About Jack Hersch
Jack J. Hersch, raised on Long Island, NY, earned both a BS (computer science) and an MBA from Columbia University. An expert in the field of troubled and distressed companies he works as a strategic advisor to corporate managements and investment institutions. Jack has served as a public corporation board member, and has guest-lectured at the business schools of M.I.T., U.S.C. and U.C. Berkeley, among others. He lives in New York City.
Read BookTrib’s review of Jack’s book, Death March Escape.
Death March Escape (2018)
Biggest literary influencers:
John Le Carre, James Salter, Stephen Ambrose
Last book read:
I’m always reading, so it changes every few weeks, but recent books include The Game by Ken Dryden and The Story of the Jewsby Simon Schama
The book that changed your life:
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carre. His writing was so detailed yet so clear, that I was stunned, intimidated, and attracted all at the same time. I decided I wanted to learn to write that way, to express myself with such clarity and detail and efficiency. I knew then that I wanted to write books, though I had no idea at the time what I would write about. I tried murder-mystery, but non-fiction seems to suit me best.
Your favorite literary character:
George Smiley, British agent and a creation of John Le Carre. He was a British spymaster who operated with brains, cunning and often imperfect information. He used what was available to him better than those around him. He kept his enemies in sight and refused to be distracted by petty or mundane issues that weren’t important. He tolerated the failings of those close to him, but expected perfection of himself.
Words to live by:
“No matter how bad things are, it beats the alternative. My concentration-camp-survivor father always said that. Nothing in life is that bad, because he’d seen the worst, and nothing he’d experienced since, and nothing I have ever experienced (or am likely ever to experience) can compare.”
Advice to new and aspiring authors:
Be disciplined. Do something to move the ball forward every day: write, edit, research, it doesn’t matter what, just as long as you do something every day.