ROBERT LUDLUM

Born in New York City, Mr. Ludlum lost his father at a very early age. Nevertheless, he was able to attend quality schools as he grew up. He tried to join the Canadian Air Force to fight in WWII but was turned down. He rebounded by joining the U.S. Marines and serving in the South Pacific from 1945-1947. Returning to civilian life, he attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut and got a BA from there. His first major career was as a producer and an actor in the theater and it was there that he learned the pacing and presentation that made for an exciting adventure, rules he would used religiously in his later writings. Though some critics derided his stories as melodramic, the reading public had a totally different take on this exceptional talent and his books sold in the millions.