Georges Simenon

Born on February 13, 1903, Georges Joseph Christian Simenon born in Belgium was an author who created detective Jules Maigret. Simenon published more than two hundred novels, short stories and novelettes and worked on the Gazette de Liege at the age of 16. As a reporter Simenon covered the dark side of politics, bars, crime, police investigations and Edmond Locard's police techniques. He learned to quickly edit and wrote articles under the pen name G. Sim.
His debut work Au Pont des Arches was printed in 1921. Using the name of Monsieur Le Coq Simenon published over 800 hilarious stories. While reporting on the nightlife, prostitutes and drunkenness Simenon met one of his future wives Regine Renchon.
Simenon moved to the United States and Canada in 1945-1955 where he wrote three novels including Three Bedrooms in Manhattan. In 1952 he wrote The Death of Belle. Simenon returned to Europe in 1955-1989 where he lived until his death on September 4, 1989.
Simenon was one of the most productive writers of the twentieth century and is credited with the ability to write 80 pages per day. He wrote novels and short stories under his own name and used over two dozen pseudonyms. His works have been published over 550 million times. His Maigret novels have been translated in all premier languages and several novels have been made in to film. His Maigret books were made into television series in Great Britain, Italy and France. His novels have been made into movies including The Man from London, The Cat, Monsieur Hire.
Simenon left four children (one committed suicide) and wives Denyse Ouimet (divorced) and Regine Renchon.