Richard Preston
Best-selling Author
Exclusive Representation by Greater Talent Network
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. He first took the world by storm with "The Hot Zone," 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 languagues.
In his second, "The Cobra Event," also a best-seller, Preston turned his attention to the very real threat of biological terrorism. Although his tale unfolds as fiction, it is backed by nearly three years of in-depth research at the highest levels of American and international intelligence, including the FBI, the Pentagon, the Centers for Disease Control, intelligence officers in foreign governments and scientists who have been involved in the development and testing of strategic bioweapons.
"The Demon in the Freezer", takes us back into the hot zone, delving with unprecedented detail into the government's response to the anthrax attacks of October 2001--the first major bioterror event in the U.S. and the second largest investigation in FBI history. He takes us into the epicenter of national biodefense, USAMRIID, where scientists are convinced that the next bioterror threat is not anthrax but a genetically modified strain of smallpox, the world's deadliest disease, that is now vaccine-resistant. With devastating clarity, Preston shows what is at stake for the scientists fighting to stay one step ahead of the new disease, and what it could mean for all of us.
Preston's latest "The Wild Trees," is an account of scientific and spiritual passion for the tallest trees in the world, the coast redwood trees, Sequoia sempervirens. He expertly explores the startling biosystem of "the canopy" and shares the story of those who are committed to the preservation of this astonishing and largely unknown world. With characteristic immersion into the world he's studying, Preston became a skilled tree climber, and learned the techniques of super-tall tree climbing to bring to life the story of the fate of the world's most splendid forests and of the imperiled biosphere itself.
His program is a rare opportunity to journey into the relatively hidden depths of biological science where the truth can be far more startling than fiction. Whether delivering a grim account of what biological terrorism is capable of, sharing the inside story of how scientists are finding ways of protecting civilian populations, or revealing the dangerous and hauntingly beautiful lost world above the canopy, Preston shows audiences the world in a slightly different light than ever seen before.
In addition to these three works, Preston's books include First Light, an award-winning book about astronomy, and American Steel, about the Nucor Corporation's building of a revolutionary steel mill. He also has written about the mapping of the human genome. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker. Preston has won the American Institute Physics Award, the AAAS-Westinghouse Award and the McDermott Award in the Arts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the only non-physician to have received the Champion of Prevention Award from the Centers for Disease Control.
As a result of his work and scientific contributions, an asteroid has been named "Preston." It will someday collide with Mars, causing an explosion visible throughout the solar system.
Richard Preston lives outside NYC with his wife and children. He climbs trees with them for fun.
Interested in booking Richard Preston to speak at your next event?
In his second, "The Cobra Event," also a best-seller, Preston turned his attention to the very real threat of biological terrorism. Although his tale unfolds as fiction, it is backed by nearly three years of in-depth research at the highest levels of American and international intelligence, including the FBI, the Pentagon, the Centers for Disease Control, intelligence officers in foreign governments and scientists who have been involved in the development and testing of strategic bioweapons.
"The Demon in the Freezer", takes us back into the hot zone, delving with unprecedented detail into the government's response to the anthrax attacks of October 2001--the first major bioterror event in the U.S. and the second largest investigation in FBI history. He takes us into the epicenter of national biodefense, USAMRIID, where scientists are convinced that the next bioterror threat is not anthrax but a genetically modified strain of smallpox, the world's deadliest disease, that is now vaccine-resistant. With devastating clarity, Preston shows what is at stake for the scientists fighting to stay one step ahead of the new disease, and what it could mean for all of us.
Preston's latest "The Wild Trees," is an account of scientific and spiritual passion for the tallest trees in the world, the coast redwood trees, Sequoia sempervirens. He expertly explores the startling biosystem of "the canopy" and shares the story of those who are committed to the preservation of this astonishing and largely unknown world. With characteristic immersion into the world he's studying, Preston became a skilled tree climber, and learned the techniques of super-tall tree climbing to bring to life the story of the fate of the world's most splendid forests and of the imperiled biosphere itself.
His program is a rare opportunity to journey into the relatively hidden depths of biological science where the truth can be far more startling than fiction. Whether delivering a grim account of what biological terrorism is capable of, sharing the inside story of how scientists are finding ways of protecting civilian populations, or revealing the dangerous and hauntingly beautiful lost world above the canopy, Preston shows audiences the world in a slightly different light than ever seen before.
In addition to these three works, Preston's books include First Light, an award-winning book about astronomy, and American Steel, about the Nucor Corporation's building of a revolutionary steel mill. He also has written about the mapping of the human genome. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker. Preston has won the American Institute Physics Award, the AAAS-Westinghouse Award and the McDermott Award in the Arts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the only non-physician to have received the Champion of Prevention Award from the Centers for Disease Control.
As a result of his work and scientific contributions, an asteroid has been named "Preston." It will someday collide with Mars, causing an explosion visible throughout the solar system.
Richard Preston lives outside NYC with his wife and children. He climbs trees with them for fun.
Interested in booking Richard Preston to speak at your next event?
Contact Greater Talent Network,
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212.645.4200
info@greatertalent.com
- The Wild Trees
- Inside The Hot Zone
- The Demon in the Freezer: The True Story of the War Against Bioterrorism
- The Cobra Event: On the Trail of Biological Terrorism
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