Why did the Baldacci's establish the Wish You Well Foundation? David explains on his website, "Imagine your daily life, the information you process, the decisions you make based on that process and the actions you take based upon your decisions. Now imagine doing all these things while either being unable to read or reading at a below-average level. Well, you've successfully imagined the daily lives of nearly 100 million people, half the population of the United States. A country that was founded on the principles of free speech, free press, and the freedom of religion -- all rights tied inexorably to words -- is fast becoming an illiterate nation. The ability to read is the foundation for everyday life. Indeed, virtually none of the major issues we face as a nation today can be successfully overcome until we eradicate illiteracy. That's why we created the Wish You Well Foundation."

For more information or to get involved with eliminating illiteracy in the United States, call 703-476-6032 or visit the Wish You Well Foundation website.

The Whole Truth

David's newest thriller, The Whole Truth, follows the path of his own recent travels to Europe. Here's a peek at the story:

A rising threat has startled the world. Armies are preparing to fight. And as nations slip ever closer to open conflict, the struggle to reveal the truth might be the most dangerous battle of all...

"Dick, I need a war."

Nicolas Creel is a man on a mission. He heads up the world's largest defense contractor, The Ares Corporation. Dick Pender is the man Creel retains to "perception manage" his company to even more riches by manipulating international conflicts. But Creel may have an even grander plan in mind.
 
Shaw, a man with no first name and a truly unique past, has a different agenda. Reluctantly doing the bidding of a secret multi-national intelligence agency, he travels the globe to keep it safe and at peace.
 
Willing to do anything to get back to the top of her profession, Katie James is a journalist who has just gotten the break of a lifetime: the chance to interview the sole survivor of a massacre that has left every nation stunned.
In this terrifying global thriller, these characters' lives will collide head-on as a series of events is set in motion that could change the world as we know it. An utterly spellbinding story that feels all too real, The Whole Truth delivers all the twists and turns, emotional drama, unforgettable characters, and can't-put-it-down pacing that readers expect from David Baldacci -- and still goes beyond anything he's written before.

David Baldacci has published sixteen novels: Absolute Power, Total Control, The Winner, The Simple Truth, Saving Faith, Wish You Well, Last Man Standing, The Christmas Train, Split Second, Hour Game, The Camel Club, The Collectors, Simple Genius, and Stone Cold; and in his young adult series, Freddy and the French Fries: Fries Alive! and Freddy and the French Fries: The Adventures of Silas Finklebean. He has also published a novella for the Dutch entitled Office Hours, written for Holland's Year 2000 "Month of the Thriller." Baldacci authored a short story, "The Mighty Johns," as part of a mystery anthology published in 2002.