James Redfield is a writer. He was born on March 19, 1950 and grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. Redfield majored in sociology at Auburn University and then received a Master's degree in counseling. Redfield spent fifteen years working as a therapist to abused adolescents. He published The Celestine Prophesy and it has turned into a spiritual guide for the New Age. Redfield was awarded the Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Senate in 1997.