Speaking, Appearances, Book Signings and Events
New Writings, Book Releases, Speaking Engagements, Book Awards and Events
Dead Serious and Lighthearted and The Relevance of Reason Series and Mack W. Borgen – Articles, Events, and Awards.
The author welcomes opportunities to meet and speak with groups, associations, corporate, economic, or political organizations and with educational, charitable, civic, service, or non-profit organizations. The author is also available for panelist participations and book signings.
In all instances the author will try accommodate your group’s timing, format, budget, and schedule, and he will address his subjects without political bias and with a certain lightness and even humor. Please contact Brody & Schmitt Publishers or the author directly at mwborgen@live.com in order to arrange or schedule any speaking engagement, book signing, or other event.
(Note: The following list is included merely as a sampling of such articles, events, book signings, awards, and major marketing events.
New Articles and Other Writings, Book Releases, Speaking Engagements, Book Signings, Book Awards, and Other Book-Related Events.
June 6, 2023 – Fixing America – Idea 29 – The Need for Direct Management Liability in the Event of Corporate Wrongdoing (Blog 167).
May 23, 2023 – Quick Facts – Interesting Legal Developments (Blog 166).
May 2, 2023 – Announcing My Induction into Marquis’ Who’s Who in America (125th Year Commemorative Edition) (Blog 165).
April 4, 2023 – Quick Facts – 7 Recent Business and Real Property Law Developments (Blog 164).
March 14, 2023 – Fixing America – Idea 28 – Solving the Western States’ Water Shortage Problems (Blog 163).
February 28, 2023 – Recent Business and Real Estate Law Developments – Organize Your Estate Plan NOW (Blog 162).
February 9, 2023 – Fixing America – Idea 27 – It’s Time to Start Using the Right Numbers (To Track Americans’ True Tax Burden) (Blog 161).
January 31, 2023 – New(er) Business Law Words and Phrases – Definitions of Critical Business Law/Finance Terms (Blog 160).
January 17, 2023 – 7 Major New Business / Real Estate Law Developments – The Year 2022 in Numbers (Blog 159).
January 3, 2023 – Starting the Year Off Easy – The 50 Best Song Titles of All Times (Blog 158).
December 6, 2022 – Trickle Down Economics and Trickle Up Inflation – 7 Major Business and Real Estate Law Developments (Blog 157).
October 24, 2022 – The Real Players in Our Nation Are … and Recent Business, Contract, and Real Property Law Developments (Blog 156).
September 13, 2022 – Quick Facts (Major Decrease in IRS Audit Rates) – 8 Major California Business and Real Estate Law Developments (Blog 153).
August 16, 2022 – Essay – “Competition vs Greed – America Is Going to Have to Decide” (Blog 152).
July 26, 2022 – Quick Facts (IRS Announces Major New Mileage Travel Deductions) – Best Songs Lyrics of Modern America – Part 22 (Blog 151).
July 12, 2022 – 10 Recent Business and Contract Law Cases – New Word (Shrinkflation) – Quick Facts (Size of Average U.S. House and Household) (Blog 150).
June 28, 2022 – Recent Business and Contract Law Developments – “Just an Idea” about Our Constitution – Quick Facts (Guns in the U.S.) (As Compared with Other Nations) (Blog 149).
June 7, 2022 – “Pass-Through Entities” in a Nutshell – The Critical Teaching of Financial Literacy – New Term (The Triple-Peak Day) (Blog 148).
May 17, 2022 – Important California Legislation Affecting the Acquisition, Leasing, and Management of Real Estate – Quick Facts (About Women in America) – Thought for the Day (Blog 147).
April 26, 2022 – List of My Last 20 Blog Articles – Quick Facts (Blog 146).
April 5, 2022 – New Article – “Important Employment Law Cases Pending before the CA Supreme Court” – It’s Never Too Late to Remember – Major Changes Pursuant to Revised CA LLC Act – Three Reasons to Read (O.K. At Least Skim) the Fine Print – Quick (Tax) Facts – Thought for the Day (Blog 145).
March 22, 2022 – New Article – “Preventive” Legal Planning – New Concept of Periodic, Legal Checkup – Quick Facts” (Blog 144).
March 9, 2022 – Announcement – “Writer’s Heartache, March Madness, and Friends-Only Sale” (Blog 143).
February 23, 2022 – New Article – “New CA Real Property Laws – Quick Summary – ‘End of Single-Family Zoning’ “ (Blog 142).
February 15, 2022 – New Article – “Great Quote – (Today’s) Quick Facts – Best Song Lyrics” (Blog 141).
