Joseph C. Goulden

Joseph Chesley Goulden (May 23, 1934 – October 17, 2025) was an American writer and political reporter.

Background Goulden was born in Marshall, Texas, on May 23, 1934. His father owned the Texian Book Store located on the southeast corner of the Harrison County Courthouse square in Marshall. Joseph learned to read at age four. He is a graduate of the University of Texas. His sons are Troy and Jimmy Goulden.

In 1979, he married Leslie C. Smith, an attorney. He died from heart failure on October 17, 2025, at the age of 91.

Career Goulden was a member of the U.S. Army, where he was trained in counter-intelligence.

He was a member of the Virginia Military Institute's International Studies Advisory Board. The Best Years, 1945-1950 1976 Korea: The Untold Story of the War. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1983. Fit to Print: A.M. Rosenthal and His Times, Lyle Stuart Inc., 1988. ISBN 0818404744 The Dictionary of Espionage: Spyspeak into English. 1986. (Revised edition Dover Press, 2012.)

Edited Mencken's Last Campaign: H.L. Mencken on the 1948 Election. New Republic, Washington DC, 1976. (Introduction and editor)