Speaking
From literary festivals to leadership retreats, from university stages to TED-style events, PEN Finalist and Hollywood-adapted author Andrew D. Kaufman uses the world’s most dramatic stories to offer audiences fresh ways to think about courage, connection, and change.
Invite Andrew to speak to your organization
Topics:
THE COURAGE TO STAY HUMAN: CHOOSING CONNECTION OVER FEAR
A major motion picture is about to bring Andrew D. Kaufman’s critically acclaimed biography The Gambler Wife to the big screen. But the story behind the story – and why it matters now – runs deeper. In this timely talk, Kaufman shares the real-life journey of Anna Dostoyevskaya, the remarkable woman who helped save her famous husband Fyodor Dostoyevsky from destruction – and reshaped literary history. Her courage wasn’t loud. It was steadfast, resilient, rooted in love. Kaufman also draws on his own journey – from teaching in elite college classrooms to leading transformative literature seminars in jails. There, he has seen firsthand how stories of human struggle and moral complexity can awaken hope in even the darkest places. In a time when fear pushes us apart, it’s connection – quiet, human, real – that carries us through. Perfect for audiences navigating burnout, uncertainty, or personal reinvention, this talk delivers not only insight – but inspiration and courage.
Takeaways:
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How to stay centered and lead with empathy when fear and division take hold.
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How vulnerability builds the trust and connection that help people—and the organizations they shape—thrive.
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How to stay grounded, compassionate, and human in moments of change and uncertainty.
THE COURAGE TO LET GO:
WHAT A BOOK BECOMING A FILM CAN TEACH US ABOUT COLLABORATION AND CHANGE
When Andrew D. Kaufman’s book The Gambler Wife (PEN America finalist) was adapted into the international film The Idiots, he discovered powerful lessons that extend far beyond literature or film. Visiting the set in Poland, Kaufman witnessed his story reimagined by world-class directors and actors, and experienced what it means to entrust a vision to others and see it transformed into something larger than he could have created alone.
In this talk, Kaufman shares how that experience of watching his work come alive in new hands offers timeless lessons in leading through uncertainty, building trust across differences, and finding resilience in the face of change. His reflections provide audiences not just a behind-the-scenes glimpse of adaptation, but a deeply human reflection on the courage it takes to let go and embrace change.
Takeaways:
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How to let go of ownership and still hold on to what matters most.
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How to build trust by allowing others to bring their own strengths and perspectives.
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How transformation—even when unexpected or bittersweet—can deepen connection and open new possibilities.
RECLAIMING YOUR POWER AND PURPOSE IN TROUBLED TIMES
Scholar and author Andrew D. Kaufman shares inspirational lessons about reclaiming your power and purpose in life’s most challenging moments. Recounting what he learned from the sudden death of his father, encounters with inmates in his prison classes, and his bold decision to abandon a university professorship to pursue a higher passion, Kaufman inspires listeners to dig deep and discover new paths to meaning and fulfillment no matter the circumstances.
TRANSFORMING YESTERDAY’S MISTAKES INTO TOMORROW’S TRIUMPHS
In this entertaining keynote scholar and educational entrepreneur Andrew Kaufman tells the improbable story of how, as a young man fresh out of a Stanford Ph.D. program, he struggled as a Hollywood actor, gambled wildly in Las Vegas, and was bilked out of large sums of money by an unscrupulous business partner. Some two decades later, however, those roller-coaster years would become the inspiration behind some of Kaufman’s greatest creative and professional successes: four books (one of which is being adapted into a feature film), a nationally recognized prison education program that is the subject of a PBS documentary, and a university professorship. Kaufman shares how his experiences have taught him the value of taking risks, believing in yourself, and transforming yesterday’s mistakes into tomorrow’s triumphs.
Praise:
“Andrew Kaufman is one of those rare speakers whose erudition challenges the mind and enlarges the heart, inviting listeners into a conversation with the ages and with themselves. Articulate, illuminating, eloquent. Cicero says that speech should inform and delight-Kaufman does both with consummate skill.”
-Todd Breyfogle, PhD, Director of Seminars, The Aspen Institute
“Andrew Kaufman is one of the most inspiring and engaging speakers we’ve ever hosted. In front of nearly 300 people, he managed to make the entire audience feel seen, connecting equally with senior executives and assembly line workers. His message was not only powerful but directly relevant to both our business and personal lives. People left energized, saying it was the fastest hour they’d ever experienced and that they could’ve listened much longer. We’d welcome him back in a heartbeat.”
-Tammy Guiles, Vice President and CFO, Amstore Corporation
“We invited Dr. Andy Kaufman to speak at our annual company party where our theme was Make Love not War. A gifted speaker, Andy was able to bring Tolstoy’s fascinating life story alive with real and relevant applications to our everyday personal and business interactions. Using equal parts wit and wisdom, Andy was both entertaining and edifying. We wholeheartedly recommend him for your organization’s next gathering.”
-Paul Heule, Co-Founder and President, Eenhoorn, LLC
