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Harlan CobenAmerican writer
Date of Birth: 04.01.1962
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Harlan Coben
Harlan Coben is an American writer who has sold over 60 million copies of his books, which have been translated into more than 40 languages, including Russian. Many of his works consistently top bestseller lists in the United States and other countries. Coben is the first author to have been awarded all three of the highest American awards for thriller and detective writers. One of his books was made into a film in France, which won the Lumière Award (the French equivalent of the Golden Globe) and was nominated in nine different categories at the César Awards (the French equivalent of the Oscars), winning four of them.
Early Life
Harlan Coben was born on January 4, 1962, in Newark, New Jersey. A few years later, his family moved to Livingston, where he completed his schooling. Among his friends in school was future New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. After finishing high school, Coben attended the prestigious Amherst College in Massachusetts, where he studied political science and was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity, along with renowned author Dan Brown. It was during his college years that Coben had his first literary experiences.
Writing Career
After graduating, Coben started working in his family's travel company, but his business career could not distract him completely from his attempts at literary writing. He anonymously published his first novel at the age of 26, which gave him confidence in his abilities. In 1990, his novel "Play Dead" was published under his own name. The book tells the story of a mysterious death of a scuba diver during his honeymoon on the Barrier Reef, and how the young widow tries to find the cause of his death.
A year later, Coben released another novel titled "Miracle Cure," which takes place at a clinic for AIDS patients. After that, the aspiring writer decided to primarily work in the detective genre, focusing on the concept of a "sleeping murder" – an investigation that takes place long after the crime was committed.
In 1995, his first novel featuring Myron Bolitar, a former basketball player turned sports agent and amateur detective, was published. The plot of "Deal Breaker" revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a client's girlfriend, which leads to a whirlwind of passion, family secrets, and blackmail. This novel gained a lot of attention from readers and received positive reviews from critics. It was awarded the Anthony Award and was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award.
Coben continued to create new books about the adventures of the beloved character Myron Bolitar. As of now, the series consists of 10 books, with the latest one published in 2011, titled "Live Wire." In addition to the Myron Bolitar series, Coben also wrote two novels focusing on the adventures of Mickey Bolitar, Myron's nephew who lives with him after his father's murder.
Solo Novels
Alongside his work on the Bolitar series, Harlan Coben also wrote standalone novels. One of his most successful standalone novels was "Tell No One," published in 2001, which topped the bestseller lists and was nominated for several prestigious awards. The gripping story about a long-ago murder that takes a completely unexpected turn after six years formed the basis of a film directed by French filmmaker Guillaume Canet, which achieved extraordinary success. An American remake of the film is currently being planned.
Coben is the author of 25 novels to date. His most recent work, "Missing You," once again topped the bestseller lists. The writer currently resides in Ridgewood, New Jersey, with his wife Anna, who is a pediatrician, and their four children.
