Richard Preston

Richard Preston’s critically and commercially acclaimed books have cemented his status as a first-rate investigative journalist and gifted storyteller, as well as put him in the forefront of the emerging diseases and biotechnology arenas. As Grace Lichtenstein, The Washington Post, said, “Richard Preston is a science writer with an uncommon gift for turning complex biology into riveting page-turners."

Preston first took the world by storm with "The Hot Zone," (1994) the international best-seller that introduced the world to the threat of Ebola and other rain forest viruses. Spending 42 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list, "The Hot Zone" inspired several fictional adaptations (including the hit film “Outbreak” starring Dustin Hoffman and Renee Russo) and has been translated into over 30 languages. The book is part of his Dark Biology series, which includes the novel "The Cobra Event" and "The Demon in the Freezer," a look at the bioterror implications of smallpox and "Crisis In The Red Zone." In November 2009, Preston was selected by Harper-Collins and the Michael Crichton estate to complete the author of "Jurassic Park," Crichton's, unfinished novel "Micro" after his death in November 2008. Preston is a bestselling author of 10 total books, nonfiction and fiction, whose works reveal hidden worlds of nature and wonder. Whether journalistic or fictional, his writings are based on extensive background research and interviews. Preston regularly is a contributor to the The New Yorker, and all of his nonfiction books have first appeared as articles there. His awards include the American Institute of Physics science-writing award and the National Magazine Award, and he’s the only non-physician ever to receive the Centers for Disease Control’s Champion of Prevention Award. In 2016, Preston served as the Bedell Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Iowa's Nonfiction Writing Program where he judged the prestigious Iowa Prize in Literary Nonfiction.