Georgia Hunter
Author of hit bestseller We Were the Lucky Ones
Denise Kiernan
Journalist, producer, and New York Times bestselling author
“History is happening every moment of every day. Pay attention, or you might miss it.”
Photo credit: Mallory Cash
Denise Kiernan is a writer, journalist, and producer renowned for her New York Times-bestselling narrative nonfiction novels, The Last Castle and The Girls of Atomic City. For more than two decades, Kiernan’s work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Village Voice and more. In 2023, We Gather Together: Stories of Thanksgiving from Then to Now (Young Readers Edition) was the latest addition to Kiernan’s We Gather Together series, joining her adult nonfiction book, We Gather Together, and the companion title, the children’s picture book Giving Thanks. Kiernan's next work, Obstinate Daughters, publishing in 2026, is a sweeping chronicle challenging the traditional mythology of the nation's beginnings and championing the unsung women behind the American Revolution. With a knack for making history come to life in front of audiences, Kiernan shares empowering and moving stories of everyday people overcoming hardships and obstacles in her humorous and educational talks.
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About Denise Kiernan
New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and producer Denise Kiernan has been a writer for more than two decades. Her narrative nonfiction novels, The Last Castle and The Girls of Atomic City, were both instant New York Times bestsellers. Her most recent works in the We Gather Together series offer readers of all ages a new way to look at American history and the story of Thanksgiving. In Kiernan’s inspirational and engaging talks, she shares a deeper look into the rediscovered history explored in her books, bringing these unknown stories to life for audiences around the country.
An enthusiastic and passionate speaker, Denise has spoken at high schools, universities, bookstores, corporate events, book festivals, presidential libraries, town halls, and more. The perfect speaker for those seeking inspiration to empower themselves or others, Kiernan enjoys speaking to readers who are open and eager to learn something new. Drawing from her bestselling books, Kiernan gives in-depth analyses of recovered history, showing just how crucial understanding history is for living a purposeful present and planning for an impactful future. Whether she is sharing a story of people from humble beginnings who have made a great impact on the world around them or her personal advice for researching, writing, and publishing narrative nonfiction today, Kiernan has been praised for her funny, relatable, and captivating presentations.
Kiernan’s highly acclaimed narrative nonfiction books—The Last Castle and The Girls of Atomic City—were both instant New York Times bestsellers in hardcover as well as paperback. The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II is a remarkable true account of the top-secret town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the young women brought there unknowingly to help build the atomic bomb. The Girls of Atomic City, published in multiple languages, was also a Los Angeles Times and NPR bestseller, was named one of Amazon’s Top 100 Best Books of 2013, and received the 2014 American Political Science Association’s Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award. Kiernan’s The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation’s Largest Home, tells the untold, true story behind the Biltmore Estate. The Last Castle was also a Wall Street Journal bestseller, a finalist for the 2018 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize.
In 2023, We Gather Together: Stories of Thanksgiving from Then to Now (Young Readers Edition) was the latest addition to Kiernan’s We Gather Together series. Kiernan’s adult nonfiction book, We Gather Together, and the companion title, the children’s picture book Giving Thanks, illustrate the true story of the Thanksgiving holiday in America, from highlighting common myths and uneasy truths to pinpointing how the message of gratitude we associate with Thanksgiving today came to be. Kiernan’s next work, Obstinate Daughters, publishing in 2026, is a sweeping chronicle challenging the traditional mythology of the nation’s beginnings and championing the unsung women behind the American Revolution.
Kiernan is the host of CRAFT: Authors in Conversation and co-author of several popular history titles including Signing Their Lives Away, Signing Their Rights Away, and Stuff Every American Should Know. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Time, Village Voice and more. She previously served as head writer for ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and has produced for media outlets including ESPN and MSNBC. Kiernan has been a guest on NPR’s Weekend Edition, PBS NewsHour, MSNBC Morning Joe and The Daily Show. She lives in and travels from North Carolina.
Contact us for more information about booking Denise Kiernan for your next event.
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Speaking Topics
We Gather Together: A New Kind of Thanksgiving History
The little known and inspiring true story of how Thanksgiving became an American holiday, and the woman whose crusade changed history.
The Girls of Atomic City: Life in a Secret City of the Manhattan Project
The unbelievable true story of young women living in a secret government city who unknowingly worked on the first atomic bomb and changed the world forever.
Generations of Grace: Inspiring Women Who Shaped American History
Astounding stories of women from the Revolutionary War through the Atomic Age, and how their resilience and persistence continue to inspire us today.
Obstinate Daughters: Modern Day Inspiration from the Women of the American Revolution
Inspiring stories from the writers, renegades, enslaved women, soldiers, and community leaders who ignited the fight for America’s independence.
An Evening with Denise Kiernan
New York Times bestselling author shares travels, techniques, and untold stories from her 30-year career in writing, from journalism to television production.
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Praise for Denise Kiernan
She has a real gift for connecting with her audience—not an easy task…The consensus of the people I’ve talked to who are series “regulars” is that she is at the very top of all the many speakers in the entire eleven-year history of the program—a sentiment with which I fully concur.
— University of Mary Washington Great Lives Lecture SeriesDenise’s love of history really shines in her exceptional presentation on the Vanderbilts and Biltmore House. She knows how to tell engaging stories that emphasize the human connection without overwhelming the audience with her extensive expertise. Denise is knowledgeable, funny and wonderfully charming as she makes history come to life.
— David Singleton, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library FoundationDenise has not only written a fascinating book, she is a wonderful speaker. She drew a large audience for her talk at the Carter Presidential Library and the audience loved her presentation.
— Tony Clark, Carter Presidential Library Author ProgramDenise Kiernan delivered one of the most enthusiastically received lectures the West Virginia Humanities Council has ever hosted. As our 2019 McCreight Lecturer in the Humanities, Kiernan spoke from “The Girls Of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II.” Like her writing, her presentation was lively, funny, engaged and engaging, ferociously learned, and riveting throughout. In a 25-year speaker series that has hosted Ken Burns, Jill Lepore, Azir Nafisi, Joyce Carol Oates, Henry Louis Gates, and many other guests of international reputation, Kiernan was a standout—and a clear crowd favorite to boot.
— Dr. Eric Waggoner, Executive Director West Virginia Humanities CouncilPraise for We Gather Together
With engaging writing and fresh research, everything comes together in a thoroughly enjoyable package. Readers will find humor (Kiernan’s take on turducken: “a poultry nesting doll with gravy”), pathos (public events were canceled during the 1918 flu pandemic), and surprises (Pilgrims weren’t connected to the holiday until 1939, when FDR attempted to change the date). Lots to consider, especially with Thanksgiving just around the corner.
— Booklist (starred review)Kiernan traces the history of the formalization of Thanksgiving Day while reframing the holiday’s sense of gratitude… [and] engagingly explores the economic, political, and cultural roots and consequences of holiday practice… a bright tribute to Thanksgiving’s expression of gratitude and grace.
— Kirkus ReviewsPraise for We Gather Together (Young Readers Edition)
[T]horoughly researched, both political and personal, as well as steadfastly invested in ensuring the legacy of Sarah Josepha Hale, the oft-forgotten mother of the holiday.
— Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books -
Books by Denise Kiernan
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Media About Denise Kiernan
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- Denise Kiernan travels from North Carolina
Featured Title
Obstinate Daughters
June 23, 2026
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Girls of Atomic City and The Last Castle comes a sweeping chronicle challenging the traditional mythology of the nation’s beginnings and championing the unsung women behind the American Revolution.
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