John William Jakes was an American writer, best known for his historical and speculative fiction. Born on March 31, 1932, Jakes is celebrated for his American Civil War trilogy, North and South, which has sold millions of copies worldwide. He was also the author of The Kent Family Chronicles.

Jakes's commitment to historical accuracy and evocative storytelling earned him the title of “the godfather of historical novelists” from the Los Angeles Times and led to a streak of sixteen consecutive New York Times bestsellers. He received several awards for his work and was a member of the Authors Guild and the PEN American Center.

Jakes sometimes wrote under the pseudonyms Jay Scotland, Alan Payne, Rachel Ann Payne, Robert Hart Davis, and Darius John.