February 1, 2022 – Announcement – “THANK YOU – Many Requests for My New White Binder Book – Get Life-Organized – Get Your Copy Now” (Blog 140).
January 25, 2022 – New Article – For All of Us – Major New Project – Order Your Personal Data Book Now (Blog 139).
January 8, 2022 – New Article – “The Please and Pleas for Our New Year” (Blog 138).
December 14, 2021 – New Article – Reader’s Brilliant Addendum to My (Mis)Use of Litigation Article (Blog 137).
December 10, 2021 – New Article – “The (Mis)Use of Litigation – 210,000 Civil Lawsuits Every Year in California – And Quick Facts” (Blog 136).
September 13, 2021 – Announcement – Returning to My Law Practice.
August 9, 2021 – New Article – “Who to Believe – The Worst and the Best News Sources – Part 2” (Blog 135).
July 26, 2021 – New Article – “Who to Believe – The Worst and the Best News Sources – Part 1” (Blog 134).
July 13, 2021 – New Article – “Best Song Lyrics and Move Lines – Quick Facts and a New Fancypants Word” (Blog No. 133).
June 29, 2021 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 23 – A (Much) Better Way to Vote (Blog No. 132).
June 2, 2021 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 22 – Ban Commercially-Driven, Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Drug Advertising (Blog No. 131).
May 10, 2021 – Mack W. Borgen commences work on next two books – May the Bridges I Burn Light the Way (Working Title) and Corporate Crime in America – So Much Worse Than You Think. The first book is a collection of my writings about American society and culture — presenting observations about the American condition and ideas on “Fixing America.” The second book is a unique presentation about the scope, manner, techniques, and pervasiveness of corporate wrongdoing in America – and the financial devastation and lasting and adverse societal impacts resulting therefrom. The basis for this writing is the author’s detailed, comparative analysis of corporate convictions or liability admissions over two separate time periods – 2015 and 2021. It is projected that these books will be released sometime in 2022.
April 26, 2021 – First reviews (All 5-Star – ***** reviews so far!) of my latest book, The Writings of a Lifetime, posted on Amazon by Amazon customers. My special thanks to those readers who have taken the time to write a review of my writings. It is so appreciated.
March 12, 2021 – The Writings of a Lifetime (Paperback Edition) becomes available for sale both on Amazon and at www.mackwborgen.com (Book Ordering).
March 9, 2021 – Release of Book Cover, Book Summary, and 1st Three Reviews of The Writings of a Lifetime.
March 1, 2021 – Announcement of Planned Release of Mack W. Borgen’s New Book – The Writings of a Lifetime.
December 31, 2020 – New Article – Politics and Pandemic – More of the (Please) Go Away Words of 2020 (Blog No. 128).
December 16, 2020 – New Article- The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – And The New Words of Our Covid 2020 Year (Blog No. 127).
December 3, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 21 – We Attorneys Are a (Big) Part of America’s Problems – Part 2 (Blog No. 126).
December 1, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 21 – We Attorneys Are a (Big) Part of America’s Problems – Part 1 (Blog No. 125).
November 10, 2020 – New Article – America’s Achievement – Deserved Proud – And Now We Know (Blog No. 124).
September 22, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 20 – The Truth Problem – The Need for Truth and Balance Ratings for Newspapers, Magazines, Columnists and Television and Radio Stations, Shows, Hosts, and Commentators (Blog No. 123).
September 11, 2020 – New Article – “On This Sacred Day – Three Things America Must Do“ (Blog No. 122).
August 18, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 19 – If We Get It Right – The Next “Greatest Generation” (Blog No. 121).
August 4, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 18 – Remembering America’s “Good Celebrities” – My First 40 “Good Celebrities (Blog No. 120).
July 20, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 17 – If They’re Good Enough for Our Capitalism, They’re Good Enough for Our Democracy – Monthly Recognition Payments for Lifetime Excellence in Citizenship (Blog No. 119).
June 30, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 16 – It’s Time to Reset America (Blog No. 118).
June 16, 2020 – New Article – Lessons of the Covid-19 Pandemic and Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 15 (Blog No. 117).
June 10, 2020 – New Article – I’m Back – Knocked Down, But Not Out – Hard Data – Spanish Flu vs Covid-19 (Blog No. 116).
March 10, 2020 – New Article – Get Your Mind off Coronavirus – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 13 (Blog No. 115).
March 1, 2020 – Publication of Author Profile article article in renowned Kirkus Reviews Magazine.
