Robin Cook (American novelist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robin Cook
Robin Cook in Warsaw (2008)
Born	Robert Brian Cook (1940-05-04) May 4, 1940 (age 85) Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Occupation	Author surgeon ophthalmologist aquanaut
Education	Wesleyan University (BS) Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (MD) Ophthalmology at Harvard Public policy at Harvard Kennedy School
Genre	Thriller
Relatives	Edgar Lee Cook (father) Audrey Cook (mother)

Robin Cook, born on May 4, 1940, is an American doctor and author. He writes exciting books, mostly about medicine and health. He's famous for mixing medical facts with thrilling stories. Many of his books have been huge hits, appearing on The New York Times Best Seller List. His books have sold nearly 400 million copies around the world.

Robin Cook's Early Life and Career

Robin Cook was born in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Woodside, Queens. When he was eight, his family moved to Leonia, New Jersey. He graduated from Leonia High School in 1958.

After high school, Cook went to Wesleyan University. He then studied medicine at Columbia University. He finished his medical training at Harvard.

Working as an Aquanaut

Cook also worked with the Cousteau Society in France. He helped with their blood-gas laboratory. In 1969, he joined the U.S. Navy. He became an aquanaut, which is like a doctor who works underwater in submarines. He served in the Navy until 1971. He reached the rank of lieutenant commander. He wrote his first book, Year of the Intern, while serving on a submarine called the USS Kamehameha.

Robin Cook: The Novelist

Robin Cook's first book, The Year of the Intern, wasn't a big success. So, he decided to study how popular books were written. He learned how authors keep readers hooked. He used these techniques when he wrote his next book, Coma.

The Idea for Coma

He got the idea for Coma in 1975. The story was about a secret plan to get organs for transplants. In 1977, the rights to sell Coma as a paperback book sold for a lot of money. After Coma, he wrote Sphinx in 1979. Then came another medical thriller, Brain, in 1981. After these successes, Cook decided to focus on writing instead of his medical career.

Combining Medicine and Thrills

Cook's books mix real medical facts with exciting fictional stories. His medical thrillers aim to teach people about modern medicine. They also make people think about the ethical questions that come with new medical technologies. Cook says he writes thrillers to get people interested in medical topics they might not know about. He believes his books help teach people.

He never thought he would have so many interesting things to write about. But with how fast biomedical research changes, there are always new issues to explore.

Books That Predict Debates

Cook's books have often touched on topics that later became big national discussions. For example, in an interview about his book Shock, Cook said he wrote it to help people understand stem cell research. He wanted to entertain readers but also get them thinking about important medical issues.

Over the years, Cook has written about many important medical topics. These include organ donation, fertility treatments, genetic engineering, and medical research funding. He has also covered topics like managed healthcare and organ transplants.

Doctor Who Writes

Cook jokes that if his books ever stop selling, he could always go back to brain surgery. He is still very interested in medicine. He sees himself more as a doctor who writes, rather than a writer who happens to be a doctor. He thinks his books are popular because everyone knows they might need a hospital someday. You can avoid sharks or haunted houses, but you can't avoid going to a hospital.

Many of his books are set in hospitals in Boston or New York. This is because he trained at Harvard and lives in Boston.

Robin Cook's Personal Life

Robin Cook is currently on leave from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He is also a private member of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Board of Trustees. The President of the United States appoints members to this board.

Robin Cook's Books

Here is a list of Robin Cook's books:

• Year of the Intern (1972)
• Coma (1977)
• Sphinx (1979)
• Brain (1980)
• Fever (1982)
• Godplayer (1983)
• Mindbend (1985)
• Outbreak (1987)
• Mortal Fear (1988)
• Mutation (1989)
• Harmful Intent (1990)
• Vital Signs (1991)
• Terminal (1993)
• Fatal Cure (1993)
• Acceptable Risk (1995)
• Invasion (1997)
• Toxin (1998)
• Abduction (2000)
• Shock (2001)
• Seizure (2003)
• Death Benefit (2011)
• Nano (2013)
• Cell (2014)
• Host (2015)
• Charlatans (2017)
• Viral (2021)
• Bellevue (2024)

Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery Series

This is a series of books featuring the characters Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery:

• Blindsight (1992)
• Contagion (1995)
• Chromosome 6 (1997)
• Vector (1999)
• Marker (2005)
• Crisis (2006)
• Critical (2007)
• Foreign Body (2008)
• Intervention (2009)
• Cure (2010)
• Pandemic (2018)
• Genesis (2019)
• Night Shift (2022)
• Manner of Death (2023)

Movies and TV Shows Based on Robin Cook's Books

Many of Robin Cook's books have been made into movies or TV shows:

• Coma (1977) was adapted into a movie in 1978. It was directed by another author and doctor, Michael Crichton. It was also made into a TV mini-series in 2012.
• Sphinx (1979) became a movie in 1981.
• Harmful Intent (1990) was adapted into a CBS TV movie in 1993.
• Mortal Fear (1988) was made into a TV movie in 1994.
• Outbreak (1987) was adapted into a movie called Virus (Formula For Death) in 1995.
• Terminal (1993) was adapted into a TV movie.
• Invasion (1997) was made into an NBC TV mini-series in 1997.
• Acceptable Risk (2001) was also adapted.
• Foreign Body (2008) became a web series in 2008. It had 50 short episodes released online.

See also

In Spanish: Robin Cook (escritor) para niños