Christopher Paolini
A home-schooled teenager from Montana who penned a fantasy phenomenon in his parents' basement, becoming the ultimate author-entrepreneur success story.
Born 1983 (age 43)·American writer·Birthday: November 17·Millennials
Biography
Christopher Paolini is the poster child for DIY literary ambition. Homeschooled in the mountains of Montana, he graduated high school at 15 and immediately set to work on a fantasy novel inspired by his love of dragons and epic tales. His parents' small publishing company put out 'Eragon' in 2002, and Paolini, then just 18, spent a year touring schools and bookstores in a medieval costume to promote it. The grassroots campaign worked spectacularly. Knopf picked up the book, and 'The Inheritance Cycle' became a global publishing sensation, selling tens of millions of copies. Paolini, who illustrated the books' maps and symbols himself, maintained fierce creative control, proving that a young author could build a world without compromise. After a long hiatus, he returned to his fantasy universe and successfully ventured into science fiction, cementing his status as a dedicated world-builder who operates entirely on his own terms.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Christopher was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christopher Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Christopher's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Published his debut novel, 'Eragon,' at age 18 through his parents' publishing company, leading to a major deal with Alfred A. Knopf.
- Wrote the four-volume 'Inheritance Cycle,' which has sold over 40 million copies worldwide.
- His 2020 science fiction novel, 'To Sleep in a Sea of Stars,' was optioned for a film adaptation.
- Returned to the world of Alagaësia with the novel 'Murtagh' in 2023, a decade after the original series concluded.
Did You Know?
He drew the dragon eye symbol on the cover of the original 'Eragon' and the maps inside the books.
He is a trained swordsman and incorporated that knowledge into his fight scenes.
The first draft of 'Eragon' was written longhand on legal pads.
He is an advocate for young writers and self-publishing, often sharing detailed advice from his own experience.
“Books are my friends, my companions. They make me laugh and cry and find meaning in life.”