February 28, 2020 (Friday, 10:00AM) – Sixth Appearance on One-Hour Radio Show with Dr. Elizabeth Stewart about my now two series of blog presentations (“The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America” and “Fixing America”). KZSB AM 1290.
February 25, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 15 – Streamline the Federal and State Penal Codes and Address the Issue of Overcriminalization in American Society (Blog No. 114).
February 13, 2020 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Idea 14 – Institutionalized Utilization of U.S. Military in Instances of Natural Disasters (Blog No. 113).
January 21, 2020 – New Article – Just 1 Song – Because of Its Echoing Relevance – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 12 – The Poetry of Our Time (Blog No. 112).
January 7, 2020 – Announcement – Kirkus Reviews Article about Mack W. Borgen. Announcement of Brody & Schmitt Publishers that Mack W. Borgen and his series of books will be the subjects of a feature article in the forthcoming March, 2020 issue of the highly renowned Kirkus Reviews.
December 10, 2019 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Ideas 10-13 – Congressional Reforms: Cap or Tie Pay Increases; Eliminate Special Congressional Health Care, Retirement and Pension Plans; and Cease Minting of U.S. Pennies (Blog No. 110).
November 26, 2019 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Ideas 7-9 – NASA All Over Again – The Need for Climate Scientists to Retain Professionals for the Development of an Education Campaign; (Slightly) Redefining the Concept of “News” – The Need for the Regular Inclusion of Positive News; The Advisability of Mandatory Public Service) (Blog No. 109).
November 12, 2019 – New Article – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 11 – The Poetry of Our Time (Blog No. 108).
November 1, 2019 (Friday, 10:00AM) – Fifth appearance on One-Hour Radio Show with Dr. Elizabeth Stewart about my series of blog presentations of The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America and my new series of blog presentations of specific ideas about and entitled “Fixing America.” KZSB AM 1290.
October 29, 2019 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Ideas 4-6 – Award of Attorneys’ Fees to Winning Party; Inclusion of Positive Aspects of American Society as a (Distinct) Part of U.S. History Curricula; and Office of International Comparisons (Blog No. 107).
October 16, 2019 – New Article – “Fixing America” – Ideas 1-3 – Consolidated Interstate Database for Reports of License Suspensions or Revocations; Term Limits; The Media – Report Corporate Settlements, Awards, and Fines as Percentage of Average Annual Net Profits (Blog No. 106).
October 1, 2019 – New Article – “Many Good … And A Few Brilliant” – Introduction of M. Borgen’s New Series of Blog Articles Presenting (Specific) Ideas about “Fixing America” (Blog No. 105).
September 10, 2019 – New Article – “Ethics Cannot Be Saved for Sunday, Family and Friends” (Blog No. 104).
September 10, 2019 – Announcement of Mack W. Borgen’s Forthcoming Book (Box No. 6 to be released in late 2020) – So Much Worse Than You Think – Corporate Crime in America (Blog No. 104).
August 22, 2019 – New Article – “Three Chords and the Truth – The Amazing Ken Burns Does It Again” (Best Song Lyrics – Part 10) (Blog No. 103)
June 25, 2019 – New Article – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 9 – Bread – Lovin’ Spoonful – Gordon Lightfoot – Bon Jovi. (Blog No. 101).
June 7, 2019 (Friday, 10:00AM) – Fourth appearance on One-Hour Radio Show with Dr. Elizabeth Stewart about my series of blog presentations of The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America. This show focused upon the comparative historical and brilliantly narrative songs of Don McLean’s American Pie (1971) and Billie Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (1989). KZSB AM 1290.
May 28, 2019. Borgen’s Dead Serious and Lighthearted series are named Best Books of the Year in an unprecedented three separate categories. Three separate 2019 National Indie Excellence Awards were awarded for Borgen’s series. Volume I was selected as the Best Book of the Year in both the U.S. History category and the Reference category. Simultaneously, Volume III was named Best Book of the year in the Current Events Category.
May 21, 2019 – New Article – “A Beg for Humility – The Phrase That Could Save America” (Blog No. 99).
May 1, 2019 – New Article – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 8 – Don McLean’s “American Pie” and Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (Blog No. 98).
April 18, 2019 – Article about selection of Borgen’s Vol III for national book award (“Local Man Wins Book Award”) published in Santa Barbara News-Press.
April 15, 2019 – Press Release – National Book Award to Mack W. Borgen for Volume III of Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America (Reference – Category). Award to be presented at BookExpo in New York, New York on May 29, 2019 (Blog No. 97).
