The Man Behind the Da Vinci Code: The Unauthorized Biography of Dan Brown

Superb representation of the "Facts." Dan Brown I am looking forward to your next "Work of Cultural Significance!"

Dan Brown's career is a lesson in persistence. The world is full of talented writers, but few have the tenacity to stick with it long enough to build a following. Did Brown do the "wise" and "responsible" thing by quitting his day job long before his books began to sell well? Probably not, but in the end it paid off. Rogak does a great job mapping out Dan Brown's life from Philips Exeter to the music industry and finally to publishing. She describes the influence of Brown's wife, Blythe, in the areas of plot development and marketing. And she gives us an insider's view of the publishing industry as book contracts are shuffled between agents and publishers and authors must do most of their own publicity if they hope to survive. I was most fascinated by the planning process that went into The Da Vinci Code. Brown and his wife carefully crafted a plotline of sex and religion that was sure to get the press salivating. It worked and the media frenzy that followed saved this exciting story-teller from near obscurity.

This one had me up at night, just wanted to go one more page. Wonderfully written biography that not only offers us a glimpse into the life of Dan Brown, an extremely secretive man, but also into the world of writing. Obviously this wasn't an easy book to write, but most certainly it was easy to read. Lisa offers a writing style that makes you want more. I'm looking forward to Lisa's next book.

A wonderful peek into the life of the mysterious Mr. Brown, both the man and the writer. Lisa Rogak presents an honest account of Dan Brown's early life, his forays as a songwriter/musician and teacher, and his trials and tribulations as a writer before hitting it big with The Da Vinci Code. She goes on to document his enormous success, how he's dealt with it, his research and writing process, and the challenges he's facing in writing his follow-up novel, The Solomon Key. Extremely well done, very thorough, and a truly fair portrayal of a highly controversial and private man. Kudos to Rogak for digging out the facts.

Time magazine named Dan Brown one of one hundred most influential people of 2005. But, very few people know of Mr. Brown's pre-Da Vinci Code struggle as a pop singer/songwriter or anything else about him. Dan has managed to remain a mystery to his fans, until now. Biographer, Lisa Rogak offers a fact-filled discovery into Dan Brown's rise to fame. It's an entertaining, one-sitting read that holds your attention throughout. Rogak pieces together Brown's upbringing, education, relationships, dreams and efforts, beautifully. Once I sunk my teeth into this tasty morsel, it was impossible to back away. I admire Lisa's expert research and awesome ability to sniff out exclusive interviews with Brown's friends and associates. The fact that she found me* is amazing. Music is an important and huge chunk of Dan's essence, and I had a few treasures to offer. No one else ever bothered to ask. What impressed me most about Lisa's writing was how superbly she caused the pieces to flow. Each chapter strengthens the next to bring an informative look at what makes this man tick. OK, my opinion may be tainted since I knew Dan on a semi-personal/professional basis for a number of years, and that I had fallen for his seemingly God-given talent as a singer/songwriter, and that I have craved further facts about him for a long while; but it seems to me that others whom have learned to love his novels will find this story just as intriguing as I have. Lisa did an excellent job of covering everything I hoped to learn. Is Dan Brown a "right-place, right-time," "Cinderella," or "work-your-ass-off" kind of story? I've finally got my answer. Thank you, Lisa! It's a solid, honorable book. *Ron Wallace is founder of the Creative Musicians Coalition, an international organization with purpose to help musicians expose their music. Ron met Dan in 1991 and worked with him, on and off, for about a decade.