Ernest Cline
He turned 1980s pop culture nostalgia into a literary rocket ship, capturing the digital generation's imagination with a virtual treasure hunt.
Born 1972 (age 54)·American novelist, slam poet, and screenwriter·Birthday: March 29·Generation X
Biography
Ernest Cline's path to literary fame was anything but conventional. A former slam poet and computer technician from Ohio, he channeled a lifetime of arcade gaming and movie obsession into his debut novel, 'Ready Player One'. The book, a love letter to 1980s geek culture wrapped in a dystopian adventure, became a word-of-mouth sensation, spending over 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Its success, amplified by a blockbuster Steven Spielberg film adaptation, cemented Cline as an unexpected literary voice for a digitally-native generation. He followed it with 'Armada', another ode to sci-fi gaming, and the sequel 'Ready Player Two', proving that his unique blend of speculative fiction and retro reference had carved out a permanent niche in contemporary science fiction.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ernest was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ernest Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Ernest's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
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
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- His debut novel 'Ready Player One' spent over 100 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list.
- Co-wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg's 2018 film adaptation of 'Ready Player One'.
- Won the 2012 Alex Award from the American Library Association for 'Ready Player One'.
Did You Know?
He once worked as a computer technician and a slam poet before becoming a novelist.
Cline owns a DeLorean automobile, famously featured in 'Back to the Future'.
He wrote the 2009 film 'Fanboys', centered around Star Wars enthusiasts.
“Being human totally sucks most of the time. Videogames are the only thing that make life bearable.”
