Robert Ludlum, Author Biographies

At an early age, Robert Ludlum started working on the Broadway stage as both an actor and, later on, a producer. He jokes that since the good actors were drafted in the armed forces, he had no trouble finding acting jobs. He also served in the U.S. Marines as a soldier, from 1945 through 1947.

Robert was a television star in the 1950s, starring in as many as 200 dramas. He was a producer at the North Jersey Playhouse in 1957 and opened the Playhouse-on-the-Mall in Paramus in 1960. It is estimated that he wrote 300 stage productions.

Robert Ludlum was born on May 25,1927, in New York City, New York, but spent most of his childhood in New Jersey. His father, George Hartford Ludlum, a business man, died when Robert was only seven years old.

Robert was educated both privately and at the Cheshire Academy, Connecticut. He participated in high school plays even though he really wanted to be a football quarterback.

Robert earned his B.A. in 1951, from Wesleyan University in Middleton Connecticut. Robert and actress, Mary Ryducha, married in 1951, and had three children. In the 1970s, they bought a farmhouse in Long Island and a second home in Florida.

Although Robert Ludlum was a ‘closet writer’ for many years, it wasn’t until he was 40 years old that, getting bored with show business, he started writing his first novel. To support his family during this time, he did voice overs.

Roberts first novel, ‘The Scarlatti Inheritance,’ was published in 1971, after ten rejections, and became an immediate best seller. He says everyone has a story to tell, so this novel was easy for him to write. The second novel was more difficult.

Robert writes violent, fast paced books. It is said of his writing, “He captures the imagination of his readers from the first pages and keeps them absorbed in the story.”

He died on March 12, 2001. A ghost writer has continued his work. This note appeared with ‘The Tristan Betrayal,’ “Since his death, the Estate of Robert Ludlum has worked with a carefully selected author and editor to prepare and edit this work for publication.”

Books by Robert Ludlum:

Series:

Road To:

The Road to Gandolfo (1975) (as Michael Shepherd)

The Road to Omaha (1992)

Matarese Dynasty:

(1979)

The Matarese Countdown (1997)

Bourne:

The Bourne Identity (Bourne Trilogy, Book 1) (1980)

The Bourne Supremacy (1986)

The Bourne Ultimatum (1990)

The Bourne Legacy (2004) (w/Eric Van Lustbader)

The Bourne Betrayal (2007) (w/Eric Van Lustbader)

The Bourne Sanction (2008) (w/Eric Van Lustbader)

Robert Ludlum's (TM) The Bourne Deception (2009) (w/Eric Van Lustbader)

The Bourne Objective (2010) (w/Eric Van Lustbader)

The Bourne Reality (2011) ( w/Eric Van Lustbader)

The Bourne Trilogy (omnibus) (2003)

The Second Bourne Trilogy (omnibus) (2009) (w/Eric Van Lustbader)

Covert-One

The Hades Factor (2000) (w/Gayle Lynds)

The Cassandra Compact (2001) (w/Phillip Shelby)

The Paris Option (2002) (w/Gayle Lynds)

Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code: A Covert-One Novel (2003) (w/Gayle Lynds)

The Lazarus Vendetta (2004) (w/Patrick Larkin)

The Moscow Vector (2005) (w/Keith Farrell, Patrick Larkin)

The Arctic Event (2007) (w/James H. Cobb)

The Infinity Affair (2009) (w/James H. Cobbs)

Stand Alone Novels:

The Scarlatti Inheritance (1970)

The Osterman Weekend (1972)

The Matlock Paper (1973)

Trevayne (1973) (as Jonathan Ryder)

The Cry of the Halidon (1974) (as Jonathan Ryder)

The Rhinemann Exchange (1974) (as Jonathan Ryder)

The Gemini Contenders (1976)

The Chancellor Manuscript (1977)

The Holcroft Covenant (1978)

The Parsifal Mosaic (1982)

The Aquitaine Progression (1984)

The Icarus Agenda (1988)

The Scorpio Illusion (1993)

The Apocalypse Watch (1995)

The Prometheus Deception (2000)

The Sigma Protocol (2001)

The Janson Directive (2002)

The Tristan Betrayal (2003)

The Amber Warning (2005)

(2006)

Ken Follett, Author Biographies

Ken Follett was born on June 5, 1949, in Cardiff, Wales. His father, Martin, a tax inspector, and his mother, Veenie, moved the family to London when he was 10 years old. He was raised in a strict Christian household. With little outside entertainment, he acquired an appreciation for books and storytelling.

Ken earned a bachelors degree in philosophy from the University of London in 1970. (In 1995, he was made a fellow of this college.) Ken took a three month post graduate course in journalism and moved back to Cardiff, Wales to pursue his career.

Ken Follett married Mary in 1968. They have a son and daughter, but later divorced.

Ken Follett worked as a journalist for the South Wales Echo for three years. Upon returning to London, he worked as a general assignment reporter for the London Evening News. He wrote stories in his spare time.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, he says he sold one of his first stories for $500, which is the amount he owed to get his car fixed.

Although Ken Follett wrote two children’s books and several novels, he didn’t become a success until “Eye of the Needl

e,” his eleventh book, was published in 1978. He was only 27 years old. This book won the prestigious Edgar Award and was the first of several of his subsequent books to be made into films.

In 1974 Ken left journalism for publishing at Everest Books where he later became Deputy Managing director.

Ken Follett became involved in politics supporting the Labor Party. In 1984 Ken married Barbara Boer, a member of Parliament for Stevenage in Hertferdshire. He became stepfather to her three children by a previous spouse.

Even though Ken Follett’s novel, “Pillars of the Earth,” published in 1989, was a big hit, it became a sensation when Oprah Winfrey added it to her Book Club. Now finally after fans of his work begging him, there is a sequel, “World Without End.”

Ken is involved in many charities, National Year of Reading, Reading is Fundamental, The Dyslexia Institute, National Literary Trust,

the Welsh Academy, National Academy of Writing, and the Royal Academy of Arts to name a few.

Ken Follett and his wife make Stevenage their home. They also own a townhouse in London and a vacation home in Antigua.

Books by Ken Follett:

Series: Apples Carstairs Series: (written as Simon Myles)
The Big Needle (1974)
The Big Black (1974)
The Big Hit (1975)

Piers Roper:
The Shakeout (1975)
The Bear Raid (1976)

Pillars of the Earth:
World Without End (1989)
World Without End (2007)

Childrens’ Books:

The Power Twins: A Science Fantasy for Young People (1976) (written as Martin Martinsen)
The Mystery Hideout (1976)

Novels:
Amok King of Legend (1976) (written as Bernard L. Ross)
The Secret of Kellerman’s Studio (1976)
The Modigliani Scandal (1976) (written as Zachary Stone)
Paper Money (1977) (written as Zachary Stone)
Capricorn One (1978) (written as Bernard L. Ross)
Eye of the Needle (1978)
Triple (1979)
(1980)
The Man from St. Petersburg (1982)
Lie Down With Lions (1985)
Night Over Water (1991)
A Dangerous Fortune (1993)
A Place Called Freedom (1995)
The Third Twin (1996)
The Hammer of Eden (1998)
Code to Zero (2000)
Jackdaws (2001)
Hornet Flight (2002)

(2004)

Nonfiction:
Under the Streets of Nice (1978) (with Louis Maurice)
On Wings of Eagles (1983)