Noah Gordon was an American novelist born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Throughout his illustrious career, he explored a wide array of themes in his novels, including medical history, medical ethics, the Inquisition, and Jewish cultural history. He is perhaps best known for his novel Shaman, which was awarded the first James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Best Historical Fiction in 1993. Gordon's novels have not only captivated readers but have also become bestsellers, marking him as a prominent figure in the world of literature.