Brown is the author of two techno-thrillers, "Digital Fortress" (1998) and "Angels and Demons" (2000). A third novel, "Deception Point," is set to be published by Random House in 2002.
From music to writing
While at Amherst, Brown participated in many aspects of the student life. He sang in the Glee Club, played the piano, was a member of the Varsity Squash team and devoted most of the rest of his free time to creative writing.
After graduation, Brown decided to abandon the "traditional career" path directly to the marketing and I-banking worlds, instead venturing into the creative arts. He went
to Hollywood with hopes of pursuing a musical career-an endeavor which culminated in his writing a song that was performed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
He also pursued his passion for writing by becoming a novelist. The first of the three novels, "Digital Fortress," the story of an NSA cryptographer struggling to decipher the ultimate digital code, spent 15 weeks at the top of the best selling eBooks chart in 1998. His second work "Angels and Demons," a potboiler about the attempt to prevent the secret brotherhood of the Illuminati from using an antimatter weapon to blow up the Vatican, was also a best seller. His upcoming work, "Deception Point," a Byzantine tale revolving around a heated presidential election, the fate of NASA and a meteor that may contain evidence of extraterrestrial life, is expected to achieve the same level of success.
In addition to writing best selling novels, Brown is an English teacher at the Phillips Exeter Academy and currently lives in New England with his wife.
Travelling the world
During his exploration of writing at the College Brown specifically loved playing the piano and feels that he was able to focus in on creating an original sound while he was here. His experiences singing and touring with the Glee Club opened his eyes to new things on their World Tour trip in 1983.
"I never would have seen [them] otherwise," he said of the was a life altering experiences for him, exposing him to new cultures and peoples.
He continues to be grateful to have attended an institution like Amherst where he had the opportunity to travel and observe all the different nuances of cultures outside of the U.S. The impression left on him by the 1983 trip has heavily influenced his books, in which the plot frequently jets from country to country.
Memorable classes
Brown didn't always have a natural passion for writing. It wasn't until he attended a writing class taught by Alan Lelchunk, a visiting professor and novelist, that he felt comfortable writing. The class helped him to improve his compositional skills, which gave him the confidence to eventually write novels.
This class, he claims, was the one that sparked his passion for writing. Only at Amherst could he have had the opportunity to study along side a writer who, in Brown's words, was "actually doing it." He felt empowered by the class and his new mentor. Unique interactions like this are what captivated Brown and why he feels eternally grateful towards his alma mater.
Brown vividly remembers the "concentration of creative energy" playing an active role in his education at the College. While here, he realized that he had interests and special talents in both music and words, which he was able to expand upon. He fondly remembers his freshman-year "Introduction to Liberal Arts" class, ironically called Music and Words, which enabled him to further explore both of these talents. In that class he learned to incorporate his two seemingly disparate talents and create one unique sound. This introductory course set the stage for his successful Hollywood musical career.
Brown has always remembered Amherst as a place where he had the opportunity to expand his knowledge by exploring his interests. Even today he is still finding new ways to expand his horizons. He is currently attempting his first screenplay.
Even though he has accomplished so much in his life, Brown still remembers his days at Amherst as some of his best. He loved being active in student life and wanting to take part in everything. He is still close with many of the friends he made while here. The close bonds he forged with professors and other students have remained strong.