James Patterson | $800 Million

73 years of age and still kicking at writing—that’s James Patterson right there. He is a renowned author and philanthropist, who is considered one of the most successful and wealthiest in his field. His works include Michael Bennett, Witch and Wizard, NYPD Red, Maximum Ride, and many others. Most of his novels are best-sellers, while others were adapted for film and television. Patterson was also the first person to sell a million e-books. Passionate and a great believer in reading, he has donated a lot to this cause.

In fact,he has given several million books and several million dollars towards educational support of school children, military, and teachers. We could all agree that there’s no better investment of all that money than to the ones who need it most! Currently, he resides in his Mediterranean-style home in Florida–and he’s probably writing his next novel. Maybe in a couple of years more, he’ll produce another best-seller!