Donald J. Sobol

Donald J. Sobol was a renowned and inspirational author, best known for his "Encyclopedia Brown" series of children's novels. Born in New York City, Sobol attended the NYC Ethical Culture Fieldston School, where he graduated in 1942. His life took a significant turn during the Second World War when he served in the Pacific Theater in the Army Corps of Engineers.

After the war, Sobol resumed his education at Oberlin College, earning a bachelor's degree. He then embarked on a journalistic career, starting as a copy boy and working his way up to become a reporter at the New York Sun. In 1949, Sobol was offered a job at the New York Daily News, a position he held for two years before transitioning to become a buyer at the New York office of Macy's. However, his true passion lay elsewhere, and he eventually moved to Florida to become a full-time author.

Sobol's writing career took off with the "Two Minute" series, a successful syndicated series that ran for over a decade. In 1963, he wrote the first novel of the beloved "Encyclopedia Brown" series, "Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective". The series has been published annually since its inception and has been translated into more than a dozen languages, making Sobol an award-winning and globally recognized children's book author. Sadly, Donald J. Sobol passed away in July 2012.