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Michael Blanding

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://www.michaelblanding.com

Genre

Nonfiction, History, Crime

Influences

Erik Larson David Grann Naomi Klein Ted Conover Jon Krakauer Annie ...more

Member Since

January 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/michaelblanding

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Michael Blanding is a Boston-based investigative journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, WIRED, Slate, Smithsonian, The Boston Globe Magazine, and Boston magazine. His newest book, The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: A Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation, is due out from PublicAffairs in July 2026. It is a revelatory account of how the family behind Hobby Lobby rose to political prominence and used their influence—and fortune—to push a radical religious agenda.

Blanding is also author of In Shakespeare's Shadow: A Rogue Scholar's Quest to Reveal the True Source Behind the World's Greatest Plays (2021), which won the International Book Award for Narrative Non-fiction; and The Map Thief: The Gripping Stor ...more

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Michael Blanding’s books

Average rating: 3.61 · 4,761 ratings · 801 reviews · 18 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Map Thief 3.64 avg rating — 3,827 ratings — published 2014 — 20 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Coke Machine 3.36 avg rating — 669 ratings — published 2010 — 23 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	North by Shakespeare: A Rogue Scholar's Quest for the Truth Behind the Bard's Work 3.87 avg rating — 205 ratings — published 2021 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps by Blanding, Michael(June 2, 2015) Paperback 3.63 avg rating — 19 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation 4.33 avg rating — 15 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moon Vermont (Moon Handbooks) by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author), Alexandra Hall really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2008 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moon Spotlight Providence by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author), Alexandra Hall 4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2011	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moon New England (Moon Handbooks) by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author), Alexandra Hall really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2007 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moon Spotlight Massachusetts by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author), Alexandra Hall 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2010 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moon Spotlight Newport by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author), Alexandra Hall 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Michael Blanding…

Michael is Currently Reading

Michael Blanding is currently reading

The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation

by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: narrative-nonfiction, investigative, christian-nationalism, antiquities-trafficking, art-crime, evangelicals, religious-right, hobby-lobby, currently-reading

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Apr 17, 2026 03:16PM

Michael Blanding is currently reading

Shakespeare and Company, Paris: A History of the Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart

by Krista Halverson

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Aug 15, 2021 03:25PM

Michael Blanding is currently reading

North by Shakespeare: A Rogue Scholar's Quest for the Truth Behind the Bard's Work

by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: shakespeare, narrative-nonfiction, thomas-north, currently-reading

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Mar 18, 2021 08:50AM

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Michael’s Recent Updates

Michael Blanding liked Kat's review of The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation: "The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the most successful and influential companies in the country. It explores how faith, business, and corporate culture intersect, giving readers a deeper understa" Read more of this review »
11 hours, 10 min ago · see review
Michael Blanding liked Cory Beyer's review of The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation: "Thank you to NetGalley and @PublicAffairs for this ARC. This book covers the Green family and the start of Hobby Lobby and Mardels. It begins with David Green's strong Pentecostal upbringing and how it shaped his beliefs. Everyone loves Hobby Lobby a" Read more of this review »
May 22, 2026 07:03AM · see review
Michael Blanding and 20 other people liked Brendan (History Nerds United)'s review of The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation: "Okay, let's get this out of the way first. Yes, this is about the craft store Hobby Lobby. If you didn't know, the family who owns the stores is VERY Christian. Or, as I like to say, very Jesus-y. This is not a statement of judgment, but of fact. If " Read more of this review »
May 22, 2026 07:03AM · see review
Michael Blanding liked Sara Westbrook's review of The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation:
May 07, 2026 11:09AM · see review
Michael Blanding started reading The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 17, 2026 03:16PM · like
Michael Blanding has read The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation by Michael Blanding (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 25, 2026 09:30AM · like