Richard Preston, born August 5, 1954 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., is a
New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
writer and bestselling
authorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
perhaps best-known for his books about
infectious diseaseInfectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
epidemicIn epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
s and
bioterrorismBioterrorism is terrorism involving the intentional release or dissemination of biological agents. These agents are bacteria, viruses, or toxins, and may be in a naturally occurring or a human-modified form. For the use of this method in warfare, see biological warfare.-Definition:According to the...
, although he has written other
non-fiction worksNon-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
. Whether journalistic or fictional, his writings are based on extensive background research and interviews.
Preston's personal hobby of recreational tree climbing is introduced in his book (2007)
The Wild TreesThe Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring is a non-fiction book by Richard Preston about California's coastal redwoods and the recreational climbers who climbed them. It is a narrative-style collection of stories from climbers who pioneered redwood climbing, including botanist Steve Sillett,...
. This climbing experience likely led him to write about the largest known redwoods like Lost Monarch in the
Grove of TitansThe Grove of Titans is a redwood grove in Del Norte County, Northern California, which includes several massive Coast Redwood trees, some being the largest known redwoods in terms of wood volume. The largest Coastal Redwood tree in the grove by volume is Lost Monarch...
, or
IluvatarIluvatar is a redwood tree in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Northern California that has been confirmed to be at least in diameter at breast height, and in height. Measured by Stephen C. Sillett, it is the world's third-largest coast redwood, the largest being Lost Monarch.Iluvatar is...
, described in that book along with delicate forest canopy ecosystems.
Biography
Richard Preston graduated Wellesley High school in Massachusetts in 1972. He attended
Pomona CollegePomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
, in Claremont, California.
His 1992
New Yorker article "Crisis in the Hot Zone" was expanded into his best known book,
The Hot ZoneThe Hot Zone is a best-selling 1994 non-fiction bio-thriller by Richard Preston about the origins and incidents involving viral hemorrhagic fevers, particularly ebolaviruses and marburgviruses...
(1994). It is classified as a "non-fiction thriller" about the
EbolaEbola virus disease is the name for the human disease which may be caused by any of the four known ebolaviruses. These four viruses are: Bundibugyo virus , Ebola virus , Sudan virus , and Taï Forest virus...
virus. He came to know the virus through such contacts as
U.S. ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
researchers Drs.
C.J. PetersClarence James Peters, Jr, M.D. , known as C. J. Peters, is a physician, field virologist and former U.S. Army colonel. He is noted for his efforts in trying to stem epidemics of exotic infectious diseases such as the Ebola virus, Hanta virus and Rift Valley fever...
and Nancy Jaax. His fascination began during a visit to Africa where he was an eyewitness to epidemics.
Preston's novel
The Cobra EventThe Cobra Event is a 1998 thriller novel by Richard Preston describing a terror attempt on the United States by a lone man, the creator of a virus, called "Cobra", that mixes the incurable common cold with one of the world's most deadly diseases, smallpox...
(1998), about the terroristic release of a fictional virus combining various qualities of different diseases upon New York City, alarmed even then-President
Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
who, shortly after reading it, instigated a review of bio-terror threats to the U.S. The book strove to tell a fast-paced thriller narrative within the bounds of well-researched bio-terroristic possibility, and was reportedly pressed upon Clinton by a molecular biologist when he was attending a
Renaissance WeekendRenaissance Weekend is an American retreat for leaders in business and finance, government, the media, religion, medicine, science, technology and the arts. Conversations are off the record and subject matter ranges widely, tending to focus heavily on policy and business issues.-History:Founded in...
event.
The Demon in the FreezerThe Demon in the Freezer is a 2002 non-fiction book on the biological weapon agents smallpox and anthrax and how the American government develops defensive measures against them. It was written by journalist Richard Preston, also author of the best-selling book The Hot Zone , about outbreaks of...
(2002) covers the story of the eradication of
smallpoxSmallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, perhaps the most destructive virus to have plagued mankind. It details the survival of the virus in research labs and bio-weapon programs of Russia and other nations, despite its eradication in the human population. The narrative continues with
anthraxAnthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
, a bacterial disease of cattle and humans, used in a failed attack against former Senator
Tom DaschleThomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
of
South DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
The Hot Zone served as the (very loose) basis of the Hollywood movie
OutbreakOutbreak is a 1995 American disaster film starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey. The film was directed by Wolfgang Petersen. In addition, Outbreak features Cuba Gooding, Jr., Donald Sutherland, and Patrick Dempsey....
(1995) about military machinations surrounding a fictional "Motaba virus".
First LightFirst Light: The Search for the Edge of the Universe is a 1987 non-fiction book on astronomy and astronomers by Richard Preston.The title refers to the astronomical term first light, which is when a telescope is first used to take an astronomical image after it has been constructed...
,
American Steel and
The Wild Trees are non-fiction books, addressing astrophysics, the steel industry and California Redwoods respectively.
Preston's latest release "Panic in Level 4" is a collection of essays related to his experiences researching his previous novels.
In November of 2009, Preston was selected by Harper-Collins and the Michael Crichton estate to complete his unfinished novel
MicroMicro is an unfinished techno-thriller novel written by Michael Crichton, published in November 2011. The novel was found in Crichton's archives following his death in 2008 along with the completed novel Pirate Latitudes, which was subsequently published in 2009...
after Crichton's death in November of 2008. The book is scheduled for release in November of 2011. Approximately a third of Micro was completed by Crichton. Preston completed the book according to the author's remaining outline, notes, and research
Preston resides in
Hopewell, New JerseyHopewell is a Borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 1,922.Hopewell was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 14, 1891, from portions of Hopewell Township, based on the results of a...
with his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters and one son. He is also the brother of best-selling author,
Douglas PrestonDouglas Preston is an American author who has written seventeen popular techno-thriller and horror novels, four alone and the rest with Lincoln Child...
.
Selected works
Fiction
Non-fiction
- 1987 — 10-ISBN 0871132001/13-ISBN 9780871132000; OCLC 16004290
- 1991 —
- 1994 —
- 2002 —
- 2007 —
- 2008 —
External links
- Official website
- Video conversation with Preston and Carl Zimmer
Carl Zimmer is a popular science writer and blogger, especially regarding the study of evolution and parasites. He has written several books and contributes science essays to publications such as The New York Times and Discover...
on Bloggingheads.tvBloggingheads.tv is a political, world events, philosophy, and science video blog discussion site in which the participants take part in an active back and forth conversation via webcam which is then broadcast online to viewers...