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Peter Benchley

Peter Bradford Benchley was an American author, screenwriter, and ocean activist. He is best known for his novel Jaws and its subsequent film adaptation, directed by Steven Spielberg. His other works include The Deep and The Island.

Quick Facts

  • Best known for writing "Jaws" and "The Deep", both became blockbuster films.
  • Published several other novels, including "The Island", "The Girl of the Sea of Cortez", and "White Shark".
  • "Jaws" alone sold 20 million copies, and it stayed on the bestseller list for some 44 weeks.
  • Other than novels, also wrote screenplays for the movie adaptations of his books.
  • Has been translated in many languages and sold worldwide.

Background

Benchley was born in 1940 in New York City, attending the Phillips Exeter Academy and then graduating from Harvard University. After college, he worked at Newsweek for a few years before making the move to freelance writing and editing. His early career was marked by various non-fiction books and articles, mainly in the realm of oceanography and travel. The success of “Jaws,” both as a novel published in 1974 and as a blockbusting film released the following year directed by Steven Spielberg, propelled him to fame. The suspense-filled story of a shark terrorizing a summer resort town was inspired by a news report of a fisherman catching a 4,550 pound great white shark off the coast of Long Island in 1964. Benchley continued to write novels, many of which were also made into films, until his death in 2006.

Writing Style and Impact

Benchley's writing style is suspenseful and thrilling, filled with rich detail and often punctuated by bouts of high tension and excitement. His work has been praised for its realistic depiction of marine life and its ability to grip the readers till the end. He is best known for his novel "Jaws", which eventually led to a blockbuster movie, helping to define the modern concept of summer blockbusters. His work has had a lasting impact on the horror genre.

Notable Works

  • Jaws (1974)
  • The Deep (1976)
  • The Island (1979)
  • Beast (1991)
  • White Shark (1994)