Ron Soodalter has pursued a variety of diverse careers. With a B.A. in American History and masters degrees in Education and American Folk Culture, he taught in various schools throughout New York State, and in New York City's Riker's Island Prison. He then worked as curator of a Colorado history museum, where he served on the Board of Directors of the 10-state Mountain-Plains Museums Conference. As a young teenager, Soodalter was fortunate to have studied Flamenco guitar with the world renowned Carlos Montoya, and has played professionally all his life. Also an accomplished scrimshaw artist, he has been featured in a prominent Manhattan art gallery.

A lifelong student and lover of folk music, Soodalter has collected traditional ballads in the United States, Ireland, and Scotland. He is also a dedicated collector of western memorabilia. His love of the west came to him through his grandfather, who was a cowboy in Colorado in the early part of the last century.

In addition to his two current books – Hanging Captain Gordon and The Slave Next Door – Soodalter’s articles appear frequently in magazines. He has recently written forSmithsonian, Civil War Times, Portland, New York Archives, and True West, and is a featured columnist for America’s Civil War.

Soodalter currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Abraham Lincoln Institute. He has two daughters, Jesse and Melora, and lives with his wife Jane in South Salem, New York.

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