David Quammen

Originally raised in the suburbs of Cincinnati, David Quammen’s life path eventually led him to the wilds of Montana. He is a contributing writer for National Geographic, in whose service he travels often, usually to wild places. Quammen has also written for other magazines, ranging from Harper’s, The Atlantic and The New York Times Book Review to Rolling Stone, Outside and Powder. Much of his work focuses on ecology and evolutionary biology, frequently garnished with history and travel. In 2012, he received the Stephen Jay Gould Prize from the Society for the Study of Evolution. Quammen’s work has included a three-part series on Michael Fay's 2,000-mile survey hike through the forests of Central Africa, during which Quammen accompanied Fay for eight weeks of the journey. He holds honorary doctorates from Montana State University and Colorado College and is the author of 14 books, including The Song of the Dodo; Spillover, a winner of the National Association of Science Writers’ Science and Society Book Award; and The Reluctant Mr. Darwin.