Some 8 million people (including myself) tuned in to the recent season 5 premier of the hit HBO show Game of Thrones, setting all-new ratings records. Ever since the show debuted back in 2011, it quickly became one of the most watched and talked about shows of all-time. The series is easily the largest fantasy epic ever conceived on television as it is rich in content, characters, and themes. The film-adapted versions of the Lord of The Rings showed us that there was a large demand for epic fantasy films, and Game of Thrones certainly took it up a notch despite being a “TV show”. It’s HBO that we’re talking about, and Game of Thrones essentially has a budget comparable to many movies.
The man behind all of this, George R.R. Martin, who wrote the expansive fantasy novels known as the Song of Ice and Fire series that the show is based off of, has certainly been enjoying great levels of success and fame. Before the show was even conceived, his books sold millions of copies and you can bet that he has sold even more now. It is estimated that George R.R. Martin makes some $10 million dollars per year on book royalties and another $15 million per year from HBO alone. One would think a man this successful leads a life filled with mansions, expensive cars, and yachts, however that is not the case. You would actually be surprised to learn about the lifestyle of this fantasy genius.
I would argue that in todays age with cell phones, the internet, and computers, fewer people tend to pick up a book to read, especially ones that are 1,000 plus pages and are part of a seven book collection like A Song of Ice and Fire. Still despite that, these books have certainly been very successful. The first novel in the series was released in 1996 way before the Game of Thrones series, but that was the book that started it all and the book that defined George R.R. Martin as a writer.
Martin was born to modest beginnings in New Jersey in 1948 where he primarily grew up for most of his life. He spent the large majority of his time as a child reading novels, comic books, and exploring the outdoors. He would go on to become a writer, writing short stories for various magazines. After graduation from Northwestern University in 1970, he became even more committed to become a novelist and pursued his dreams. He would write 14 short stories, novels, and novellas before he began on A Song of Ice and Fire, yet that is obviously still his defining work. It was a long time before Martin saw huge levels of success, yet he still choose to live a more modest and frugal lifestyle.
Today Martin lives with his wife in one of their two homes found in Santa Fe. Despite owning two homes, neither are extremely large super-mansions that one might expect a man with a net worth of around $65 million to have. He prefers to eat at local barbecue joints and Mexican restaurants over expensive fine-dining restaurants, and he drives a Mazda that he has had for a few years now. He tends to lead a more private lifestyle and sometimes avoids the spotlight. People that have met him at parties and events often describe him as friendly and somewhat reserved. In his free time he likes to pursue some of his other interests and hobbies. In Santa Fe he purchased the Jean Cocteau Cinema and Coffee House, which he has restored completely right down to the 35 mm projectors. He lives a lifestyle that is quite different from the stereotypical celebrity author, but when you think about it, it is not all that surprising. The man is 66 years old and a fantasy novelist, and these types of people tend to live a more quite lifestyle. You would think success, money, and fame would change all that, however it is not the case at all.
So despite being named one of Time Magazines most influential people, the creator of one of the most popular fantasy series that spawned one of the most popular television shows, and a multi-millionaire, George R.R. Martin leads a frugal and relatively quite lifestyle. But honestly can you really blame him?
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