With unrest, tragedy, and uncertainty all around us, many are asking the age-old question: How to live well and wisely in troubled times? Literature scholar and social-justice oriented educational entrepreneur Andrew Kaufman shares inspirational stories both personal and professional that have taught him crucial life lessons that will motivate listeners to reclaim their power, purpose, and passion in this difficult moment. While recounting how he watched his father suddenly die in front of him, or how inmates and prosecutors are transformed by their study of Dostoeyvsky’s Crime and Punishment in his classes, or how he abandoned his university professorship to find success and happiness in uncharted waters, Kaufman inspires listeners to dig deep and discover new paths to personal meaning and fulfillment no matter the circumstances.

In this keynote literature scholar and social justice-oriented educational entrepreneur Andrew Kaufman tells the improbable story of how, as a young man fresh out of a Stanford Ph.D. program in Slavic Languages and Literatures, he moved to Hollywood to become an actor, gambled recklessly in Las Vegas, and formed a three-year relationship with a national radio talk show host who became his mentor, friend, and business manager. Only problem was, the man turned out to be a con artist who bilked Kaufman out of huge amounts of money and then skipped town for good. Returning to academia with his tail between his legs, Kaufman resolved to stop taking risks altogether, which led to a long period of depression.

Some two decades later, however, those tumultuous, roller-coaster years yielded unexpected fruits, as they were the inspiration behind two major creative gambles that paid off: a nationally known prison education program Kaufman founded called Books Behind Bars, and the book The Gambler Wife: A True Story of Love, Risk, and the Woman Who Saved Dostoyevsky, which was a PEN America Literary Award Finalist and is being adapted into a major motion picture. In this entertaining and thought-provoking keynote Kaufman shares how his harrowing earlier experiences ultimately taught him the value of taking risks, believing in oneself, and transforming yesterday’s mistakes into tomorrow’s triumphs.

Literature scholar and social-justice-oriented educational entrepreneur Andrew Kaufman has spent a career teaching books about outcasts, addicts, and misfits and has worked closely with their real-life counterparts: incarcerated youth and adults. What he has learned from his unusual journey is that very few people are truly evil, and most are on a quest for fulfillment and love, no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they may have done. In this keynote Kaufman shares riveting stories from his unique encounters to remind listeners that any of us can get beyond limiting judgments about ourselves and others, and that we  have the power to conquer past demons and transform our lives for the better. By harnessing the power of second chances, we can achieve fuller, more joyful lives and help build a more just and loving world.

In this keynote, educational entrepreneur and creator of the nationally renowned Books Behind Bars program inspires the audience with riveting storytelling about the connective power of literature and how it can translate directly into social activism. Andrew conveys how to create social change by respecting the dignity of every human being, no matter what walk of life they may come from. When we, as a society, see the humanity in one another, we will be able to break down barriers, challenge harmful stereotypes, and create a community of greater empathy that can bring an end to the era of mass incarceration. Moving beyond the status quo requires bold, unorthodox thinking—something Andrew Kaufman knows about after having spent a decade building one of the country’s most innovative service-learning programs that brings together incarcerated youth and university students. This keynote offers a unique and inspiring take on how we can all do our part to make social change and combat mass incarceration.

In our fast-changing and unpredictable globalized world, teachers, college professors, and administrators alike are thinking hard about how best to equip students for the challenging world they’re about to enter. In this inspirational and entertaining keynote, Andrew Kaufman—educational entrepreneur, literature professor, and creator of the renowned Books Behind Bars program—reveals the five critical skills every high-school and college students must learn in order to succeed, lead, and make a positive impact on their world in the twenty-fist century: creativity, empathy, collaboration, self-reflection, and resilience. Kaufman draws on powerful examples from his own Books Behind Bars program, which international education expert Ken Bain calls “one of the most brilliant and highly effective examples of service-learning and learning by doing I’ve encountered,” and has been featured on The Today Show, NPR, Katie Couric and the Washington Post. Books Behind Bars is also the subject of a feature documentary film, Seats At The Table, airing nationally on PBS throughout 2020 and 2021.