Brad Meltzer
Sold over 10 million copies of political thrillers, then created the 'I Am' children's book series and three television series about lost history.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American writer·Birthday: April 1·Generation X
Biography
Brad Meltzer's first novel, *The Tenth Justice*, sold out its initial print run in two weeks. He wrote the book while employed at the law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. His 12 thrillers have spent over 30 months on *The New York Times* bestseller list. Meltzer authored *The Book of Fate* in 2006, which involved research into the Freemasons and former President Clinton's schedule. He shifted to non-fiction with *History Decoded* and *The First Conspiracy*, about a plot to kill George Washington. In 2010, he launched the "Ordinary People Change the World" children's book series, beginning with *I Am Amelia Earhart*. The series has sold 5 million copies. He created and hosted *Lost History* on H2 and *Brad Meltzer's Decoded* on History Channel. Meltzer also wrote issue #28 of *Justice League of America*, which introduced the modern version of the character Geo-Force. He founded the non-profit Citizen's University to promote civic engagement.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Brad was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brad Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Brad's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored 12 consecutive *New York Times* bestselling political thrillers.
- Created and hosted three television series exploring historical mysteries and artifacts.
- Founded the 'Ordinary People Change the World' children's biography series.
Did You Know?
He based his first novel on his experiences as a student in the Yale Law School library.
He wrote the 2001 Green Arrow story "The Archer's Quest," which revived several forgotten DC Comics characters.
He owns the actual bloodstained cufflink from the shirt Abraham Lincoln wore the night he was assassinated.
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”
