New List of Peace Corps writers who have published 2 or more books — March 2021

 

 

Here is our new list — as of March 2021 — 333 RPCV & staff authors who have published two or more books (of any type). If you know of someone who has and their name is not on this list, then please email me at: jcoyneone@gmail.com. I know I don’t have all the writers who have been Volunteers or Staff in the Peace Corps over these last 59 years. Thank you.

Jerome R. Adams (Colombia 1963–65)
Tom Adams (Togo 1974-76)
Thomas “Taj” Ainlay, Jr. (Malaysia 1973–75)
Elizabeth (Letts) Alalou (Morocco 1983–86)
Jane Albritton (India 1967-69)
Robert Albritton (Ethiopia 1962-65)
Usha Alexander (Vanuatu 1996–97)
James G. Alinder (Somalia 1964-66)
Richard Alleman (Morocco 1968-70)
Hayward Allen (Ethiopia 1962-64)
Diane Demuth Allensworth (Panama 1964–66)
Paul E. Allaire (Ethiopia 1964–66)
D. Allman (Nepal 1966-68)
Nancy Amidei (Nigeria 1964–65)
Gary Amo (Malawi 1962–64)
David C. Anderson (Costa Rica 1964-66)
Lauri Anderson (Nigeria 1963-65)
Peggy Anderson (Togo 1962-64)
James Archambeault (Philippines 1965-67)
Ron Arias (Peru 1963-64)
William H. Armstrong (Staff: Ethiopia 1966–68, CD/Swaziland 1968–71)
Donald Arneson (Jamaica 1989)
Brent Kenneth Ashabranner (Staff 1967-69)
Harlan H.D. Attfield (Nigeria 1966-68, Mauritius 1972–74)
Jim Averbeck (Cameroon 1990-94)

Michael Banister (Ethiopia 1972-74)
Bill Barich (Nigeria 1964-66)
Frank Baron (Ethiopia 1966–68)
Madeline Ko-I Bastis (Ethiopia 1962–64)
Robert H. Bates (staff: PC Director/Nepal 1961– )
Kathy Beckwith (India 1968–71)
Donald Beil (Somalia 1964-66)
Martin Benjamin (Ethiopia 1962–64)
Nancy S. Bercaw (Kenya 1988-89)
Andrew Scott Berman (Togo 1967–69)
Deborah J. Bennett (Ghana 1980–81)
Peter Bernhardt (El Salvador 1975-77)
David Francis Birchman (Zaire)
Tom Bissell (Uzbekistan 1996)
Bonnie Lee Black (Gabon 1996–98)
Jan Knippers Black (Chile 1962-64)
Margaret Whitman Blair (Thailand 1975–77)
Mary Blocksma (Nigeria 1965-67)
Judith M. Blohm (Liberia 1968–72)
Robert B. Boeder (Malawi 1965–66)
Robert C. Bogdan (Nigeria 1964–66)
Edmund Blair Bolles (Tanzania 1966-68)
Steve Borish (Somalia)
Daniel B. Botkin (Philippines 1962-64)
Harvey Botzman (Kenya 1966–69)
Ben Bradlee, Jr. (Afghanistan 1970–72)
Philip Brady (Zaire 1980–82)
John Brandi (Ecuador 1966–68)
Mark Brazaitis (Guatemala 1991-93)
Hunter Breland (Dominican Republic 1962-64, DC 1965)
Howard W. Brill (Nigeria 1965–67)
Valerie (Piotrowski) Broadwell (Morocco 1981–83)
Thomas F. Brosnahan (Turkey 1967–69)
Diane Halstead Brotemarkle (Nigeria 1964–66)
Jim M. Brown (Colombia 1962–64)
Kevin Bubriski (Nepal 1975-79)
David M. Buerge (Nepal 1968-70)
Jean Valens Bullard (Columbia 1976–77)
Geri Marr Burdman (Bolivia 1962-64)
Derick Burleson (Rwanda 1991–93)
John J.S. Burton (Thailand 1965–67)
Lawrence Michael Busch (Guinea 1965–66, Togo 1967–68)
Jacqueline Butler-Diaz (Thailand 1968-70)

