John Edgar Wideman

Award-winning Novelist

Travels From Travels From:
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

John Edgar Wideman Biography

John Edgar Wideman's life is as dramatic as any of his brooding, Faulknerian novels. Born in Washington DC, he grew up in Homewood, an impoverished African American community in Pittsburgh that is the setting of one of his best-known works, The Homewood Trilogy. Brilliant in both the classroom and the basketball court, he was the subject of a 1963 Look magazine article titled "The Astonishing John Wideman." He went on to become the second black American to win a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, where he earned a master's degree in literature in 1966.

After writing several novels, he began teaching at the University of Pennsylvania, helping found the school's Afro-American studies department. And, although he graduated from an Ivy League school, became a Rhodes Scholar, taught at fine universities and became the only American writer to twice win the PEN/Faulkner Prize, Wideman he has concerned with the violence, drug use, and institutionalized poverty that afflict the African-American community.

As a boy, he planned to leave his background behind for a dazzling future as a novelist, academic and intellectual, but in spite of personal success, Wideman came to see the complex problems of African-American life as inescapable. During the past two decades he has written three memoirs about events that have indelibly marked him -- the life imprisonment of his younger brother Robby in Brothers and Keepers and the life imprisonment of his son, Jacob, in Fatheralong. His latest critically-acclaimed collection of short fiction, God’s Gym, was released in 2005.

The Rea Award Jurors cited Wideman’s work as, “Profoundly honest, eloquently impassioned, the stories of John Edgar Wideman guide us to a place we’ve never been, into that unexplored area of America’s Heartland for which we’ve had no true compass before his own. More than compassionate, Wideman’s stories are like gospel songs sung by a hundred voices, offering praise to life itself.”

Topics

• Great Literature with a Relevant Vibe

• Brothers and Keepers

BOOK John Edgar Wideman

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 08/16/2024.

John Edgar Wideman Speaking Topics

  • Brothers and Keepers

  • Great Literature with a Relevant Vibe

FAQs on booking John Edgar Wideman

  • How do I book John Edgar Wideman to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like John Edgar Wideman for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for John Edgar Wideman, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for John Edgar Wideman or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for John Edgar Wideman

    Speaking fees for John Edgar Wideman, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book John Edgar Wideman are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire John Edgar Wideman, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does John Edgar Wideman speak about?

    John Edgar Wideman is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Black Heritage, Culture, Diversity & Inclusion, History, Literary.
  • Where does John Edgar Wideman travel from?

    John Edgar Wideman generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is John Edgar Wideman’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like John Edgar Wideman for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book John Edgar Wideman for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host John Edgar Wideman or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

John Edgar Wideman is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Brothers and Keepers and Great Literature with a Relevant Vibe. The estimated speaking fee range to book John Edgar Wideman for your event is available upon request. John Edgar Wideman generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are James McBride, Nelson George, Tukufu Zuberi, Juan Williams and Clayborne Carson. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John Edgar Wideman for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP