Author Information
Jean M. Auel
  • Bibliography:
    7 Books (1 Series)
  • First Book:
    June 1980
  • Latest Book:
    April 2011
  • Author Rating:
  • Share:
About the Author

Jean Marie Untinen was born on February 18, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.. She was the second of five children, her father was a housepainter, Neil Solomon Untinen, and her mother Martha Wirtanen. After High School, Jean M. married with Ray Bernard Auel (surname pronounced like "owl"), and raised five children of her own. The marriage live in Portland, Oregon.

In 1964, Jean M. became a member of Mensa. She attended Night school while working: she worked as a clerk (1965-1966), a circuit board designer (1966-1973), technical writer (1973-1974), and a credit manager at Tektronix (1974-1976). In 1976, finally she earned her M.B.A. for the Portland State University and has received honorary degrees from the University of Maine and Mount Vernon College for Women. At the age of 40, she was inspired to write a short story, just as she was about to change jobs. That short story quickly grew into a serie of the "Earth's Children". Her first novel, "The Clan of the Cave Bear", which was published in 1980, and her novels have sold over 45 million copies worldwide. She was awarded the French government's Ministry of Culture "Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters" medal. Auel lives in Portland, Oregon.

Full Series List in Order

Earth's Children

1 - The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jun-1980)
2 - The Valley of Horses (Apr-1982)
3 - The Mammoth Hunters (Jan-1986)
4 - The Plains of Passage (Dec-1989)
5 - The Shelters of Stone (May-2002)
6 - The Land of Painted Caves (Apr-2011)

Book List in Order: 7 titles



  • Here is a novel of awesome beauty and power. A moving saga about people, relationships and the boundaries of love. Through Jean Auel's magnificent storytelling, we are taken back to the dawn of mankind and swept up in the wonderful world of a very sp...



  • This unforgettable odyssey into the distant past carries us back to the awesome mysteries of the exotic, primeval world of The Clan of the Cave Bear, and to Ayla, now grown into a beautiful and courageous young woman. Cruelly cast out by the new lead...



  • Once again Jean M. Auel opens the door of a time long past to reveal an age of wonder and danger at the dawn of the modern human race. With all the consummate storytelling artistry and vivid authenticity she brought to The Clan of the Cave Bear and i...



  • Now, in a brilliant novel as vividly authentic and entertaining as those that came before, Jean M. Auel returns us to the earliest days of humankind... and to the captivating adventures of the courageous heroine called Ayla. With her companion, Jonda...





  • The Shelters of Stone opens as Ayla and Jondalar, along with their animal friends, Wolf, Whinney, and Racer, complete their epic journey across Europe and are greeted by Jondalar’s people: the Zelandonii. The people of the Ninth Cave of the Zelando...



  • In this, the extraordinary conclusion of the ice-age epic series, Earth's Children(R), Ayla, Jondalar, and their infant daughter, Jonayla, are living with the Zelandonii in the Ninth Cave. Ayla has been chosen as an acolyte to a spiritual leader and ...




Award-Winning Books by Jean M. Auel

The Shelters of Stone
2002 RT Reviewers Choice Award -- Historical Novel


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Jean M. Auel has published 7 books.

Jean M. Auel does not have a new book coming out soon. The latest book, The Land of Painted Caves, was published in April 2011.

The first book by Jean M. Auel, The Clan of the Cave Bear, was published in June 1980.

Yes. Jean M. Auel has 1 series.