19 Facts About Andrew Vachss

Andrew Henry Vachss was an American crime fiction author, child protection consultant, and attorney exclusively representing children and youths.

Andrew Vachss worked in Biafra, entering the war zone just before the fall of the country.

Andrew Vachss worked as a labor organizer and ran a self-help center for urban migrants in Chicago.

Andrew Vachss then managed a re-entry program for ex-convicts in Massachusetts, and finally directed a maximum-security prison for violent juvenile offenders.

Andrew Vachss was the author of 33 novels and three collections of short stories, as well as poetry, plays, song lyrics, and graphic novels.

In 2012, Andrew Vachss' published Blackjack: A Cross Novel, featuring the mercenary Cross Crew, introduced in earlier Andrew Vachss short stories as Chicago's most-feared criminal gang.

Andrew Vachss often referred to Shella as his "beloved orphan" until the 2004 release of The Getaway Man, a tribute to the Gold Medal paperback originals of the 1960s.

In 2005, Andrew Vachss released the epic Two Trains Running, a novel which takes place entirely during a two-week span in 1959, a critical period in American history.

In 2010, Andrew Vachss published two books: his novel The Weight, is a noir romance involving a professional thief and a young widow in hiding.

Andrew Vachss created illustrated works with artists Frank Caruso and Geof Darrow.

Andrew Vachss wrote non-fiction, including numerous articles and essays on child protection and a book on juvenile criminology.

Andrew Vachss's books have been translated into 20 languages, and his shorter works have appeared in many publications, including Parade, Antaeus, Esquire, Playboy, and The New York Times.

Andrew Vachss was a member of PEN and the Writers Guild of America.

Andrew Vachss coined the phrase "Children of the Secret", which refers to abused children, of whatever age, who were victimized without ever experiencing justice, much less love and protection.

Andrew Vachss coined the term to combat the mistaken over-emphasis on "stranger danger," a bias that prevents society from focusing on the most common way children are accessed for victimization:.

Andrew Vachss was a passionate advocate against animal abuse such as dog-fighting, and against breed-specific legislative bans.

Andrew Vachss noted that using these particular breeds further increases the victims' feelings of security; their "dangerous" appearance, in combination with the extensive therapy training, makes them excellent protection against human threats.

Andrew Vachss had a small blue heart tattooed on his right hand.

Andrew Vachss died of coronary artery disease on November 23,2021, at the age of 79 at his residence in Pacific Northwest.