Jean Marie Auel is an American writer. She is best known for her Earth's Children books, a series of novels set in prehistoric Europe that explores interactions of Cro-Magnon people with Neanderthals. As of 2010 her books have sold over 45 million copies worldwide. Born Jean Marie Untinen on February 18, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois, she is of Finnish descent, the second of five children of Neil Solomon Untinen, a housepainter, and Martha Wirtanen. Auel attended Portland State University. While a student, she joined Mensa, and worked at Tektronix, as a clerk , a circuit board designer ,... technical writer , and a credit manager . At one time, she shared a secretary with the author Ursula K. Le Guin. Auel earned a master of business administration from the University of Portland in 1976. She has also been awarded honorary degrees from her alma mater, as well as the University of Maine and the Mount Vernon College for Women. In 1977, Auel began extensive library research of the Ice Age for her first book.
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