Max Watman lives and writes on an old farm in Powhatan, Virginia. He is the author of Race Day, on the history of American horse racing, and Chasing the White Dog, on moonshine and small scale distilling. His most recent book was Harvest: Field Notes From a Far Flung Pursuit of Real Food.

He writes a column for the Daily Beast and teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA.

He was the horse racing correspondent for the New York Sun, and has written for many publications, including the New York Times, the New York Times Book Review, Forbes FYI, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune Small Business, Gourmet, Imbibe, Edible Hudson Valley, and Parnassus.

BA at VCU in Richmond VA.

MFA Columbia University in NYC.

2008 National Endowment for the Arts literary fellowship.

max AT maxwatman DOT com

Harvest:

“It's the writing. It's always the writing. And Mr. Watman is good.” -- Eugenia Bone, The Wall Street Journal

“While I was growing up on our family farm near Lyon, I learned the importance of seasonal produce and fully utilized livestock at an early age. Max Watman’s witty and vivid accounts of producing farm-fresh products such as cheese and preserves in a modern world brings back fond memories and had me laughing throughout.” -- Daniel Boulud

“Max Watman has the descriptive and narrative power to make the outer limits of the food world seem both magnificently rare and dangerously explorable and appealing.” -- Matt and Ted Lee

Chasing the White Dog:

[Watman’s} a good storyteller because he’s a good listener--curious, amiable and game for anything . . . a merry companion, with a fondness for down-home wisdom and hell-raising -- Mick Sussman, The New York Times Book Review

“Pitch perfect” -- Men’s Journal

“Wildly entertaining” -- Jason Wilson, The Washington Post

The most refreshing read on distilling I have found in years: fascinating and often fun.”—Jim Murray, author of Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible

I’m proud of where I came from and think Max did great job preserving a part of our history.”—Junior Johnson, NASCAR legend

“Max Watman is corn liquor Dominick Dunne, a literate, funny, and insightful apostle of bespoke liquor and homemade applejack.”—Matthew Rowley, author of Moonshine!

Race Day:

An entertaining buffet of racing lore and legend told in a novel fashion and with a crisp tempo. --Joe Hirsch, The Daily Racing Form

There is nothing like a good racetrack story and Max Watman has mined the best and told them better than they've ever been told. A fascinating journey for anyone—racetrack lifers to casual fans. --Sean Clancy, Saratoga Special

Max Watman's intimate, comfortable, and stylish prose about horse racing is almost equivalent to a perfect day at the races. --Alaska Horse Journal

A great tribute to American Thoroughbred racing. --Horse-Races.Net