Dan Brown is the author of very popular thriller novels. The Da Vinci Code was hit first big hit.
"Brown's first three novels had little success, with fewer than 10,000 copies in each of their first printings; but the fourth novel, The Da Vinci Code, became a runaway bestseller, going to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list during its first week of release in 2003. It is now credited with being one of the most popular books of all time, with 60.5 million copies sold worldwide as of 2006." Source
Dan Brown was born and raised in Exeter, New Hampshire. Brown attended Amherst College, where he was a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity, and graduated with a double major in Spanish and English in 1986. After graduation, Brown moved to his home town in 1993, where he became an teacher of both English and Spanish. Soon after, he turned to writing.
"In 1996, his interest in code-breaking and covert government agencies led him to write his first novel, Digital Fortress, which quickly became a #1 national bestselling eBook. Set within the clandestine National Security Agency, the novel explores the fine line between civilian privacy and national security. Brown’s follow-up techno-thriller, Deception Point, centered on similar issues of morality in politics, national security, and classified technology." Source
And most recently, Brown has become almost a household name.
"Recently named one of the World's 100 Most Influential People by TIME Magazine, Dan Brown has made appearances on CNN, The Today Show, National Public Radio, Voice of America, as well as in the pages of Newsweek, Forbes, People, GQ, The New Yorker, and others. His novels have been translated and published in more than 40 languages around the world." Source