Utterly Fascinating: Read Our Review of James Patterson: The Stories of My Life

James Patterson is a writer who hardly needs any introduction. He’s one of the best-known authors on the planet, having sold over 375 million copies of his books worldwide. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t read a James Patterson novel before, or, at the very least, heard of this very famous author. His works include some of the most popular series of the past two decades, including the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett and Private novels, among many other bestselling standalones. He’s also known for his collaborations with other writers, including the likes of Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton and even Better Reading fan favourite Candice Fox, whom Patterson teamed up with to write the Detective Harriet Blue series.

But while you might be familiar with his works, you might not know very much about the man behind them. In his official autobiography, Patterson shares his astonishing life story, which is filled with tales as fascinating as his fiction. Like the time he worked at a psychiatric hospital and met the singer James Taylor and the poet Robert Lowell. Both were patients. Or how he became CEO of the advertising agency J. Walter Thompson North America at age thirty-seven and wrote the ad jingle, ‘I’m a Toys “R” Us Kid’. Or how he’s played golf with three US presidents and has nine holes-in-one.

But the book isn’t just filled with famous faces, peppered throughout are more poignant, personal anecdotes, like Patterson’s first kiss with his sixth-grade crush Veronica Tabasco, a girl he later learned had died in her twenties when he visited his grandfather’s grave and discovered her headstone next to his. In James Patterson: The Stories of My Life, he discloses all of this and more, telling the story of how a shy, introspective kid from a small, upstate New York Town became the #1 bestselling author in the world.

The book is also, in many ways, a masterclass in writing. Here, Patterson gives readers insight into his writing process, his influences and how he developed his voice and style. Each chapter is short, sharp and packs a punch, making this a compelling, easy-to-flick-through read.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to his work, James Patterson: The Stories of My Life is an inspiring, entertaining and worthwhile read about one of the world’s greatest storytellers.