Harris, Thomas

American author who has become known for his thrillers with their atmosphere of horror about the doctor, psychopath and cannibal Hannibal Lector; all of them were bestsellers and have been turned into films. Thomas Harris was born in Jackson, Tennessee, but already when he was a child the family moved to his father’s home district in Rich, Mississippi. His father worked on a farm and the son had more contact with his mother who was a teacher and encouraged his interest in reading. When he was a young child Harris was very withdrawn, really shy, but this changed when he started studying at Clarksdale High School in his home state.