April 10, 2019 – Independent Publisher National Book Award (the “IPPYs”) granted to Mack W. Borgen’s for his Volume III of Dead Serious and Lighthearted- The Memorable Words of Modern America (1994-2015). In competition with contestant authors of the over 1,078,000 books published in the U.S. in 2018 by university presses, independent presses, and self-publishers, Volume III received the Silver Award (2nd Place) as the Best Nonfiction Book of the Year (Reference). The award will be presented at the 2019 IPPY Award Ceremony during the BookExpo America convention in New York on May 28, 2019.
April 10, 2019 – New Article – The Best Songs Lyrics of Modern America – Part 7 – Wilson Phillips – Brad Paisley – David Ruffin (The Temptations) – Barbara Lewis – Madonna (Blog No. 96).
March 21, 2019 – New Article – “Prison Is the Price of Guilt – The College Admissions Scandal” – (Blog No. 95).
March 15, 2019 – New Article – “Buffalo Springfield – Allman Brothers – Childish Gambino – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 6″(Blog No. 94).
February 20, 2019 – New Article – “Jefferson Airplane – John Mayer and Others – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 5″(Blog No. 93).
February 7, 2019 – New Article – “It’s O.K. – But the Time for Tinkering Is Over”(Blog No. 92) (A Re-Introduction to Mack W. Borgen’s comprehensive April, 2018 economics and taxation article entitled “A Care for the Elimination of Income Taxation – There Is a Far Better Way”).
January 16, 2019 – New Article – “The Best Songs Lyrics of Modern America – Part 4″(Blog No. 91).
January 15, 2019 (Tuesday 10:00AM) – One-Hour Radio Show with Dr. Elizabeth Stewart about the release of my third volume, Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America – Volume III (1994-2015). KZSB AM 1290.
January 14, 2019 – Volume III Publication Release Date (Amazon, IngramSpark, Brody & Schmitt Publishers, etc.) Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America – Volume III (1994-2015) (624 pp).
December 21, 2018 – Press Release – Article by Mack W. Borgen – “Saving State Street (and Main Street) – Small Steps Are Not Going to Suffice”
December 21, 2018 (Friday 10:00AM) – One-Hour Radio Show with Dr. Elizabeth Stewart about my presentation of song lyrics, “the poetry of our time,” and my Blog Series “The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America” which began in October, 2018. KZSB AM 1290.
December 18, 2018 – Press Release – Release of Volumes I and II and Summaries of Multiple Book Reviews.
December 18, 2018 – New Article- “The Best Songs Lyrics of Modern America” – Part 3 (Blog No. 89).
November 28, 2018 – New Article – “Saving State Street (and Main Street) – The Stores Have To Be Open and The Lights Have To Be On” – (Blog No. 87).
November 14, 2018 – New Article – “6,000 Pounds of Turkey – The Band’s “Last Waltz” – (Blog No. 86).
November 10, 2018 – Annual Distribution of Portion of Book Sales Proceeds to Selected Charities (The Steppingstone Foundation (Boston, MA); First Book (Washington, DC); Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA); and Shoes That Fit (Claremont, CA). For explanation, information, and description of these charitable organizations, please see Website Page entitled “Charitable Donations.”
November 8, 2018 (Thursday, 12:00 (Noon) – 1:00PM) – Book Presentation and Speech at History Forum (Montecito and Santa Barbara) – Volumes I and II of Dead Serious and Lighthearted.
November 8, 2018 – Announcement – “Third Round of Charitable Contributions from the Sales of My Books” – (Blog No. 85)
October 26, 2018 – Kirkus Review’s Pro Connect. Borgen joins Kirkus Review’s Pro Connect program for meeting and coordination with literary agents, publishers, speaker bureaus, and event organizers.
October 24, 2018 – New Article – “Enjoy – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 2″ – (Bl0g No. 84).
October 9, 2018 – New Article (Blog 83) – “Enjoy – The Best Song Lyrics of Modern America – Part 1” – (Blog No. 83)
October 2, 2018 – Announcement – “FOUR Great Reviews – Including Renowned Kirkus Reviews” – (Blog No. 82).
September 19, 2018 (4:15PM (PT) – Radio Show with Cynthia Brian’s Lifestyle Radio Program.
September 15, 2018 – Powerful Book Review of Volume I selected and included in Kirkus Reviews (September 15, 2018) issue. For excerpts of the Kirkus Review see July 27, 2018 below.
September 4, 2018 (12:00 (Noon) PT) – Radio Show with Cynthia Brian’s StarStyle Show.
August 17, 2018 (Friday 10:00AM) – One-Hour Radio Show with Dr. Elizabeth Stewart about the release of my second volume, Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America – Volume II (1977-1993). KZSB AM 1290.
