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A Brief Overview of Author Michael Crichton’s Life and Career

By: Dr. Thomas R. Beaver

Best known for the creation of Jurassic Park and ER, Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors. Born in 1942, he received his education at Harvard University, studying biological sciences during his time as a student. Among his many professional accomplishments, Michael Crichton was the only artist to have simultaneous television, film, and written works at the No. 1 spot on preeminent charts.

Michael Crichton preferred to write about the powers of technology, and he included a lot of action sequences in his novels, as well. He all but coined the technology thriller genre of modern literature, and many of his novels delve into the tense relationship between human beings and technology.

His first novel, Odds On, was published in 1966 under the name of John Lange. He published one book annually for the next four years, and then started to slow his output with the release of The Terminal Man. Some of his most popular novels include The Lost World, The Andromeda Strain, Congo, State of Fear, and many others. After he unexpectedly died of lymphoma in early 2008, Michael Crichton released a posthumous book called Pirate Latitudes. Another techno-thriller that has yet to be publicly named is scheduled for publication in 2012. In death, Michael Crichton was placed on the top-10 list of top-earning dead celebrities of 2009 by Forbes magazine.

In addition to his successes as an author, Michael Crichton directed and wrote many screenplays. While his most famous work on film is probably Jurassic Park, Crichton also produced Twister, Runaway, and The First Great Train Robbery. He also created and wrote the script for two TV series, Beyond Westworld and ER.

One of the most prolific writers of my lifetime, Michael Crichton produced striking literature that defined an entire genre of writing. His works have stood the test of time, and remain some of the best-selling novels of his generation.

The ASPCA: Active in Prevention of Animal Cruelty

by Dr. Thomas R. Beaver
 

[Photographer: Morten Skovgaard, posted at Wikimedia Commons]
 
As an animal lover, I am a longtime member of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). With over a million members worldwide, ASPCA is one of the oldest and most recognized non-profit organizations in the U.S.

The organization got its start in New York City in 1866, at a time when practices such as cockfighting, inhumane slaughterhouses, and mistreatment of horses were rampant. The ASPCA has maintained strong ties with the city of its foundation ever since, operating a large municipal shelter there for over a century, and maintaining its headquarters in New York up to the present.

There are two major areas in which the ASPCA focuses its efforts today: fighting animal cruelty and assisting with pet shelter and adoption. On the cruelty front, the ASPCA offers hotlines for reporting any incidents of animal abuse while also operating a Field Investigations and Response Team. Formed in 2005 in response to the devastations of Hurricane Katrina, the team coordinates with emergency responders, shelters, and humane societies nationwide in reacting to events such as wildfires, reports of puppy mills, and other incidents of concern. The team even maintains a state-of-the-art forensics tools-equipped mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit. The CSI Unit`s veterinary forensics truck offers an X-ray machine; an alternate light source to detect hair, fibers, and fluids evidence; DNA testing through urinalysis; and computer-based analytical tools.

The adoption aspect of the ASPCA’s work is equally valuable, with its major adoption center located in New York City. Potential adopters can visit the ASPCA online at aspca.org and view the full roster of adoptable pets available at local shelters throughout the U.S.