Matthew Algeo

When he's not writing his own biography in the third person, Matthew Algeo writes about unusual and interesting events in American history. His latest book is "When Harry Met Pablo: Truman, Picasso, and the Cold War Politics of Modern Art," which, according to the jacket copy, is a "rigorous history with a heartwarming center." Algeo is also a journalist. He has reported from four continents for NPR News and other outlets. In addition to reporting and writing, Algeo has held jobs as a convenience store clerk, a gas station attendant, a Halloween costume salesman, and a proofreader. He also worked in a traveling circus (as a hot dog vendor; no acrobatics involved). His wife Allyson is a U.S. Foreign Service officer. They have lived in Bamako, Rome, Ulaanbaatar, Maputo, and Sarajevo. They currently live in Arlington, Virginia, with their daughter Zaya (and two cats).