August 16, 2018 (Thursday, 7:00PM-8:30PM) – Author Book Launch and Book Signing (All Welcome) at Chaucer’s Bookstore in Santa Barbara, California (3221 State Street).
August 13, 2018. Volume II Publication Release Date (Amazon, IngramSpark, Brody & Schmitt Publishers, etc.) of Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America – Volume II (1977-1993) (424 pp).
August, 2018. “Teaches the history of Modern America … in a captivating way” (with) a keenly selected and presented collection of various spoken and written words.” Readers’ Favorite Book Review. Receives rating of 4.8 out of 5!!
July 27, 2018. Receipt of Powerful Review by Nationally-renowned Kirkus Reviews (New York, New York and Austin, Texas). The review describes the concept of Dead Serious and Lighthearted‘s presentation of the history of Modern America as a “herculean task” and a “gargantuan project” and notes that Borgen “follows each of the entries with a concise explanation of ‘context, meaning, and impact” … (with) “a depth that goes far beyond simple nostalgia ….” “(P)acked with cultural highlights and pivotal moments from a wide array of sources.”
July 26, 2018. Borgen’s Amazon Promotion Sold Out in 47 Seconds. Attesting to the power of Amazon and, hopefully as well, the public’s great reception of Volume I of Dead Serious and Lighthearted, the author’s first Amazon promotion is sold out in a mere 47 seconds.
July 25, 2018. Speech at the Santa Barbara Kiwanis Luncheon about the release of Volume II of Dead Serious and Lighthearted which volume presents the historical events of Modern America during the years 1977-1993.
July 20, 2018. Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I receives a Four-Star Review from Clarion Reviews – An “expansive,” “exhaustive,” and “eye-opening collection” of America’s “Memorable Words.” Part I of the book about “the importance of studying American history beyond what is taught in the classroom … would make an inspiring introduction to a university-level course.”
June 15, 2018 – New York Book Festival – Volume I of Dead Serious and Lighthearted is selected as Honorable Mention for Best Book of the Year (General Nonfiction Category).
June 1, 2018. (Friday, 10:00AM) One-Hour Radio Show with Dr. Elizabeth Stewart about my book Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I. KZSB AM 1290.
May 26, 2018 (Saturday, 3:00PM-4:00PM) – Author Book Signing Party (All Welcome) at Tecolote Bookstore in Montecito, California (1470 East Valley Road (Hwy 192) – Nearest Cross-Street: San Ysidro Road). Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments.
May 21, 2018 – “Opening this book feels like unlocking a time capsule …To those who lived through the 60s and 70s, these glimpses are magnetic, … (f)or Generation X and Millenniums, this may be your first time hearing this information….” Excerpted from Featured Review of US Review of Books released this date. Volume I received US Review of Books‘ highest “Recommended” rating.
May 20, 2018 – Best Book of the Year (General Non-fiction Category) (First Runner-Up) – 2018 San Francisco Book Festival. The announcement of this award for Volume I of Dead Serious and Lighthearted was announced on this date.
May 2, 2018 – Tecolote Bookstore, Montecito, CA. Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I (19547-1976) is now available for purchase at Tecolote’s Bookstore in Montecito, CA.
April 26, 2018 – 2018 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest. Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I is entered in both the General Nonfiction and History categories of the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest.
April 26, 2018 – Chaucer’s Bookstore, Santa Barbara, CA. Both hardback and paperback editions of Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I are now available for purchase at Chaucer’;s Bookstore.
April 25, 2018 – San Francisco Book Festival. Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I is entered in both the General Nonfiction and History categories of the San Francisco Book Festival.
April 24, 2018 – New York Book Festival. Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I is entered in the New York Book Festival Contest.
April 23, 2018 – Author Joins Goodreads Author Program and adds Author Profile to Goodreads’ website at goodreads.com.
April 20, 2018 – The US Review of Books. Volume I of Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America submitted to The US Review of Books, Titusville, NJ.
April 19, 2018 – A Case for the Elimination of Income Taxation. New article written by Mack W. Borgen posted as Blog No. 76 on this website at Blogs.
April 18, 2018 – IBPA’s Bookstore Catalog (Summer Edition). Vol I of Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America scheduled for inclusion in IBPA’s Bookstore Catalog which will be released on May 31, 2018.
April 12-19, 2018 – Santa Barbara Independent. Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America – Volume I (1957-1976) is advertised for the first time in Santa Barbara Independent.
April 10, 2018 – Media Kit Now Available. A Media Kit for Mack W. Borgen and his new three-volume book series, Dead Serious and Lighthearted is as of this date made available on this website (www.mackwborgen.com) at the Media Kit tab.
