James Patterson is an American author and philanthropist. He is best known for his Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, and Women's Murder Club series. He has sold over 300 million books worldwide, making him one of the best-selling authors of all time. Patterson has also written many stand-alone thrillers, non-fiction, and romance novels. He is the founder of the James Patterson Pageturner Awards, which recognize and reward young readers for their passion for reading. He also established the James Patterson Teacher Education Scholarship at Vanderbilt University to help teachers pursue their dreams of becoming educators. Patterson is committed to helping children become lifelong readers and has donated millions of dollars to support literacy and education.