“Bob Batchelor has captured lightning with this step-by-step guidepost for reaching that elusive pinnacle of leadership success.”
—Dian Griesel, Ph.D., perception analyst and hypnotherapist, Founder & President, Perception Dynamics Inc., & author, The Silver Disobedience Playbook & TurboCharged
The Authentic Leader: The Power of Deep Leadership in Work and Life
Roadhouse Blues — 2023 IPA Book Award Winner
STAN LEE: A LIFE
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STAN LEE: The Man Behind Marvel, Young Adult Edition
Barnes & Noble Bookshop.org
Books-A-Million IndieBound
Amazon Books-A-Million
Target Hudson Booksellers
Walmart Powell’s
Bob Batchelor is a cultural historian and biographer. He writes about the ideas and issues that help shape the contemporary world.
Bob is author of Roadhouse Blues: Morrison, the Doors, and the Death Days of the Sixties and Stan Lee: A Life. He has published widely on American cultural history, including books on Bob Dylan, The Great Gatsby, Mad Men, and John Updike.
Roadhouse Blues won the 2023 IPA Award for Music.
Rookwood: The Rediscovery and Revival of an American Icon, An Illustrated History won the 2021 IPA Award for Fine Art.
The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius won the 2020 IPA Book Award for Historical Biography.
Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel was a finalist for the 2018 Ohioana Book Award for Nonfiction.
Bob’s work has been translated into a dozen languages and appeared in Time, the New York Times, Cincinnati Enquirer, American Heritage, The Guardian, and PopMatters. He is a host on the New Books Network podcast and is creator/host of the podcast “John Updike: American Writer, American Life.” Viewers recently saw him as an on-air commentator for the National Geographic Channel's 10-part series "The '80s Greatest" and 10 episode "The '90s Greatest" series, produced by Nutopia. He has appeared as an on-air commentator for National Geographic Channel, PBS NewsHour, BBC, PBS, and NPR.
Bob earned a doctorate in Literature from the University of South Florida. He and his wife Suzette, an antiques/vintage expert and owner of Spot of Vintage live in North Carolina with two wonderful teenage daughters.
Watch C-SPAN 2 Book TV — The Bourbon King
Local 12 “Good Morning Cincinnati” with anchor (and Cincinnati broadcasting legend) John Lomax
Stan Lee: the Man Behind Marvel
"Where Batchelor succeeds most is fleshing out the settings and context along the narrative spine of Lee’s life." (Washington Post)
"Fun Ride!" (New York Daily News)
This first full biography of Stan Lee is an eye-opening look at a popular culture visionary. This book traces Lee's life -- from his Depression-era childhood to his years as a teen editor/writer and ultimately to his triumphs as the genius cocreator behind some of the most beloved characters in pop culture history, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, the Avengers, and Thor.
Reviews of Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel
“Bob Batchelor’s bio of Stan Lee is not only thorough and accurate, it’s extremely well-written. If you enjoy reading Stan’s stories, you’ll enjoy the story of Stan just as much.” – Steve Englehart, novelist and comic book writer (The Avengers, Captain America)
“An insightful and candid look at one of the 20th century’s greatest mythmakers.” – Mark Waid, writer, (Daredevil, The Fantastic Four, Kingdom Come)
“Bob Batchelor’s book takes us on a journey into the life and imagination of Stan Lee, whose collaborations with Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko laid the foundation of the Marvel Universe and unleashed a creative explosion that continues to impact, and transform, all of popular culture.” – J.M. DeMatteis, writer (The Amazing Spider-Man, Silver Surfer)
“In this smartly-written, deeply researched biography, Bob Batchelor cuts through the hype and hyperbole to reveal the secret origins of Stan Lee’s thoroughly mythic life and art. It’s the one bio for both casual and hardcore fans.” – Brian Jay Jones, author (George Lucas: A Life)