April, 6, 2018 – Top 3% Ranking of All Books on Amazon. Within ten days of the date of initial release, Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I (1957-1976) achieves a Top 3% ranking of all books sold on Amazon.
April 4, 2018 – Independent Book Publishers Association (the “IBPA”) and Media Outreach. Author, Mack W. Borgen, joins the IBPA and become a participant in the IBPA’s Media Outreach Program.
March 27, 2018 – Volume I Publication Release of Dead Serious and Lighthearted – Volume I (1957-1976). Volume I released and made available for the first time for public ordering of both hardback and paperback editions on both Amazon and IngramSpark.
March 8, 2018 – Announcement of Special 40% Offer for All Direct-from-Publisher Book Orders. The 40% Off Special Offer expires April 30, 2018 and the 40% Off Special Offer can be seen on this website (www.mackwborgen.com) at the Book Ordering tab.
Book Awards
National Indie Excellence Awards – Dead Serious and Lighthearted series named Best Books of the year in an unprecedented THREE separate categories: U.S. History, Current Events, and Reference. May, 2019.
Independent Publisher National Book Award (the “2019 IPPYs”)- Best Nonfiction Book of the Year (Reference) – Silver Award (Second Place) – Dead Serious and Lighthearted (Volume III). The award will be presented at the IPPY Award Ceremony at the 2019 Book Expo in New York on May 29, 2019.
New York Book Festival (2018) – Dead Serious and Lighthearted (Volume I) – Honorable Mention for Best Book of the Year (General Nonfiction Category)
San Francisco Book Festival (2018) – Dead Serious and Lighthearted (Volume I) – First Runner-Up – Best Book of the Year (General Nonfiction Category)
ForeWord Review Magazine Book Contest (2014) – The Relevance of Reason (Volume II) (Society and Culture) – Bronze Award (3rd Place) in Popular Culture Category.
ForeWord Review Magazine Book Contest (2014) – The Relevance of Reason (Volume I) (Business and Politics) – Award Finalist – Political Science Category.
Los Angeles Book Festival (2014) – The Relevance of Reason (Volume I) (Business and Politics) – First Runner-Up – Best Business Book of the Year
Eric Hofer National Book Contest – The Relevance of Reason (Volume II) (Society and Culture) – Award Finalist (2014)
Public Speaking Appearances by Mack W. Borgen
Attorney, Historian, Speaker, and National Award-Winning Author
I. General Introductory Comments;
II. Contact and Booking Information;
III. Speaking Topics — A Sampling of 25 Alternative Titles and Topics;
IV. Background and Resume of Mack W. Borgen; and
V. Brief Description of Books and Sampling of Book Reviews and Book Awards
– – –
I . General Introductory Comments.
Consideration of All Speaking Invitations and Participation in Panels — Academic, Corporate, Economic, Political, Educational Meetings; Charitable, Civic, Service Organizations and Events. Mack W. Borgen welcomes all invitations to meet with and speak to all academic, corporate, economic, or political organizations and with educational, charitable, civic, service, or non-profit organizations, assemblies, meetings, or conferences. He also welcomes the opportunity to participate in all radio and television programming; university-level programs or courses; corporate or law-firm retreats; business and trade association gathering or meetings; and topic-focused conferences, workshops or other events including sponsored panel or group discussions. A detailed Resume of Mack W. Borgen is set forth below at Section IV.
Tailoring of Speeches in Length and to Your Audience or Subject(s) of Interest; No Minimum Audience Requirement; Question-and-Answer Format Welcomed. To the fullest extent possible, all speeches will be tailored to your designated time allotment and to your specific audience or subject(s) of interest. Unlike many speakers, Borgen does not mandate a minimum audience requirement, and he will be honored to carefully consider all invitations to speak. Lastly, unless requested otherwise by the event host, Lastly, Borgen welcomes — and normally tries to incorporate — a question-and-answer period as a part of each speech.
Positive and Apolitical Speeches Only – Infusion of Humor, Lightness and Respect. The speeches of Mack W. Borgen are and will remain positive, will be presented without political bias, and with an infusion of humor and lightness. Mack W. Borgen further tries to assure a balanced presentation of all reasonable and responsible positions with respect to the subject(s) addressed.
II. Contact and Booking Information; Speaking Fees and Special Discounts For All Student and Academic Organizations and All Charitable and Nonprofit Organizations.
Please contact Brody & Schmitt Publishers at SchmittBrodyPublishers@gmail.com — Or — Contact Mack W. Borgen directly at 805-450-2602 or via email at mwborgen@live.com.
