Peter Benchley, born May 8, 1940, wrote one of the most terrifying novels in American history. Jaws, published in 1974, tells the story of a great white shark that attacks swimmers off a small beach town. The town's police chief wants to close the beaches, but business owners refuse because they need the summer tourists. The tension between safety and money drives the story forward. Benchley got the idea after reading about a fisherman who caught a 4,550-pound great white shark off Long Island, New York. He spent years researching sharks before writing the novel. Jaws became a huge bestseller. Director Steven Spielberg turned it into a movie in 1975. The film earned over 470 million dollars and became the first summer blockbuster. After the movie's release, people became so afraid of sharks that shark hunting increased dramatically. Benchley later said he regretted how his book made people fear sharks. He spent the rest of his life working as an ocean advocate. He wrote articles and gave speeches about why sharks are important to the ocean ecosystem. He wanted people to understand that sharks are not mindless killers but necessary predators that keep the ocean healthy.