Nathaniel Philbrick

Nathaniel Philbrick is an American narrative historian known for transforming pivotal moments in U.S. history into detailed, well-researched accounts. Philbrick is the author of eight New York Times bestselling works of American history, including "In the Heart of the Sea," which won the National Book Award and served as the basis for a film directed by Ron Howard; "Mayflower," a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History; a trilogy about the American Revolution that includes "Valiant Ambition," winner of the George Washington Book Prize; and "Travels with George." He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brown University and a Master of Arts in American literature from Duke University, where he was a James B. Duke Fellow. Philbrick was also Brown University's first Intercollegiate All-American sailor.

After graduate school, Philbrick worked as an editor at Sailing World magazine and later as a freelance writer and editor, producing several books about sailing. He published his first book about Nantucket history, "Away Off Shore," followed by "Abram's Eyes," a study of Nantucket's native legacy. Philbrick is the founding director of Nantucket's Egan Maritime Institute and a research fellow at the Nantucket Historical Association, recognized as an authority on the history of Nantucket, Massachusetts. His experience on the island informs his work on maritime culture and early American life.

"In the Heart of the Sea" became a New York Times bestseller, won the National Book Award for nonfiction, and inspired adaptations for film and television, including a Dateline special on NBC and the PBS American Experience film "Into the Deep." Philbrick's "Sea of Glory" received the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Naval History Prize and the Albion-Monroe Award from the National Maritime Historical Society. "Mayflower" was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History and the Los Angeles Times Book Award, won the Massachusetts Book Award for nonfiction, and was named one of the ten best books of the year by the New York Times Book Review.

Philbrick's "Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution" was awarded the New England Book Award for Non-Fiction, the New England Society Book Award, and the Distinguished Book Award of the Society of Colonial Wars. "Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution" won the George Washington Book Prize, the James P. Hanlan Book Award, and the Harry M. Ward Book Prize. Over his career, Philbrick has received more than 20 awards, including multiple New England Book Awards.

Philbrick's writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Globe. He has appeared on the Today Show, The Morning Show, Dateline, PBS's American Experience, the NewsHour, C-SPAN, NPR, and Ken Burns' "The American Revolution." Philbrick is recognized for his contributions to American history, maritime history, and historical nonfiction, and his work continues to engage readers and audiences interested in the nation's past.