Lastly, please know that Mack W. Borgen recognizes that it is an honor to address you group, assembly or event, and he will make every effort to tailor his speaking fees to your organization’s budget and allowance. He is pleased to offer substantial discounts for all student organizations and all charitable and nonprofit organizations.
III. Sampling of Alternative Speech Titles and Topics.
In addition to any desired presentation about Mack W. Borgen’s national award-winning book series (The Relevance of Reason – The Hard Facts and Real Data about the State of Current America (Volumes I and II) and Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America (Volumes I, II, and III), a sampling of 25 alternative speech titles and topics is set forth below for consideration by you or your organization’s planning group. As noted above, in all instances the speeches will be lighthearted and apolitical, and the speaker will try diligently carefully tailor each address to your specific audience or subject(s) of interest.
Humor and Lighthearted(Speeches about the many wonderful, sometimes contradictory, and gloriously humorous and touching aspects of American life).
No. 1 The Glimpsing of America – 9,506 Miles across America – And Back
No. 2. The Graduation Speech (I Wish I Had Given)
No. 3. The Trouble with Trouble … Is That It Always Starts Off as Fun
No. 3.A. New – Song Lyrics — The Poetry of Modern America
Americana – Our Commerce, Culture and Community (Thoughtful, intriguing and respectful speeches about various aspects of our inter-connected American life — its people and communities; its economy and condition, and its politics and governance).
Facts, Data, Curiosities, and Absurdities of American Life
No. 4. Coloring Within the Lines – But Not Connecting the Dots – The Weirdest Absurdities of Our American Life
No. 5. For the First Time in Our History – Four Generations at Once
Optimism, Patriotism, Confidence, and the Dream of American Life
No. 6. No Dog in the Fight – 10 Categories of Things We Must Do
No. 7. Playing the Long Game – In Business and For America
No. 8. Staring Down the Face of Crazy
No. 9. The 11 Things They Don’t Teach You in School
The American Community
No. 10. Even If We Don’t Know Their Names – The Changing Nature of the American Communities
No. 11. Winter Money and Trucks Dogs– What Many of the Rich Just Don’t Get
The American Condition
No. 12. Grading on the Curve – The True State of America –
No. 13. It Reads Better Than It Lives – Facts about the American Condition
No. 14. Like Little Gold Nuggets Among Like-Minded Friends – The Rise of Public Cynicism and the Diminishment of Reason
No. 15. The Taxation of Wealth – A Case for a Shift from the Taxation of Income History
No. 16. The Quiet Medicine of History — The Subtle, Forgotten or Ignored Purposes of History
No. 17. If You Really Want to Know America – The Memorable Words of Modern America
No. 18. (Too Often) Poorly Taught and Rarely Learned – The Demanding Relevance of History
No. 19. No “Ologies” or “Isms” – Enjoying America’s History through a Look at Its Own Words.
No. 20. For the First Time Ever – Four Distinct Generations Sharing Our Nation
Law, Ethics, and Legal Matters (Challenging speeches from the perspective of the author/attorney about the nature and state of U.S. law, jurisprudence and ethics and, upon request, about select legal matters).
No. 21. Money Can Be Paid – But Time Must Be Served – The Misuse of “Deferred Prosecution Agreements”
No. 22. The Hardest Money You’ll Ever Earn”– The Frequent Inadvisability of Using the Litigation Process for the Resolution of Business Disputes
Media, Perspective and Context (Speeches about the unique and challenging nature of the media and the mechanisms for the dispersal of accurate (and meaningful) information in our still-revolutionary Ages of Information and Technology)
No. 23. Missing Cronkite – Who to Trust and Who to Believe
No. 24. From Dutch Harbor to Key West – The “Reasonableness” of Differing Perspective
No. 25. Like Hamsters in a Wheel – The Impact of Big Data upon Our Capacities for New Information
IV. Background and Resume Of Mack W. Borgen
Personal Background:
Profession: Author, Attorney, Historian, and Speaker
Education: University of California at Berkeley, California – B.A. 1969 (Distinction in General Scholarship; Honors with Distinction in Economics); Commencement Graduation Speaker, Class of 1969
Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Author and Member, Harvard Journal on Legislation; Choate Society) J.D. Degree, 1972
Author: Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Word of Modern America (1957-2015) (3 Volumes) (2018-2019)
The Relevance of Reason – The Hard Facts and Real Data about the State of Current America – Volume I – Business and Economics (2013) (408 pp); Volume II – Society and Culture (2013) (438 pp)
Multiple National Books Awards (See above)
Forthcoming Books (Working Titles):
May the Bridges I Burn Light the Way – A Lifetime of Writings on the American Condition;
Circling Back – The Nature of Corporate Crime in America; and
It Reads Better Than It Lives – Essays about the American Condition
Additional Writings: Weekly Business Law Columnist (Los Angeles Daily Journal and the San Francisco Daily Journal (Professional Publications for California Attorneys); Blog Writer (Business, Politics, Economics, and Contemporary Culture) See www.mackwborgen.com.
