Tom Matthews’ new novel Raising The Dad (coming April 2018) is a moving and brashly funny family saga about a dysfunctional clan whose patriarch returns in a most astounding way imaginable.
States Booklist: In this touching story of a father and son reconnecting in an extremely unconventional way, Matthews provokes tough questions surrounding death and confronts the complicated choice to either end or sustain a loved one’s life. Delivered with humility and humor, a seemingly unbelievable scenario becomes very real and brings a family at the brink of falling apart back together.
Matthews's first novel Like We Care was published in 2004. Novelist Tom Perrotta (The Leftovers, Election) called Like We Care “a fearless, angry, brutally funny poke in the eye of the American music machine and pop culture industry. Tom Matthews’ memorable, highly readable first novel is that rare literary artifact – a satire with teeth.”
Matthews’ began his career as a screenwriter, writing the 1997 film Mad City starring Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta and Alan Alda, and directed by Costa-Gavras. Critic F.X. Feeney wrote of the dark examination of broadcast journalism: “Mad City has intelligence and power… Writer Tom Matthews and director Costa-Gavras have done their homework.”
Matthews also wrote scripts for 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, working with such filmmakers as Steven Soderbergh (Oceans 11, sex, lies and videotape), Steve Tisch (Forrest Gump) and Lynda Obst (Interstellar, Sleepless in Seattle).
As a journalist , feature writer and social commentator, he has been published in newspapers across the country. His freelance writing for Milwaukee Magazine earned him Wisconsin’s highest press honors for long form feature writing in 2013 and 2014.
Matthews lives in Wauwatosa, WI, with his wife Pam. He is a grant writer for the Well Community programs of Aurora Health Care.