Living Legends 2024: DAVID BALDACCI

In his March-released thriller, “A Calamity of Souls,” Baldacci tackles justice, racism and the power of partnerships.

Those concepts don’t just permeate the global bestselling author’s writing; they also reflect his values. A Richmond native, Baldacci frequently creates tales centered around justice, often incorporating characters from marginalized groups that must navigate challenging legal systems to achieve justice. His background as an attorney — Baldacci is a University of Virginia School of Law graduate who practiced in Washington, D.C. — lends veracity to his more than 50 novels, the first of which was adapted into the 1997 film, “Absolute Power,” starring Clint Eastwood.

Baldacci also is well versed in the power of partnerships: His nonprofit Wish You Well Foundation, which he founded with wife, Michelle, to fund adult literacy and education programs, partnered with Feeding America to launch Feeding Body & Mind. He also has been active with his other alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University, where he and his wife have funded two scholarships, and Baldacci served on the board of visitors. In January, Baldacci was named the 2024 PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion, an award given for literary advocacy.