Daniel Silva - Biography

Daniel Silva (born 1960) is the best-selling American author of 14 thriller and espionage novels. His most recent novel, "Portrait of a Spy" was published July 19, 2011 and was an instant #1 bestseller. His past three books The Rembrandt Affair (2010), "The Defector" (2009) and "Moscow Rules" (2009) all were #1 New York Times bestsellers. His books are published in more than 30 countries and are international bestsellers. Some of his novels are set against Islamic terrorism, some relate to villains set in Russia, as well as historic events related to World War II and the Holocaust. HIs books feature Gabriel Allon, art restorer, spy and assassin. In January 2009 Silva was appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's United States Holocaust Memorial Council.

Life and career

Silva is son of Portuguese immigrants from the Azores and he was raised in Michigan.

Silva began his writing career as a journalist with a temporary job at United Press International in 1984. His assignment was to cover the Democratic National Convention. His position was made permanent and, a year later, Silva was transferred to the Washington, D.C., headquarters. After two more years, he was appointed as UPI's Middle East correspondent and moved to Cairo, Egypt.

Silva returned to Washington, D.C., for a job with CNN's Washington Bureau. He worked as a producer and executive producer for several of the network's television programs, including Crossfire and Capitol Gang.

In 1994 he began work on his first novel, The Unlikely Spy (1996). When published, the novel became an instant New York Times best-seller, and in 1997 Silva left CNN to pursue writing full-time.

Since then Silva has written 13 more spy novels, all best-sellers on the New York Times list. His novels Moscow Rules (2008), featuring art restorer and assassin Gabriel Allon was a No. 1 New York Times best-seller, as was The Defector (2009), and The Rembrandt Affair (2010). His new book Portrait of a Spy (2011) was published on July 19th and was an instant #1 bestseller.

Honors

• 2006, Barry Award for The Messenger (2005).
• In January 2009, Silva was appointed to a five-year term on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's United States Holocaust Memorial Council.

Marriage and family

He lives with his wife, the NBC Today show's national correspondent Jamie Gangel, and their children, Nicholas and Lily.

Bibliography

1. The Unlikely Spy (1996)

Michael Osbourne series:

1. The Mark of the Assassin (1998)
2. The Marching Season (1999)

Gabriel Allon series:

1. The Kill Artist (2000)
2. The English Assassin (2002)
3. The Confessor (2003)
4. A Death in Vienna (2004)
5. Prince of Fire (2005)
6. The Messenger (2006)
7. The Secret Servant (2007)
8. Moscow Rules (2008)
9. The Defector (2009)
10. The Rembrandt Affair (2010)
11. Portrait of a Spy (2011)

External links

• Daniel Silva Homepage
• Author Daniel Silva BIO