John Michael Crichton was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 23, 1942, to John Henderson and Zula (Miller) Crichton. Crichton grew up in Roslyn, New York, and as an adolescent distinguished himself both inside and outside of the classroom. Crichton was six feet, seven inches tall by the time he was sixteen years old and was a valuable member of the Roslyn High School basketball team. Inside the classroom, Crichton's teachers marveled at his intelligence and his remarkable writing talent. At the age of fourteen, Crichton published his first piece, a travel article, in the New York Times.

Crichton's early success at writing led him initially to pursue a writing career, studying in the English department at Harvard University. Upset by a professor's lukewarm reactions to his writing, Crichton soon became disillusioned with the Harvard English department and switched his academic focus. He graduated summa cum laude with...