John Michael Crichton (bit of trivia: according to the author, "[his surname] rhymes with frighten") was an American author, doctor, producer, director, and screenwriter, especially in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted into films. He is best known as the author of Jurassic Park and the creator of ER, a drama television series.
During his undergraduate study in literature, he conducted an experiment to expose a professor who Crichton believed to be giving him abnormally low marks and criticizing his literary style. Informing another professor of his suspicions, he plagiarized a work by George Orwell and submitted it as his own. The paper was returned by his unwitting professor with a mark of "B−". Crichton's issues with the English department led him to switch his concentration to biological anthropology as an undergraduate, obtaining his [B.A.] summa cum laude in 1964.
He later enrolled at Harvard Medical School when he began publishing work. By this time, he had become exceptionally tall. In reference to his height, while in medical school, he began writing novels under the pen names John Lange and Jeffrey Hudson (Lange is a surname in Germany, meaning long, and Sir Jeffrey Hudson was a famous 17th-century dwarf in the court of the Queen Consort in England).
Crichton never obtained a license to practice medicine, devoting himself to his writing career instead. On November 5, 2008, at the age of 66, he died unexpectedly in Los Angeles after a courageous and private battle against cancer.
A workaholic, he would rise increasingly early each day as he neared writing the end of each book, sleeping for less than four hours by going to bed at 10 P.M. and waking at 2 A.M. His works were frequently cautionary; a notable recurring theme in Crichton's writings is the pathological failure or inevitable breakdown of complex systems and their safeguards.
Currently, the HS LRC houses several Crichton titles. You may ask any of the staff or librarians around for assistance. The LRC is looking into acquiring more books by him in the future and any suggestions are welcome.
Crichton was born on October 23, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois to John Henderson, a journalist, and Zula Miller. Raised on Long Island, New York, he had three siblings: two sisters, Kimberly and Catherine, and a younger brother, Douglas.
He showed a keen interest in writing from a young age and at the age of 14, had a column related to travel published in The New York Times. Crichton had always planned on becoming an author and began his studies at Harvard College in 1960.
He showed a keen interest in writing from a young age and at the age of 14, had a column related to travel published in The New York Times. Crichton had always planned on becoming an author and began his studies at Harvard College in 1960.
During his undergraduate study in literature, he conducted an experiment to expose a professor who Crichton believed to be giving him abnormally low marks and criticizing his literary style. Informing another professor of his suspicions, he plagiarized a work by George Orwell and submitted it as his own. The paper was returned by his unwitting professor with a mark of "B−". Crichton's issues with the English department led him to switch his concentration to biological anthropology as an undergraduate, obtaining his [B.A.] summa cum laude in 1964.
He later enrolled at Harvard Medical School when he began publishing work. By this time, he had become exceptionally tall. In reference to his height, while in medical school, he began writing novels under the pen names John Lange and Jeffrey Hudson (Lange is a surname in Germany, meaning long, and Sir Jeffrey Hudson was a famous 17th-century dwarf in the court of the Queen Consort in England).
Crichton never obtained a license to practice medicine, devoting himself to his writing career instead. On November 5, 2008, at the age of 66, he died unexpectedly in Los Angeles after a courageous and private battle against cancer.
A workaholic, he would rise increasingly early each day as he neared writing the end of each book, sleeping for less than four hours by going to bed at 10 P.M. and waking at 2 A.M. His works were frequently cautionary; a notable recurring theme in Crichton's writings is the pathological failure or inevitable breakdown of complex systems and their safeguards.
Currently, the HS LRC houses several Crichton titles. You may ask any of the staff or librarians around for assistance. The LRC is looking into acquiring more books by him in the future and any suggestions are welcome.
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