Early Life
Daniel Gerhard Brown, famously known as Dan Brown, was born on 22nd of June in 1964, in New Hampshire, the United States. He was a brilliant son of Richard G. Brown, a church organist, and Mathematics teacher, while his mother, Constance (née Gerhard) was a religious woman. He was raised in The Episcopal Church and got fascinated by the paradoxical interplay between religion and science. Since his father was a mathematics teacher, he had lots of puzzles and secrets in his father’s collection. He spent quality time solving those puzzles and working out with anagrams. His father’s academic collection and his mother’s interest in music and religion played a major role in his early development.
Education
Dan Brown started his educational journey from Philip Exeter Academy, followed by Amherst College. At college, he became an active member of Psi Upsilon, North American fraternity, and Amherst Glee Club. His superb writing skills allowed him to become a writing student of Alan Lelchuk, a visiting novelist. Later, in 1985, he spent a school year in Spain and studied art history courses at the University of Seville. He graduated from Amherst in 1986.
Marriage
During Dan Brown’s stay at Hollywood, he met Blythe Newlon, the director of the National Academy of Songwriters. She was 12 years senior to Dan Blythe assisted him in most of his projects. She wrote press releases, organized promotional events, and introduced him with influential people who helped him in pursuing his career. Gradually, they developed a secret relationship, and the couple tied a knot in 1997 in New Hampshire.
Some Important Facts of His Life
- In 2005, The Times Magazine added his name in the list of hundred most influential people of the world.
- His writings have been translated into forty languages and are published in fifty-six languages across the globe.
- Dan Brown and his wife are the great supporters of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation established in 1962.
- To digitize the collection of precious ancient books, he donated US$337,000 in 2016.
His Career
After graduation, Dan Brown pursued a music career. He produced a children’s cassette, Synth Animals, creating effects with a synthesizer, including the collection of songs such as; Suzuki Elephants and Happy Frogs. Later, Dan established his own recording company, Dalliance, and self-published a CD, Perspective, in 1990. He sold a few hundred copies of his music. However, in 1991 Dan traveled to Hollywood with an intent to become a pianist and singer-songwriter. There, he joined the National Academy of Songwriter and took part in many events. Later, from 1993 to 1998, he served as a teacher at Lincoln Akerman School, where he taught Spanish to sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders. While on vacation in 1993, he was inspired by Sidney Sheldon’s novel, The Doomsday Conspiracy, and quit his job to become a fulltime writer. His first novel, Digital Fortress, appeared in 1998, followed by another work, The Ballad Book. He subsequently came up with two more publications, Deception Point and Angels and Demons, in the years 2000 and 2001. Unfortunately, his early writing did not win the desired fame. However, with the publication of the Robert Langdon Series, Da Vinci Code, he became world-known. The series includes The Lost Symbol and Inferno and Origin.
His Style
Dan Brown established his career first as a musician and then as a successful writer. His imaginative ideas brought a new style to the literary world. Most of his works start with a mishap – a tragedy of murder around which the whole text revolves. This technique enables him to draw the reader right from the start. “Cliff hangers” stands as the striking features of his masterpieces. Using cliff hangers, Dan successfully drives his readers to a point where they think that they can conclude the story. They believe that the mystery is going to be resolved. He robs off such opportunities and keeps the novel run at the same pace, implying unexpected happenings and events, leaving the readers craving for more. His characterization reveals the strength of his work. He does not introduce many characters at a time; instead, he takes time to allow the readers to understand one character fully.
Moreover, dialogue delivery and structure also reflect his ingenious ideas. He makes the readers feel, walk, and smell the places being described in the text through imageries. Moreover, science, history, and art are the centers of his literary struggle.
Some Important Works of Dan Brown
- Best Novels: He was an outstanding writer some of his best novels include Angels and Demons, The Lost Symbol, The Da Vinci Code, and Inferno and Deception Point.
Dan Brown’s Impact on Literature
Dan Brown is one of the greatest writers of the contemporary age. His critical opinions, love for history, science, puzzles, and thrill have left deep imprints on the international literature. His narrative works are regarded as masterpieces and have significant impacts on this generation. Dan’s distinctive writing approach and unique way of expression made him stand among the best writers. His thoughtful ideas influenced many great writers of the world. He successfully documented his ideas and feelings in his writings that emerging writers tend to follow his writing parameters, considering him a beacon for writing detective and thrilling novels.
Famous Quotes
- “Truth has power. And if we all gravitate toward similar ideas, maybe we do so because those ideas are true … written deep within us. And when we hear the truth, even if we don’t understand it, we feel that truth resonate within us … vibrating with our unconscious wisdom. Perhaps the truth is not learned by us, but rather, the truth is re-called … re-membered … re-cognized … as that which is already inside us.” (The Lost Symbol)
- “The Pentacle — The ancients envisioned their world in two halves — masculine and feminine. Their gods and goddesses worked to keep a balance of power. Yin and Yang. When male and female were balanced, there was harmony in the world. When they were unbalanced there was chaos.” (The Da Vinci Code)
- “Even the technology that promises to unite us, divides us. Each of us is now electronically connected to the globe, and yet we feel utterly alone.” ( Angels & Demons)
