Thomas Fleming | |
|---|---|
 Thomas Fleming in 2009 | |
| Born | Thomas James Fleming July 5, 1927 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | July 23, 2017 (aged 90) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Historian, novelist |
| Alma mater | St. Peter's Preparatory School Fordham University |
| Notable works | The Officers' Wives Washington's Secret War: The Hidden History of Valley Forge |
| Website | |
| www | |
Thomas James Fleming (July 5, 1927 – July 23, 2017) was an American historian and historical novelist and the author of over forty nonfiction and fiction titles. His work reflects a particular interest on the American Revolution, with titles such as Liberty! The American Revolution And The Future Of America, Duel: Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the History of America and Washington's Secret War: The Hidden History of Valley Forge.
A native of Jersey City, New Jersey, Fleming graduated from St. Peter's Preparatory School in 1945 and from Fordham University in 1950, serving a year in the United States Navy before he started college.[1] While in the navy, he served aboard the USS Topeka (CL-67).
Fleming served as president of the Society of American Historians and the PEN American Center. Fleming also spent ten years as chairman of the New York American Revolution Round Table and was an Honorary Member of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati from 1975. He lived in New York with his wife, Alice, a writer of books for young people.[2]
Fleming published books about various events and figures of the Revolutionary era. He also wrote about other periods of American history, and wrote over a dozen well-received novels set against various historical backgrounds. He said, "I never wanted to be an Irish-American writer, my whole idea was to get across that bridge and be an American writer".[3]
That was my first really strong exposure to America's secular idealism. These guys have this ideal of duty, honor, country, but in the real world, in the Army, a lot of other things are going on. There's throat-cutting careerism, hostility from the civilian community, and always the possibility that at the bottom line, there's going to be a body bag.[4]
Fleming died at his home in New York City on July 23, 2017, at the age of 90.[5]
