Joel Engel

I have authored or co-authored nearly 20 books (including a New York Times bestseller). They range from narrative nonfiction, to essays, sports, satire, pop culture, biography, and autobiography. As a journalist for the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, among other papers and periodicals, I once upon a time reported on everything from politics to hot-air ballooning, pregnancy to cancer research, pop culture to business. I've also sold several feature-film scripts to Hollywood and produced about 60 hours of (cable) television. Two professional experiences that I remember with inexplicable pleasure are writing an infomercial hosted by a celebrity who insisted on being introduced as “the beautiful and talented actress” when in fact she was not quite either, and getting fired from a documentary about Elvis fans for telling the network executive—who until months before had been a Russian interpreter—that her clunky suggestion for the show’s opening sequence was “not good television.” On the personal side, I'm one of those happily married men and proud fathers you sometimes read about, wondering if they actually exist. Please feel free to check my website at www.joelengel.com. There's also a contact button, in case you'd like to communicate.