Nelson DeMille, prolific author of action-adventure novels, has died at the age of 81.
“Nelson fought a courageous nine-month battle with esophageal cancer. True to form, he faced his ordeal with courage, grace and good humor. We mourn, but we also celebrate his wonderful life and his enduring legacy as a father, friend and storyteller,” his family said in a statement to CBS News.
Courtesy of the DeMille family / John Ellis Kordes Photography
DeMille is the author of 23 books, according to his website, including two he wrote with his son, author Alex DeMille.
Born in New York City in 1943, DeMille moved to Long Island with his family, where he has resided ever since. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. After his discharge, DeMille began writing, publishing his first best-seller, “By the Rivers of Babylon,” in 1978.
DeMille wrote all of his manuscripts by hand, and 17 of his books have been bestsellers, including seven that have been New York Times bestsellers.
He is survived by his wife and three children, Lauren, Alexander and James.
