Frank Schaeffer is a best selling author. His fiction, humor and non-fiction have received international critical acclaim. The Los Angeles Times describes Frank’s writing as, "A rich brew of cross-cultural comedy." The British newspaper the GuardianTimes of London says: "Schaeffer describes both the pleasures and occasional torments of childhood with charm and humor." Kirkus Reviews calls Frank’s writing: "Dramatic and laugh out loud funny, beautifully written and deftly constructed, deeply affecting in its honest portrayal of the author’s passions: a stunning achievement."
Tom Brokaw calls Frank’s writing, "A powerful and timely account of those missing in action -- the privileged class of America staying out of uniform and out of harm's way." Senator John McCain comments: "Frank [has] done our country a great service. [He] calls on [his] fellow citizens, for whom national service and sacrifice is an abstraction, to recognize that love of country is a more personal and consequential attachment than is popularly understood... I commend [his] wisdom and patriotism to all Americans."
Frank has written for USA Today, the Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times, the Baltimore Sun and many other publications on topics ranging from his critique of American right wing fundamentalism to his experiences as a military parent and novelist.
OPRAH, C-SPAN, (Book TV) PBS, the NEWS HOUR, FOX NEWS, CNN, ABC (Nightline with Ted Koppel), ABC’s 20/20 and many other media televised programs on Frank and his writing. He has also been interviewed on just about every major talk radio show in the country and been a commentator on both NPR’s All Things Considered and several times for the NEWS HOUR and Jim Lehrer.
Frank is the author of three critically acclaimed and commercially successful novels, translated into eight languages Portofino, Zermatt, and Saving Grandma. Frank has also written four non-fiction books including Keeping Faith A Father-Son Story About Love and the United States Marine Corps (co-authored with his Marine son John. Frank’s second book on the subject of his son’s service in the military was Faith Of Our Sons-A Father’s Wartime Diary published in 2004. Frank’s book Voices from the Front-Letters home From America’s Military Family was followed by AWOL--The Unexcused Absence of America’s Upper Classes From Military Service -- And How It Hurts Our County (Co-authored with former Clinton White House aide, Kathy Roth-Douquet, Harper Collins, foreword by Gen. Tommy Franks.)
Frank was born in Switzerland to the famous American evangelical theologian/evangelist Dr. Francis Schaeffer. Frank was sent to British boarding schools--from which he ran away at fifteen. He became an artist protégé. His first one-man show was in New York at the Frisch Gallery when he was seventeen. It was followed by successful shows in London and Geneva. Mrs. David Rockefeller bought the first painting sold at Frank’s New York show.
Frank is a survivor of both polio and an evangelical/fundamentalist childhood, an acclaimed writer who overcame severe dyslexia, a home-schooled and self-taught documentary movie director, a feature film director and producer of four ("pretty terrible") low budget Hollywood features, and a best selling author of both fiction and nonfiction.
Frank is married to Genie. They have three children and two grandchildren. Frank and his family have lived in Switzerland, England, and South Africa and now reside near Boston and in New York.
© 2003-2026