Naomi McCallum Carey (Palau 1984-86)
Craig Carozzi (Colombia 1978-80)
W. Hodding Carter IV (Kenya 1984–86)
Keith Cartwright (Senegal 1983–85)
Rafaela G. Castro (Brazil 1964–66)
Mac Chapin (Dominican Republic)
Suzy McKee Charnas (Nigeria 1961-63)
Lisa Chavez (Poland 1993–95)
Don Christians (PC staff: Ethiopia 1967–70, Dominican Republic 1970–72)
Patrick Chura (Lithuania 1992-94)
Dominic J. Cibrario (Nepal 1962–64)
Dexter Cirillo (Colombia 1965-67) aka Dexter Fisher
James A. Ciullo (Venezuela 1969–71)
Andrew F. Clark (Senegal 1978–81)
Beverly Clark (Fiji 1971-73)
Mary Morris Clark (1963–65)
Raymond C. Clark (Nigeria 1963–65)
Thurston Clarke (Tunisia 1968)
Steve Clapp (Nigeria 1962-64)
Barnett “Barney” Cline (Bolivia Staff 1963-64)
Jerome W. Clinton (Iran 1962–64)
Dan Close (Ethiopia 1966-68)
James Cloutier (Kenya 1964-66)
Harlan Coben (PC/W 1982-84)
Broughton Coburn (Nepal 1973–75)
David Cohen (Nigeria 1965–67)
John Cohen (Ethiopia 1964-66)
Tracey Cohen (Namibia 2003-05)
Jack Cole (PC staff: Afghanistan 1968–70, Swaziland 1970–1971, India 1971–73)
Paul Conklin (Staff: PC/W 1964–67)
Christopher Conlon (Botswana 1988-90)
Frances Garrett Connell (Afghanistan 1973-75)
John M. Connor (Nigeria 1965–67)
David C. Conrad (Nigeria 1964–66)
Martha Cooper (Thailand 1963-65)
Kathleen Coskran (Ethiopia 1965-67)
Donald J. Cosentino (Nigeria 1964–66)
Paul Courtright (South Korea 1979-81)
Paul Cowan (Ecuador 1966-67)
Jane Cowen-Fletcher (Benin 1981-83)
Vic Cox (Brazil 1964-66)
John Coyne (Ethiopia 1962-64)
Robert C. Craycroft (Nigeria 1966–67)
Timothy Crouse (Morocco 1968-69)
Joe Cummings (Thailand 1977–78

Florence Chard Dacey (Nigeria 1963–65)
Philip Dacey (Nigeria 1964-66)
Gordon Dalbey (Nigeria 1965-67)
Cass Dalglish (Colombia 1967–68)
Laurent A. Parks Daloz (Nepal 1963-65)
Pamela Daoust (Brazil 1966-68)
Julie R. Dargis (Morocco 1984-87)
Rob Davidson (Grenada 1990–92)
Christopher West Davis (Kenya 1975-78)
Rel Davis (Bulgaria 2001-03)
Susan Davis (Morocco 1965-67)
George G. Dawson (Somalia staff 1961-64)
David Howard Day (Kenya 1965-66; India 1967-68)
Nanette Day (Turkmenistan 1994-1998) aka C. Jai Ferry
Llyn DeDanaan (formerly Lyn Patterson) (Malaysia 1962–64)
Mark W. DeLancey (Nigeria 1962–64)
Virginia Helen DeLancey (Nigeria 1962–64)
Larry E. Demarest (Ethiopia 1966–68)
John Putnam Demos (Ghana 1961-63)
Harriet Denison (Tanzania 1966-67)
I. Mac Destler (Nigeria 1961-63)
Phil Deutschle (Nepal 1977-80)
Jeanne D’Haem (Somalia 1968-70)
Thomas W. Dichter (Morocco 1964–66; staff: PCD/ Yemen 1980–82)
Mark Dintenfass (Ethiopia 1964-66)
Donald Dirnberger (West Indies 1977-79)
Kay Gillies Dixon (Colombia 1962-64)
Arthur Dobrin (Kenya 1965-67)
Lyn Dobrin (Kenya 1965-67)
Howard Dodson (Ecuador 1964–66; PC/W 1966–69)
Neal Donner (Ethiopia 1964–66)
David C. Dorward (Nigeria 1962–64)
Dan Douglas (Botswana 1968-70)
Cynthia Dresser (Zaire 1982-85)
Eileen Drew (Zaire 1979-81)
Henry John Drewal (Nigeria 1964-66)
Martha Driscoll (Ethiopia 1965-67)
Patricia A. Drolet (Ecuador 1971)
Robert P. Drolet (Panama 1968–70; Ecuador 1971)
Tony D’Souza (Ivory Coast 2000-02, Madagascar 2002-03)
Fred DuBose (Tonga 1967-69)
John Durand (Philippines 1962–64)
David J. Dwyer (Cameroon 1963–65)

