Dick Cheney:Don’t Follow the John Adams Model," The New York Times, June 27, 2009
- "Ellis Skinned by the Onion," The Onion, March 3, 2009
- "Words for the Ages," Newsweek, January 20, 2009
- "Ellis Speaks on Bush Legacy on CBS," CBS News, January 13, 2009
- "MHC's Ellis on Washington Journal," Washington Journal, December 14, 2008
- "Ellis: "Presidential" Perspective on Election," Los Angeles Times, November 24, 2008
- "Valley experts consider win, road ahead," Gazettenet.com, November 6, 2008
- "Ellis Discusses Historic Election on NPR Shows," Office of Communications, November 10, 2008
- "Tuesday's vote to make history," The Republican, November 2, 2008
- "U.S. News & World Report: Ellis on Washington," Office of Communications, June 27, 2008
- "How George Washington's Savvy Won the Day," U.S. News & World Report, June 27, 2008
- "If You Could Travel in Time, Where Would You Go?" National Public Radio, March 11, 2008
- "'The better angels' side with Obama," Los Angeles Times, January 19, 2008
- "MHC's Ellis: Very Opinionated," Office of Communications, January 4,2008
- "A Promise of Unpredictability," Los Angeles Times, January 2, 2008
- "What Would George Do?" The Washington Post, December 23, 2007
- "Ellis to appear on Book TV," Office of Communications, December 20, 2007
- "NYT Reviews Ellis's Newest Book," The New York Times, November 12, 2007
- "Behind the Myths of America's 'Creation'," NPR, November 5, 2007
- "Joe Ellis To Discuss New Book October 30," Odyssey Bookshop, October 12, 2007
- "Revolutionary Road," Office of Communications, October 1, 2007
- "Ellis Reviews Jay Winik's Book in Times," The New York Times, September 30, 2007
- "Joe Ellis to Share Life Lessons March 27," Office of Communications, March 21, 2007
- "MHC's Ellis Blogs for Britannica," Office of Communications, February 20, 2007
- "MHC Prof on What Students Know About Presidents," Office of Communications, February 19, 2007
- "MHC Professor Analyzes Bush's Speech on Iraq," Office of Communications, January 11, 2007
- "A Promise of Unpredictability," LA Times, January 2, 2007
- "Professor Ellis in History Channel Documentary," Office of Communications, May 24, 2006
- "Finding a Place for 9/11 in American History" The New York Times, January 28, 2006
- "Joseph Ellis Goes on Book Tour," Office of Communications, January 26, 2006
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