Jean M Auel

Jean Marie Auel (born February 18, 1936) is an American writer best known for her Earth's Children series of historical novels set in the Ice Age. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Auel worked as a technical illustrator and blueprint drawer before turning to writing. Her first novel, "The Clan of the Cave Bear," was published in 1980 and became a bestseller, spawning five sequels. The series features a young woman named Ayla who is adopted by a Neanderthal clan. Auel's books have been translated into over 30 languages and have sold over 45 million copies worldwide. She has received numerous awards, including the French Academy's Grand Prix de Littérature Policière for "The Valley of Horses" in 1983. Auel's novels are praised for their detailed descriptions of prehistoric life and their strong female characters. However, they have also been criticized for their lack of scientific accuracy and their romanticization of prehistoric society.