Ben East (Malawi 1996-98)
Douglas C. Eadie (Ethiopia 1964–67)
Donald J. Eberly (PC/Washington staff 1961)
James Eckardt (Sierra Leone 1969–71, Brazil 1973–75)
Ronald L. Ecker (Peru 1964–66)
Ronald K. Edgerton (Philippines )
Patricia Taylor Edmisten (Peru 1962-64)
Martha J. Egan (Venezuela 1967–69)
John R. Eggers (Uruguay 1965–67)
Paul Eggers (Malaysia 1976–78)
David Engel (Thailand 1968-71)

Karlene Clause Faith (Ethiopia Staff 1965–67)
John F. Fanselow (Nigeria 1961–63)
Martin ‘Marty’ Feess (Jordan 2005-07) & (Albania 2013-15)
Nancy Forsythe Farmer (India 1963–65)
David P. Fauri (Nigeria 1964–66)
Bruce Felton (Borneo 1968–70)
Audrey (Benecick) Fielding (Peru 1964-66)
Hank Fincken (Peru; Costa Rica 1970-73)
Maggie Finefrock (Nepal 1982–85)
Daniel J. Fingerman (Malaysia 1970–72
Robert G. Finlay (Nigeria 63–65)
James F. Fisher (Nepal 1962–64)
Kenneth Flies (Brazil 1962-64)
John Michael Flynn (Moldova 1993-95)
Robert H. Frank (Nepal 1966-68)
Stephen Foehr (Ethiopia 1965-67)
Douglas E. Foley (Philippines 1961–63)
Robert H. Frank (Nepal 1966–68)
Kinky Friedman (Borneo 1967–69)
Bruce Fulton (Korea 1978–79)

Martin R. Ganzglass (Somalia 1966-68)
Clifford Garstang (Korea 1976-77)
John Givens (Korea 1967-69)
Robert Gribbin (Kenya 1968-70)
Steve Griffiths (Malaysia 1968-70)
Richard Grimsrud (India 1965-67)

Jon Halter (Venezuela 1966-68)
Thor Hanson (Uganda 1993-95)
Orin Hargraves (Morocco 1980-820
Kent Haruf (Turkey 1965-67)
Tom Hebert (Nigeria 1962-64)
Harvey Helfand (Micronesia 1966-68)
Tom Heidlebaugh (Kenya 1965-68)
Travis Hellstrom (Mongolia 2008-11
William Hershey (Ethiopia 1968-70)
Peter Hessler (China 1996-98)
Michael Hillman (Iran 1965-67)
Kris Holloway (Mali 1989-91)
Chris Honore’ ( Colombia 1967-69)
Phyllis Greenberg Houseman (Ecuador 1962-64)
Earl Huband (Oman 1975-78)

Prudence Ingerman (Bolivia 1962-64)
Richard Irish (Philippines 1962-64)

M Jackson (Zambia)
Mark Jacobs (Paraguay 1978-80)
P. Jones (Tunisia 1966-68)

Steve Kaffen (Russia 1994-96)
Leita Kaldi (Senegal 1993-96)
Charles Kastner (Seychelles 1980-82)
Eldon Katter (Ethiopia 1962-64)
Rea Keech (Iran 1967-69)
Geraldine Kennedy (Liberia 1962-64)
Jamie Kirkpatrick (Tunisia 1970-72)
Barry Kitterman (Belize 1976-78)
Tom Klobe (Iran 1965-67)
P.F. Kluge (Micronesia 1967-69)
Jon Kohl (Costa Rica 1993-95)
Ronald L. Krannich (Thailand
Alan Krasner (Cameroon 1980-82)
John Kulczycki (Ethiopia 1962-65)
Jonathan Kwitny (Nigeria 1964-66)

