Finally, a novel that changes the conversation.
Drawing from the Book of Daniel, Madison’s blueprint for power, and the bare-knuckle politics of Virginia, Frank Atkinson drops you into the modern lion’s den. His characters face the choice every public figure confronts: do what’s right, or do what wins.
“The strength of this nation has never depended solely on government. It has depended on you and me.”
— Mike Pence, 48th Vice President of the United States
Frank Atkinson is a Richmond-based attorney and consultant who has spent over forty years observing the machinery of American power from the inside. As a partner at McGuireWoods and principal founder of its public affairs practice, he has advised universities and shaped policy on higher education and economic development. He served in the Justice Department in the Reagan Administration and as a cabinet-level advisor to former Governor George Allen.
The author of two nonfiction books on Virginia politics, The Lion’s Den is his third book and first novel; all three books are published in conjunction with the UVA Center for Politics.
Frank lives in Richmond with his wife, Diane. They have two adult sons.
Reviews of Atkinson’s non-fiction books …
“Virginia in the Vanguard offers a fascinating commentary on a Southern state in rapid social and political transition, just as with his first book, The Dynamic Dominion.”
- Kevin Gentry (Virginia in the Vanguard 5-Star review)
“…the tension of a good thriller. ”
- Randall Ivey (Dynamic Dominion 5-Star review)
“[should] be made required reading in...colleges and universities all across the country.”
- Parker Bena (Dynamic Dominion 5-Star review)
“His two books on Virginia politics since the mid-20th century are go-to reads, richly researched, to the point and — when they have to be — tough on his fellow Republicans and Democrats…”
- Jeff Schapiro (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Books by Frank Atkinson
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The Lion's Den
Renewing Our Democracy by Renewing Ourselves
A compelling story about life in the political arena – as a venue for selfless impact and palace of selfish ambition. Inspired by timeless lessons from the Book of Daniel, Madison's vision of balanced government, and the colorful politics of the Old Dominion, Atkinson’s characters grapple with vexing political and ethical choices in a modern-day lion's den.
By Frank B. Atkinson
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The Dynamic Dominion
Realignment and the Rise of Two-Party Competition in Virginia, 1945-1980
The dramatic story of Virginia's political transformation from the Second World War to the Reagan Revolution. As the cradle of American democracy and a force in the democratic movement sweeping the globe, the Old Dominion emerged as a dynamic political pacesetter for the nation.
By Frank B. Atkinson
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Virginia in the Vanguard
Political Leadership in the 400-Year-Old Cradle of American Democracy, 1981-2006
Continuing the story begun in The Dynamic Dominion, Virginia re-emerges as a competitive, trendsetting state. In the 1980s, Democrats led by Chuck Robb and Doug Wilder reclaimed the governor's mansion and focused on a centrist formula as a prescription for national renewal.
By Frank B. Atkinson
Is there light inside the American political arena?
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