Overview
Dan Brown is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code.
Brown is interested in cryptography, keys, and codes, which are a recurring theme in his stories. Currently his novels have been translated into more than 40 languages.
Although many perceive Brown's books as anti-Christian, Brown states on his website that he is a Christian and says of his book The Da Vinci Code that it is simply "an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate" and suggests that the book may be used "as a positive catalyst for introspection and exploration of our faith".
In a statement at trial in March 2006, Brown wrote that while he was growing up, on birthdays and Christmas, he and his siblings were led on elaborate treasure hunts to find their gifts, following cryptic clues and codes left by their father. This is the same event that he used to describe the fictional childhood of Sophie Neveu in The Da Vinci Code.
Brown plays tennis, and does his writing in his loft, often getting up at 4 a.m. to work. He keeps an antique hourglass on his desk, to remind himself to take breaks.
Brown has told fans that he uses inversion therapy to help with writer's block. He uses gravity boots and says, "Hanging upside down seems to help me solve plot challenges by shifting my entire perspective."
Favourite Books
On his website, Dan Brown lists his 10 favorite books and explains why they made the list:
- Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck) -- Simple, suspenseful, and poignant. Better yet, the first paragraph of ever chapter is a master class in writing effective description.
- Gödel, Escher, Bach (Douglas Hofstadter) -- The 3% I actually understood was fascinating.
- Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer) -- I was amazed how well Archer handled the long time spans without ever losing the narrative pulse. The ultimate novel of sibling rivalry.
- Plum Island (Nelson DeMille) -- He remains the master of substance, wry humor, and controlled point of view.
- The Bourne Identity Series (Ludlum) -- Ludlum's early books are complex, smart, and yet still move at a lightning pace. This series got me interested in the genre of big-concept, international thrillers.
- Much Ado About Nothing (William Shakespeare) -- I didn't understand how funny this play truly was until I became an English teacher and had to teach it. There is no wittier dialogue anywhere.
- Wordplay: Ambigrams and Reflections on the Art of Ambigrams (John Langdon) -- Artist and philosopher John Langdon is one of our true geniuses. His book changed the way I think about symmetry, symbols, and art.
- Codes Ciphers & Other Cryptic & Clandestine Communication (Fred Wrixon) -- A phenomenal encyclopedia of the art, science, history, and philosophy of cryptology.
- The Puzzle Palace (James Bamford) -- Although dated, this book is still one of the most captivating inside looks at the covert world of America's premier intelligence agency.
- The Element of Style (Strunk and White) -- Because who can possibly remember all the rules of grammar and punctuation?
Author Interviews
Good Morning America
