Michael French is the author of twenty-four works, including adult and young adult novels, art criticism, biographies, adaptations, and gender studies. He received his bachelor's degree in English from Stanford University and his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. He is a successful businessman, an active high-altitude mountain trekker, a world traveler to underdeveloped nations, an activist, and, with his wife, Patricia, a philanthropist raising money for initiatives that help teachers in Santa Fe, N.M., public schools, which are among the country's most challenged.