Alexis Coe

EXCLUSIVE
  • Presidential Historian
  • New York Times Bestselling Author, 'You Never Forget Your First'
  • Host, 'Presidents are People Too!' Podcast
  • Contributor to the New Yorker, The New York Times, Paris Review, and Many More

Presidential historian and New York Times bestselling author Alexis Coe is heralded for her lively, genre-defying, myth-busting essays, books, documentaries, and podcasts. Both of Coe’s books were critically acclaimed: Alice+Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis was praised by the New Yorker as having “the liveliness of a novel,” and her instant New York Times bestselling biography of George Washington, You Never Forget Your First, made every major publication’s Best Books of 2020, including TIME Magazine’s 100 Books To Read and an NPR Concierge “Best Book of the Year.” Coe has been sought-after for speaking engagements at Columbia, West Point, Georgetown, Sarah Lawrence, NYU, The New School, the University of San Francisco, and many others, and has given talks sponsored by Hulu, Chanel, and Madewell.

Coe regularly contributes to the New York Times, the New Yorker, the New Republic, Paris Review, Elle, and many others. She has appeared on CNN, the History Channel, C-SPAN, and CBS. Coe served as a consulting producer on the History Channel’s three-part series on Washington, hosted The Wing’s award-winning podcast No Man’s Land, and co-hosted Audible’s Presidents Are People Too! podcast, which recasts each of the American presidents as real-life people, complete with flaws, quirks, triumphs, scandals, and bodily ailments. Known for her engaging, informative, and charismatic delivery, Coe consistently receives rave reviews: "Alexis was a delight, and gave us important context for today's events at both of her talks” (Enoch Pratt Free Library) and "We had a terrific event.  Alexis Coe was amazing.” (Muskingum County Library System)

 



Alexis Coe headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • University of Mary Washington
  • Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Inc.
  • Muskingum County Library System
  • Enoch Pratt Free Library
  • The Wing
  • NYHS
  • HistoryCon
  • Mount Vernon
  • WBUR City Space
Rave Reviews About Alexis Coe as a Speaker
Her presentation was engaging and informative, and clearly elicited thoughtful, relevant questions. The biggest audience so far this year, and perhaps the longest line of people getting their books autographed.

Book Talk - George Washington: You Never Forget Your First - But You Do Misremember Him | NYU Law [1:05:41] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Alexis Coe
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Author Talk: ‘You Never Forget Your First’

Presidential historian ALEXIS COE‘s instant New York Times bestselling biography of George Washington, You Never Forget Your First, made every major publication’s Best Books list, including TIME Magazine’s “100 Books To Read” and an NPR Concierge “Best Book of the Year.” Invite Coe for an exploratio ...

Presidential historian ALEXIS COE‘s instant New York Times bestselling biography of George Washington, You Never Forget Your First, made every major publication’s Best Books list, including TIME Magazine’s “100 Books To Read” and an NPR Concierge “Best Book of the Year.” Invite Coe for an exploration of American leadership with a focus on George Washington, complete with hilarious myth-busting and engaging storytelling.

Information on book buys and signings is available upon request.

Author Talk: ‘Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis’

Historian ALEXIS COE‘s Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis was described by Bustle as “a gut-wrenching story of love, death, and the dangers of intolerance.” Coe brings listeners into the rich narrative with her exceptional storytelling skills. Information on book buys and signings is availab ...

Historian ALEXIS COE‘s Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis was described by Bustle as “a gut-wrenching story of love, death, and the dangers of intolerance.” Coe brings listeners into the rich narrative with her exceptional storytelling skills.

Information on book buys and signings is available upon request.

Moderation & Interviews

Presidential historian ALEXIS COE knows the makings of great leaders better than anyone and is ready to unpack that with other leading thinkers. Coe’s deep intelligence, rigorous historicism, and skill in guiding conversations make her an effective facilitator for conversations this election season. ...

Presidential historian ALEXIS COE knows the makings of great leaders better than anyone and is ready to unpack that with other leading thinkers. Coe’s deep intelligence, rigorous historicism, and skill in guiding conversations make her an effective facilitator for conversations this election season.

