Jonathan Fast


Jonathan Fast is an American author and social work teacher.

Life and career

Fast was born in New York City. He attended Princeton University, and earned graduate degrees at Columbia University and Yeshiva University. He has a daughter, Molly Jong-Fast, from his first marriage to author Erica Jong, and two sons from his marriage to Barbara Fast, a Unitarian minister.
Fast's nonfiction book, Ceremonial Violence: A Psychological Explanation of School Shootings, analyzes the five school shootings from a psychological perspective: Cleveland Elementary School shooting, the Columbine High School shooting, the shootings at Simon's Rock College, the Bethel Regional High School shooting, and the Pearl High School shooting.
, Fast is an associate professor of social work at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University.
His father, Howard Fast, was the author of many best-selling novels, including Spartacus, which became the basis for the 1960 film of the same name.

Publications