About the Author

James Edward Franco is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, film producer, author, and painter. He began acting during the late 1990s, appearing on the short-lived television series and starring in several teen films. In 2001 he played the title role in Mark Rydell's television biographical film , which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film. Franco achieved international fame with his portrayal of Harry Osborn in the trilogy. Since then, his films have included the war film (2005) , the 2006 romantic drama , and Justin Lin's drama (2006) . In 2008, Franco starred in the comedy stoner film and received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. He played a prominent role in the 2008 biographical film . In 2010, he played the lead role in as Allen Ginsberg, and , a film about Aron Ralston, an American mountaineer who cut off his own arm to free himself after he was trapped beneath a boulder. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. In 2010, Franco published a collection of short stories called The book is named after the California city where Franco grew up and is dedicated to many of the writers he worked with at Brooklyn College. The book has received mixed reviews; called it "the work of an ambitious young man who clearly loves to read, who has a good eye for detail, but who has spent way too much time on style and virtually none on substance". said that "The Hollywood star's foray into the literary world may be met with cynicism in some quarters, but this is a promising debut from a most unlikely source. "