Media & Events
Contributor, Shepherd Best Books List, February 2024
"This list is part of the best books of 2023."
2024
Contributor, Shepherd Best Books List, January 2024
"Brett's favorite books on the Golden Age, the age of Lev."
2022
Interview, Rain Taxi, Spring 2022
"In our conversation he unpacks the difficult task of presenting authentic narratives, transcripts, and dry research in a literary form. Some authors have found the solution is to write a fictional narrative to create some distance between subject and author, but Dakin—perhaps because of his legal background—has chosen non-fiction, which above all requires that the writer sit back and listen."
2021
Book Talk, Phoenix Books, October 20, 2021
"An evening with authors Alexander Wolff, Brett Dakin, and Judy Polumbaum for a discussion of their new non-fiction titles which revolve around family histories and in which resistance to various forms of political depravity play a key role."
Panel, Comic-Con, July 23, 2021
"A robust conversation with authors Danny Fingeroth,Brett Dakin, Jennifer DeRoss, and Ken Quattro on their recent comic creator bios."
Book Talk, Prairie Lights, July 14, 2021
"Readings and a conversation with three nonfiction authors – Alexander Wolff, Brett Dakin, and Judy Polumbaum – whose new books revolve around family histories in which resistance to various forms of political depravity plays a key role."
Notice, Harvard Law Bulletin, Summer 2021
"From the battles of Lev Gleason to a Civil War battle that changed a nation."
Contributor, Shepherd Best Books List, May 2021
"Brett's favorite books on the Golden Age, the age of Lev."
Podcast, Word Balloon, April 22, 2021
"Brett tells us about his book and the true story of his great uncle, comics publisher Lev Gleason and the Golden Age Daredevil."
Blog, Pop Culture Squad, March 24, 2021
"I have learned that Lev Gleason's personal story is a fascinating one. He was an entrepreneur and a crusader. He was flamboyant and generous."
Author Talk, Sidwell Friends School, February 2, 2021
"Former Upper School English teacher Dan Entwisle will lead the conversation with Brett, touching on topics including Brett's inspiration for telling this story, the life of one of the founding fathers of the comic book industry, and the intersection of comic books and the fight against fascism."
2020
Book Excerpt, Comics Bookcase, December 4, 2020
"In this short excerpt, we meet Lev later in his career, after he has already battled the House Un-American Activities Committee and the first wave of anti-comics hysteria in the U.S."
Interview, First Comics News, November 14, 2020
"Brett Dakin recounts an important part of comic book history with his book American Daredevil. Lev Gleason's influence, as we will soon learn, and his company's characters are still as valid and important today as they were in the past."
Interview, Biographers International, November 6, 2020
"Before the release of American Daredevil, I did not have an Instagram account, my Twitter account was dormant, and I was an infrequent visitor to the wilds of Facebook. Since the book's release, I have forced myself to become active on all three platforms, and I enjoy it quite a bit."
Blog, Deborah Kalb, October 4, 2020
"My biggest shock came the day I checked my mail and found a 187-page FBI dossier dedicated solely to Uncle Lev waiting for me. This was more than a year following my Freedom of Information Act request, and long after most of my initial research was complete."
Podcast, Comic Book Historians, September 27, 2020
"Alex Grand & Jim Thompson interview Lawyer and writer Brett Dakin, about his new book, a biography of his grand-uncle Lev Gleason of Lev Gleason Comic Publications discussing his formation of the first modern comic book with Charles Max Gaines, starting the Golden Age Daredevil and Crime Comics with Charles Biro and Bob Wood, his political battles with the House of Unamerican Activities Committee, the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, Frederick Wertham, Estes Kefauver, and the Comics Code."
Member Spotlight, Author's Guild, August 20, 2020
"Be ruthless about your own writing. Not a single word is precious. It really does take more work to use fewer words, but it's worth it."
Book Excerpt, Sequart, August 18, 2020
"In this short excerpt, we meet Lev later in his career, after he has already battled the House Un-American Activities Committee and the first wave of anti-comics hysteria in the U.S."
Video Lecture, Chappaqua Public Library, August 12, 2020
"Brett discusses Lev Gleason's time in Chappaqua, where he published a local newspaper, the New Castle News, and battled with the local Republican establishment and key figures like Dewitt Wallace of Reader's Digest."
Podcast, Classic Comics Cavalcade, August 11, 2020
"As Brett discusses, Lev Gleason was a man of many twists and turns. I think the chat about Gleason makes for a fascinating listen, and a great read as well."
Podcast, 20th Century Geek, August 6, 2020
"Scott talks with Brett about his new book chronicling the life of progressive comic publisher Lev Gleason."
Podcast, New Books Network, July 30, 2020
"Brett gives readers insight into his research into Gleason's life, career, and disappearance from public."
Op-Ed, New York Daily News, July 28, 2020
"The forces that Lev fought against a half-century before have reawakened with a vengeance, their voices amplified by new technologies that he could never have imagined."
Earlier
Panel, Harvard Law School Alumni Association, October 30, 2019
Harvard Law School alumni in senior positions at the United Nations and NGOs discuss their career paths, how they made the move from private to public sector, and the rewards and challenges of what they do.
Book Review, Washington Monthly, January/February 2017
"The Secret War in Laos is no longer a secret; its continued influence on American foreign policy shouldn't be either."
Essay, Foreign Affairs, September 6, 2016
"Hands Obama the opportunity to finally address the legacy of the United States' involvement in Laos during the Vietnam War and to forge a new model for U.S. engagement in the country for the twenty-first century."
Television Appearance, BBC World, September 6, 2016
On President Obama's historic announcement in Vientiane and what it means for the people of Laos.
Profile, Harvard Law Today, June 16, 2016
"Brett returned to HLS to talk with students about his career path."
Essay, Harvard Magazine, May-June 2011
"The man responsible was Leverett Stone Gleason '20, a Harvard dropout and one of this country's first, and most controversial, comic-book publishers."
Opinion, The Guardian, September 2, 2010
"The State Department must make a sustained commitment to solving this problem, starting with an allocation of at least $7m next year for the removal of unexploded ordnance in Laos."
Radio Interview, The Clocktower, 2010
"Will interviews Brett about Laotian politics, Grand Torino, comic books and Communism."
Profile, Harvard Law Bulletin, Summer 2003
"Dakin says his time in Laos was like a dream–a time of unparalleled freedom."
Op-Ed, The Washington Post, November 12, 2002
"Americans are stronger than Miramax seems to think. In fact, our willingness to question our leaders without fear is the very essence of our patriotism. It is time to let 'The Quiet American' speak."