Jim LaBate (Costa Rica 1973-75)
Roger LaBrucherie (Dominican Republic 1970-71)
Charles R. Larson (Nigeria 1962-64)
Danny Langdon (Ethiopia 1962-64)
Karen Lange (Liberia 1984-86)
Evelyn Latorre (Peru 1964-66)
Eric Lax (Micronesia 1966-68)
Laurence Leamer (Nepal 1965-67)
Peter Lefcourt (Togo 1962-64)
Leonard Levitt (Tanzania 1963-65)
Lawrence F. Lihosit (Honduras 1975-77)
John Limbert (Iran 1964-66)
Richard Lipez (Ethiopia 1962-64)
Peter Loan (Zaire 1976-79)
Joe Lurie (Kenya 1967-70)
Karl Luntta (Botswana 1977-80)
Jacqueline Lyons (Lesotho 1992-95)

Eve MacMaster (Turkey 1968-70)
Edward Mazria (Peru 1963-65)
Andres (Drew) McKinley (Liberia 1969-72)
Daniel Mains (Ethiopia 1998-99)
David Mather (Chile 1968-70)
Chris Matthews (Swaziland 1968-70)
Phillip Margolin (Liberia 1965-67)
Andy Martin (Ethiopia 1965-68)
Patricia McArdie (Paraguay 1972-74)
Bruce McDonald (Bulgaria 2002-04)
Tyler McMahon (El Salvador 1999-02)
Stanley Meisler (PC/W Staff 1964-67)
Roland Merullo (Micronesia 1979-80)
Christian Messenger (Ethiopia 1966-68)
Don Messerschmidt (Nepal 1963-65)

Erin Meyer (Botswana 1993-95)
Mike Meyer (China 1995-97)
Will Michelet (India
Bob Moffitt (Malawi 1964-66)
Joseph Monninger (Burkina Faso 1975-77)
Stephen Most (Peru 1965-67)
Jennifer Mueller (Kenya 1997-99)
Marnie Mueller (Ecuador 1963-65)
Carolyn Mulford (Ethiopia 1962-64)
Jennifer Murtazashvile (Uzbekistan 1997-99)
Edward Mycue (Ghana 1961)
Lenore Myka (Romania 1994-96)

Ann Neelon (Senegal 1978-79)
David J. Nemeth (South Korea 1973-74)
Steve Nesbit (Sierra Leone 1972-75)
Chris Newhall (Philippines 1970-72 & 1974-76)
Danielle Nierenberg (Dominican Republic    )

Joanne Omang (Turkey 1964-66)
Mary Le Duc O’Neill (Ghana & Costa Rica 1970-74)
Bill Owens (Jamaica 1964-66)
Steven Orr (Panama 1964-66)
Maureen Orth (Colombia 1964-66)
Tom O’Toole (Central African Republic & Guinea 1963-65)

George Packer (Togo 1982-84)
Ann Panning (Philippines 1988-90)
John Perkins (Ecuador 1968-70)
Charles Peters (HQ Staff 1961-66)
Laurence Pope (.     1967-69)
Bill Preston (Thailand 1977-80)

James Quirin (Ethiopia 1965-67)

Peter Reid (Tanzania 1964-66)
Dave Reiner (Zaire 1972-74)
Reilly Ridgell (Micronesia 1971-73)
Lex Rieffel (India 1965-67)
Teresa Roberson (Tanzania 1992-94)
Sylvia Rochester (Ethiopia 1964-66)
Kristen Roupenian (Kenya 2003-05)
Chery Sternman Rule (Eritrea 1995-97)
Norm Rush (Botswana Staff 1978-83)
Dannie Russell (Addis Ababa 1963-65)
Kenneth R. Rutherford (Mauritania 1987-89_

