Ralph Griffith

Ralph Griffith: A Life Lived in Ink Ralph Griffith's story is woven from the vibrant threads of a life less ordinary. Born in 1951 amidst the Cold War’s chill, his childhood antennae was acutely tuned to the dissonance between reality and government narratives. This skepticism blossomed into a rebellious spirit, finding its zenith in the electrifying Summer of Love. At 15, Ralph’s heart pulsed to the rhythm of the Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead, his soul resonating with the counterculture’s whirlwind in the Haight-Ashbury District of San Francisco where he had escaped to. Destiny, however, had other plans. A brush with LSD at 16 landed Ralph in the Nevada Youth Authority—a crucible he promptly escaped--his restless spirit yearning for new adventures. This escape coincided with the tragic assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, events that indelibly marked the canvas of his youth. Ralph became an unwitting witness to history, his life forever intertwined with these pivotal moments. As Ralph reached his thirties, a different kind of confinement beckoned. A foray into bank robbing landed him in federal prisons, where he spent over 30 years navigating the stark realities of incarceration. Yet, even within these walls, Ralph's spirit refused to be caged. It was there, amidst the clanging of cell doors and the harsh hum of fluorescent lights, that he discovered a new path – writing. His final 14-year stretch became a literary genesis. Fueled by a desire to reclaim his narrative, Ralph poured his experiences onto the page. Seven years spent alongside Bernie Madoff at FCI Butner became the raw material for a gripping exposé. "Monkey House" and "The Real Bernie Madoff" offered scathing indictments of financial corruption. Meanwhile, his imaginative prowess shines through in series like “The Harry Chin Murder Mysteries,” “The Johnny Walker Detective Novels,” “The Clyde Thomas Novels,” “The Too-Sweet Sagas,” and “The Big Huna Novels.” Today, Ralph resides in the Pacific Northwest, his days immersed in the tranquil beauty of Washington state’s landscapes. Yet, the ink coursing through his veins still carries the vibrancy of those early days in San Francisco. His life’s adventures, as unconventional as they may be, have endowed him with a wealth of stories yet to be told. And Ralph, with his relentless spirit and boundless creativity, is just beginning to weave these tales into the rich tapestry of his burgeoning literary legacy.