Photo: Susan Solie-Patterson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
James Patterson strikes me as a genuine phenomenon of modern publishing. Born in Newburgh, New York in 1947, a Vanderbilt grad who started in advertising, he turned Alex Cross into an empire — over 425 million copies sold and the first author to move a million e-books. The awards run from an Edgar for Best First Novel to a National Humanities Medal. What impresses me most isn't the sales but how seriously he funds children's literacy. He's a relentless story-machine who also invests in growing the next generation of readers — a rare pairing of commerce and conviction.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- James Patterson
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェイムズ・パタースン
- Reading
- じぇいむず・ぱたーすん
- Born
- March 22, 1947 (age 79)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Boar
- Origin
- Newburgh, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film producer / philanthropist / screenwriter / television producer / advertising person
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Vanderbilt University
Awards & achievements
- 1977 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel
- 2017 Audie Award for Thriller or Suspense
- 2019 National Humanities Medal
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Alex Cross | — | |
| Notable work | fiction | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was James Patterson born?
Born March 22, 1947 (age 79).
Where is James Patterson from?
James Patterson is from Newburgh, New York, United States.
What does James Patterson do?
James Patterson works as film producer, philanthropist, screenwriter, television producer, advertising person.
What is James Patterson known for?
Notable works include Alex Cross, fiction.
Film producer — see all → · Philanthropist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.