Hidden Histories

“If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation,” Abigail Adams wrote, and she meant it. Join New York Times bestselling author and award-winning President ...

“If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation,” Abigail Adams wrote, and she meant it.

Join New York Times bestselling author and award-winning Presidential Historian ALEXIS COE to learn about Abigail Adams’s quiet revolution. Analyzing Adams and other hidden heroes, Coe opens a window to an enlightening perspective on our shared past.

Case Studies: Building without Breaking

Join New York Times bestselling author and award-winning Presidential Historian ALEXIS COE to learn how the great military statesman, spin doctor, and spy secured America’s place among ancient superpowers. From an exploration of great leaders (and their interpersonal relationships), the development ...

Join New York Times bestselling author and award-winning Presidential Historian ALEXIS COE to learn how the great military statesman, spin doctor, and spy secured America’s place among ancient superpowers. From an exploration of great leaders (and their interpersonal relationships), the development of the free market, Coe shows us what has worked in building this great nation and why.

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Speaker News
<p><strong>Alexis Coe drives historic conversations as moderator and interviewer</strong></p>

Alexis Coe drives historic conversations as moderator and interviewer

While writing her New York Times bestselling biography of George Washington, ALEXIS COE picked up both the knowledge and skills to moderate the conversations shaping America. Coe was invited by the New York Historical Society Museum and Library to moderate a vital discussion as part of their Denise and Bernard Schwartz Distinguished Speakers Series: “How Should a President Be? A conversation on Historical Memory and Reckoning.” Coe was selected to moderate this esteemed discussion due to her adeptness at fostering intellectual conversations and her ability to maintain a respectful and engaging atmosphere throughout the engagement.

Watch Alexis Coe conduct an interview at the Brooklyn Historical Society >>

Watch Alexis Coe speak at the Enoch Pratt Free Library >>

<p><strong>Historian and bestselling author Alexis Coe makes history come alive with her unique (and hilarious) perspective</strong></p>

Historian and bestselling author Alexis Coe makes history come alive with her unique (and hilarious) perspective

Presidential historian and New York Times bestselling author ALEXIS COE invites audiences to take a closer look at history – revealing its complexity in new, fresh ways. Coe is the author of Alice+Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis and her instant New York Times bestselling biography of George Washington, You Never Forget Your First – which was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Books To Read and an NPR Concierge “Best Book of the Year.”

Sought after for speaking engagements at Columbia, West Point, Georgetown, NYU, and many others, Coe has also given talks sponsored by Hulu, Chanel, and Madewell – and is frequently asked back by hosts for additional events. In her talks – which are in-demand with startups, businesses, and universities alike – Coe offers a deeply researched and totally delightful lens on political history, making the lessons of the past feel more relevant than ever. As the Enoch Pratt Free Library put it, “Alexis was a delight, and gave us important context for today's events at both of her talks.”

Watch Alexis Coe at Books Are Magic >>

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Books by Alexis Coe
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Press & Media
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Biography

Alexis Coe is a presidential historian, and award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington and Alice+Freda Forever. Her Washington biography was hailed as an "important intervention" by the Times, "genre-expanding" by the Boston Globe, and was a Best Book of 2020 at NPR and many others. She was a consulting producer on the Doris Kearns Goodwin's three part George Washington series on the History Channel, and hosted the podcasts No Man's Land and Presidents Are People Too! from Audible.

She regularly appears on CNN, the History Channel, C-SPAN, and CBS, and lectured at Columbia, West Point, Georgetown, Sarah Lawrence, NYU, the New School, the University of San Francisco, and many others. She has given talks sponsored by Hulu, Chanel, and Madewell.

Her work has been included in The Best American Essays and The Best American Travel Essays, and she has contributed to the New Yorker, the New York Times' opinion section, the New York Times Magazine, the New Republic, the Paris Review, Elle, and many others.

While in grad school, Alexis was a project-based oral historian at the Brooklyn Historical Society, and after graduating, she was a Research Curator in the Exhibitions Department at the New York Public Library in Bryant Park.