Arthur Hailey, born on April 5, 1920, in Luton, England, embarked on a full-time writing career in 1956 following the success of his original television drama, Flight Into Danger. Prior to this, he had written teleplays for renowned dramatic series such as Playhouse 90, Kraft Theatre, The United States Steel Hour, Goodyear-Philco Playhouse, and Studio One.
In 1958, Hailey adapted his television drama into a novel, titled Runway Zero-Eight. His subsequent novels, The Final Diagnosis (1959) and In High Places (1961),became bestsellers. It took Hailey four years to write his next novel, Hotel (1965),which remained on the national bestseller lists for a full year.
Airport (1968) surpassed Hotel's success, staying on the national lists for over a year and claiming the number one spot on The New York Times bestseller lists for an impressive 30 weeks. Hailey's subsequent novels, Wheels (1971),The Moneychangers (1975),and Overload (1979),also reached the number one position on the national bestseller lists, solidifying his position as a prominent novelist.
In 1979, Hailey announced his retirement, but was forced to reevaluate his decision after being diagnosed with a serious illness. He underwent a quadruple bypass heart operation, which was a tremendous success, leaving him feeling invigorated and bursting with creative energy.
His wife, Sheila, encouraged him to channel his energy into writing, resulting in the novel Strong Medicine.