Michael Saba (Malaysia 1965-67)
Nancy Scheper-Hughes (Brazil 1964-66)
Renate A. Schulz (Nigeria 1963-65; Mali 2011-12; Mexico 2013-16)
Michael Schmicker (Thailand 1968-70)
Peter Schwab (Liberia 1962-64)
P. David Searles (DC Staff & CD Philippines 1971-76)
Harry Seitz (Tonga 2014-160
William Seraile (Ethiopia 1963-65)
Bob Shacochis (Eastern Caribbean 1975-76)
Efrem Siegel (Ivory Coast 1965-67)
James Siemon (Ethiopia 1970-72)
Ron Singer (Nigeria 1964-67)
James W. Skelton, Jr. (Ethiopia 1970-72)
Charlie Smith (Micronesia 1968-70)
Mary-Ann Tirone Smith (Cameroon 1965-67)
Neal Sobania (Ethiopia 1968-72)
Tom Spanbauer (Kenya 1969-71)
Jonathan Slaght (Russia 1999-02)
Eleanor Stanford (Cape Verde 1998-2000)
Kathleen Stocking (Thailand 2006-07; Romania 2010-12)
Grif Stockley (Colombia 1965-67)
Craig Storti (Morocco 1970-72)
Josh Swiller (Zambia 2994-96)

Andrew Tadross (Ethiopia 2011-13)
Starley Talbott (Starley Anderson, South Africa 2001)
Franklin Tainter (Chile 1964-66)
Terry Tallent (Samoa 1974-75)
Mildred D. Taylor (Ethiopia 1965-67)
Paul Theroux (Malawi 1963-65)
Maria Thomas (Ethiopia 1971-73)
Moritz Thomsen (Ecuador 1965-67)
Starley Talbott Thompson (South Africa 2001)
John Thorndike (El Salvador 1966-68)
Robert Thurston (Venezuela 1968-70)
Mike Tidwell (Zaire 1985-87)
Eric Torgersen (Ethiopia 1964-66)
Fuller Torrey (Ethiopia staff 1964-66)
Mark Troy (Thailand 1972-75)

Ellen Urbani (Guatemala 1991-93)

Michael Varga (Chad 1977–79)
Robin Varnum (Afghanistan 1971-73)
Robert M. Veatch (Nigeria 1962-64)
Theodore Vestal (Ethiopia Staff 1964-66)

Patricia Waak (Brazil 1966-68)
Mark Walker (Guatemala 1971-73)

Aaron Weiss (Moldova 2006-08)
Kanika Welch (The Gambia 2016-18)
Ted Wells (Ethiopia 1968-71)
Mark Wentling (Honduras 1967-69)
Richard Wiley (Korea 1967-69)
Bryant Wieneke (Niger 1974-76)
Jonathan Williams (Morocco 2008-10)
Harris Wofford (Ethiopia Staff 1962-64)
Susi Wyss (Central African Republic 1990-92)

Simone Zelitch (Hungary 1991-93)
Elizabeth Zelvin (Cote d’Ivoire 1964-66)
Tony Zurlo (Nigeria 1963-65)

4 Comments

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  • One strange thing I noticed in reviewing this list of authors is that Ethiopia produced 42 authors and Nigeria produced 34. Most countries only produced 1 or 2 or perhaps 3 or 4. What was there about these two countries that inspired so many to write books?

    • John, in line with Franklin’s comment, I’d love to know why, in your opinion, so many Ethiopia volunteers, and particularly of the 1960s, have continued, up to the present, to stay involved and impact the Peace Corps.

  • I would think that why so many books were written by these early PCVs in Nigeria and Ethiopia was for two reasons. One, these were large groups of Volunteer teachers. Also, the PCVs were ‘literary types’ (teachers) and they wanted to write about this new adventure called the Peace Corps. They wrote letters home that were kept by their parents and became the first drafts of books they would write. Later PCVs didn’t write home. They communicated by email and text messages to their parents and friends. Letters went out of style. They took too long to reach the U.S.

    Also, PCVs today might think everything has been said about their country by earlier PCVs. They have read the memoirs. Seen the films. Heard the stories. However, when they begin to reflect on their two years, they will remember and cherish what they had experienced and they’ll sit down–at a computer, not a typewriter–and tell their tales.

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