John Michael Crichton was an American author, screenwriter, and filmmaker. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and over a dozen have been adapted into films. Crichton's literary works heavily feature technology and often fall within the genres of science fiction, techno-thriller, and medical fiction. His novels frequently explore themes of human technological advancement and attempted dominance over nature, often with catastrophic results. Many of his works are cautionary tales, particularly concerning biotechnology. Themes such as genetic modification, hybridization, paleontology, and zoology are prevalent, reflecting his medical training and scientific background.

Crichton received an M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1969 but chose to focus on writing instead of practicing medicine. Initially writing under a pseudonym, he published 25 novels during his lifetime, including notable works like The Andromeda Strain (1969), The Terminal Man (1972), The Great Train Robbery (1975), Congo (1980), Sphere (1987), Jurassic Park (1990), Rising Sun (1992), Disclosure (1994), The Lost World (1995), Airframe (1996), Timeline (1999), Prey (2002), State of Fear (2004), and Next (2006). Four more novels were published posthumously.

In addition to writing, Crichton contributed significantly to film and television. In 1973, he wrote and directed Westworld, the first film using 2D computer-generated imagery. He directed other films like Coma (1978), The First Great Train Robbery (1978), Looker (1981), and Runaway (1984). He created the television series ER (1994–2009) and saw many of his novels adapted into films, most notably the Jurassic Park franchise.