Matthew O'Brien

Matthew O'Brien (born 1970) is an American author, journalist, editor, and teacher. He is best known for his nonfiction book, Beneath the Neon, which explores the lives of the homeless population living in the underground flood channels of Las Vegas. O'Brien grew up in the Atlanta, Georgia area and graduated from Decatur High School in 1988. He attended Georgia State University and was a member of the basketball team that made it to the 1991 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. O'Brien also played for the University of West Georgia's basketball team, which qualified for the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament in 1993-'94. O'Brien holds a Bachelor's degree in history from West Georgia and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.