Professional Law Practice: Business, corporate and commercial real estate law; Private equity businesses and outside general counsel; Business workouts and re-structurings.
Teaching Positions (Early Years Except as Noted Below).
Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey.
Coadjutant Professor of Labor Economics (History of Labor Movement).
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (Coadjutant Professor (History of the Supreme Court).
Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA (Project and Construction Management).
Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara, CA (Adjunct Instructor in Business Law (2015-2016)
Contact Information:
Mailing Address: Brody & Schmitt Publishers, 3655 Montalvo Way, Santa Barbara, California 93105
Telephone: 805-450-2602
Direct Email: mwborgen@live.com
Website: mackwborgen.com
Additional Personal Information:
Native of State of Montana (Long-time resident of both California and Montana)
Residence – Santa Barbara, California
Veteran – Served more than four years as Captain, Judge Advocate General’s Corps
Admitted to State Bars of California (Active) and Montana (Inactive).
V. Brief Description of Books; Sampling of Book Reviews of Mack W. Borgen’s Most Recent Books.
Dead Serious and Lighthearted – The Memorable Words of Modern America
Volume I (1957-1976); Volume II (1977-1993); and Volume III (1994-2015)
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW AMERICA, then read its Memorable Words – the real currency of American life, which by their passion, eloquence, prescience, or wisdom frame our history and reveal our past. These books introduce history in an entirely new way—without the tired stories and heavy words; without the litany of “isms” and “ologies.”
The Memorable Words, both the dead serious and the lighthearted, are carefully presented by year – the fascinating and frivolous, the tragic and momentous; the eloquent and bumbling; the touching and endearing – from Ike to Obama, from Lucy to Lady Gaga. Written without agenda, these books identify who said what and where and when—exactly. These books can help us know our country, lift our spirits, better remember who we are, who we were, and from whence we came.
The first volume presents the words from 957 until 1976 – from American Bandstand to The Godfather; from Lucy to Charlie’s Angels and Rocky’s call of “Yo, Adrian!,” from the end of the Fifties through the wildness of the Sixties; from the ascendancy of the Civil Rights, feminist, and environmental movements through the tragedy of Vietnam and the disgrace of Watergate.
The second volume presents the words from 1977 until 1993 – the “Middle Years” of Modern America – from Star Wars to Schindler’s List; from the efforts of Carter to the emergence of Reagan and the Go-Go Eighties; from the arrival of the culture wars and the rise of hyper-partisanship to the impacts of globalism and the omnipresence of the Internet,
The third and last volume presents the “memorable words” from 1994 to 2015—the last years of Modern America – the years of Clinton, Bush, and Obama and the rise of acrimony and partisanship; the terror of 9/11 and the wars in Iran and Afghanistan; the lightness of Forrest Gump and the humor of Seinfeld; the pain of “Hands up? Don’t shoot!” and wealth inequality, and even the technology-obsessed, hook-up culture of Modern America.”
BOOK REVIEWS OF SOME OF BORGEN’S MOST RECENT BOOKS (Dead Serious and Lighthearted Series) — A SAMPLING
A “herculean task”
“Packed with cultural highlights and pivotal moments from a wide array of sources.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS
“An expansive and eye-opening collection.”
CLARION REVIEWS
“The glimpses of the past are magnetic … Opening this book feels like unlocking a time capsule.”
US REVIEW OF BOOKS
“Teaching … history … in a captivating way.”
READER’S FAVORITE
“A … ‘Must Read.’ The brilliance of Borgen’s book lies in its breadth … and his powerful page-by-page commentaries….” MICHAEL LEVIN, New York Times Bestselling Author
“A wholly unique approach to understanding history… Read this book!” BRIGADIER GENERAL DULANEY O’ROARK (RET), Louisville, Kentucky
“Deserves a place in our higher education curriculum.” REID A. OLSEN, Education and Business Consultant, Chicago, Illinois
“Entertaining and fascinating.” PAUL D. HERMANN, Harvard Law School, Attorney, Atlanta, Georgia
