About
The Audiobook version of my most recent title, "Trilogy: Three True Stories of Scoundrels and Schemers" (BearManor Media), is a 2024 gold medalist in the Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards competition; category #91; narrated by Peter Coyote (https://ippyawards.com/180/2024-medalists-89-ebook). Prior to "Trilogy", I authored the 2022 biography, "Pallenberg Wonder Bears - From the Beginning" (BearManor Media); and a pictorial history titled, “Images of America CLINTON” (Arcadia Publishing 2019). Decades earlier, In the 1960s and 70s, I authored and illustrated five titles for New York City publishers (The John Day Company & Franklin Watts), which went out of print in the mid-1980s -- and were republished in two volumes by BearManor Media in 2023. Furthermore, I've illustrated two dozen others and provided art for the Bronx Zoo; the Humane Society of the United States; Little, Brown & Company; the Journal of Theoretical Biology; the Journal of Algebra; the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; and World Scientific Publishing. Additionally, I coordinated the 1969 world premiere of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" for 20th Century Fox and worked as a consultant for the U.S. House of Representatives’ “October Surprise Task Force”, where according to their Deputy Majority Counsel, Michael Zeldin, my work “met and exceeded every expectation.”
An active member of every community in which I've ever lived, I spent eight years as a Clinton, CT Police Commissioner (2005-2013); served on Clinton's Design Review Board (2000-2007); Historic District Commission (2001-2006; 2017- present [Chairman since 2021]); and Charter Revision Commission (1997-98 & 2003-04). For Clinton's Department of Parks & Recreation I coached 1st, 2nd & 3rd grade girls softball (2008-2014) and for seven years did the publicity for the Clinton Rotary’s annual Cancer Relief Fund Drive Walk-a-thon. Previously I served on the Board of The Arts Council of Greater New Haven; Planned Parenthood of Greater New Haven; Shoreline Youth Theater; the Madison Arts & Science Council -- and additionally, spent eight years as the program coordinator for the New England Chapter of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, serving simultaneously on their Board of Directors and three of those years as its Board’s Chairman.
Previous to my 2024 IPPY gold medal, my book "Images of America Clinton" was named "Best Research Publication" by the Connecticut Society of Genealogists and in 2017, Marquis Who’s Who presented me with their Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. Previous honors include the 2001 General Richard G. Stilwell Award, bestowed upon me in Washington D.C. by the Association of Former Intelligence Officers for my work with their New England Chapter; and Duck Island Yacht Club’s 1998 Corinthian Award.
Featured Work
Trilogy: Three True Stories of Scoundrels and Schemers (Audiobook - Release date April 2, 2024)
In 1991, Peggy Adler, author of Trilogy: Three True Stories of Scoundrels and Schemers, was retained by self-proclaimed CIA agent, arms dealer and money launderer, Richard Brenneke, to co-author his autobiography. She soon discovered evidence in his files contradicting claims regarding his presence at October Surprise conspiracy meetings and went on to out Brenneke as a con artist in a February 1992 article in the “Village Voice”. Adler then researched a series of additional articles for the "Voice", which went on to prove that the so-called "October Surprise" was a hoax. In mid-1992, upon learning that the United States House of Representatives had created a Task Force to Investigate Certain Allegations Concerning the Holding of American Hostages by Iran in1980, which would be investigating whether or not there actually had been an “October Surprise”, she turned over to them the seventy cartons of documents she’d hauled east from Brenneke's home in Portland, Oregon, in order to write his memoirs. Subsequently, she worked as a consultant to the Task Force and assisted in drafting and editing the Brenneke section of their final report. Chapter one of this book recounts the Brenneke story, from 1973 forward, including her own odyssey with this scoundrel.
Chapter two reveals how Oliver North and Richard Secord’s Iran-Contra pal, Albert Hakim, was well aware that it was possible to get money out of a Swiss bank account without ever being a signatory – for he’d facilitated just that, years before. And Chapter three traces Roger Ailes relationship to the Willie Horton commercial that helped sink George Dukakis’ hope for the presidency.
The back of the book is laden with all the necessary documentation to back up what Adler has written. Or as the Director of Training at the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science said in the blurb on Trilogy’s back cover, “the book is a well-researched, logically laid out study of individuals bent on defrauding the United States Government and the American people. The extent to which some will go, not only taunts the creditability of the actors involved, but also the officials and public who fall prey to their schemes. The motivating factor of money and reward appears to have overly influenced the individuals in these stories, in order to betray society and defraud us all”.
Other Works
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Trilogy - Three True Stories of Scoundrels and Schemers (BearManor Media/Blackstone Publishing - Audiobook)
2024
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Peggy's Puzzles - Volume Two (BearManor Media)
2023
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Sets and Numbers for the Very Young (BearManor Media)
2023
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Peggy's Puzzles - Volume One (BearManor Media)
2023
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Trilogy - Three True Stories of Scoundrels and Schemers (BearManor Media - print and e-book)
2023
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"Images of America CLINTON" (Arcadia)
2019
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Geography Puzzles (Franklin Watts)
1979
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Math Puzzles (Franklin Watts)
1978
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Metric Puzzles (Franklin Watts)
1977
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The Second Adler Book of Puzzles & Riddles (The John Day Company)
1963
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The Adler Book of Puzzles and Riddles: Sam Lloyd up to Date (The John Day Company)
1962
Awards and Recognition
- "Images of America CLINTON", 2019 Best Research Publication, Connecticut Society of Genealogists.
- 2024 IPPY gold medalist, "Trilogy - Three True Stories of Scoundrels and Schemers"; Audiobook; Category #91; Narrated by Peter Coyote (https://ippyawards.com/180/2024-medalists-89-ebook.)
Press and Media Mentions
- “Pallenberg Wonder Bears – From the Beginning is a captivating narrative you couldn’t have dreamed up, but won’t want to put down. I’ve been in publishing for a long time and at this point it takes something really unique to raise my eyebrows -- and this story certainly did, from the very first page.” -- Justin Race, Director Purdue University Press
- “The rich history of Pallenberg's Wonder Bears has been bought to life through the meticulous research of Peggy Adler and Dibirma Jean Burnham. They weave together the fascinating story of the world’s most famous bear act t revealed documents and rare photographs that transport the reader back to an era when audiences marveled at Emil Pallenberg’s skillful training and embraced the performances of his amazing bears.” -- Chris Berry Circus Historian
- I just finished all of your wonderful bear book (I left the glossary for last). It is both interesting and very entertaining at the same time. You have found your element with historical books, and hope you do more! Emeritus @ias.edu
- The Sunday, December 17th edition of the Circus Historical Society’s (CHS) "Circus History Live!" will be featuring me discussing Emil Pallenberg and his bicycle-riding/roller skating Wonder Bears, who were a major attraction in circuses, vaudeville, and motion pictures in the United States and Europe for almost 50 years. The show will begin at 7:00pm Eastern Time (USA). You do not need to be a CHS member, but must register to attend. Just click on this link to reserve your free seat under the Big Top, as seating is limited -- https://circushistoricalsociety.wildapricot.org/event-5515869.
