Paul F. Caranci
Biography
Paul F. Caranci is a public speaker and the author of 13 books. He is a third-generation resident of North Providence, RI and has been a student of history for many years. He served as RI Deputy Secretary of State for eight years and was elected to the town council where he served for almost seventeen years. He has a BA in political science from Providence College and is working toward an MPA from Roger Williams University.
Together with his wife Margie he founded The Municipal Heritage Group in 2009. He is an incorporating member of the Association of Rhode Island Authors (ARIA) and a member of the board of the RI Publication Society. Paul also served on the board of the Heritage Harbor Museum, and the RI Heritage Hall of Fame. He is past chairman of the Diabetes Foundation of RI where he served on the board for over fifteen years.
During his tenure on the town council, Paul’s efforts to successfully pass laws and implement health policies earned him several public health awards including the James Carney Public Health Award from the RI Dept. of Health, an advocacy award from the American Cancer Society, the advocate of the year award from the Diabetes Foundation of RI and an advocacy award from the American Diabetes Association.
In 2015, Paul was awarded the Margaret Chase Smith American Democracy Award for Political Courage, the highest honor awarded by the National Association of Secretaries of State, for his undercover role in exposing political corruption in his hometown of North Providence. His undercover work with the FBI, in breaking up what a federal judge called a criminal empire, is the subject of Paul’s seventh book, Wired: A Shocking True Story of Political Corruption and the FBI Informant Who Risked Everything to Expose It.
Paul’s latest book, scheduled for release by Stillwater River Publications in early November 2021, chronicles daily life for World War II prisoners held at the Dachau, Germany’s oldest and most brutal concentration camp. The Nazi regime programmed every activity to inflict the most physical and psychological pain possible. The sadistic nature of the camp commanders is portrayed through the eyes of Fr. Jean Bernard, A Catholic priest from Luxembourg imprisoned at Dachau for using the Catholic Film Agency to denounce the inhumane policies of the Nazis. This remarkable true story is a must read for lovers of history and World War II enthusiasts.
Four of Paul’s books were awarded special recognition. The Hanging & Redemption of John Gordon: The True Story of Rhode Island’s Last Execution (The History Press, 2013) was voted one of the top five non-fiction books of 2013 by the Providence Journal. Scoundrels: Defining Corruption Through Tales of Political Intrigue in Rhode Island (Stillwater River Publications 2016) was the winner of the 2016 Dorry Award as the non-fiction book of the year. The Promise of Fatima: One Hundred Years of History, Mystery and Faith (Stillwater River Publications, 2017), and I Am The Immaculate Conception: The Story of Bernadette of Lourdes (Stillwater River Publications, 2018), were named finalists in the International Book Awards in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
The movie rights to four of Paul’s books, The Hanging & Redemption of John Gordon: The True Story of Rhode Island’s Last Execution, The Promise of Fatima: One Hundred Years of History, Mystery and Faith, I Am The Immaculate Conception: The Story of Bernadette of Lourdes, and Terror in Wichita: A True Story of One Woman’s Courage and Her Will to Live (Stillwater River Publications, 2020) have been sold to a Hollywood production company and may one day be featured on the big screen.
Paul and his wife Margie have two adult children and four grandchildren.
Current Book
