Richard Preston, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts is a New Yorker writer and bestselling author best-known for his alarming books about infectious disease epidemics and bioterrorism, although he has written other non-fiction works. Whether journalistic or fictional, his writings are based on thorough background research and extensive interviews.

Preston's personal hobby of recreational tree climbing is introduced in his book (2007) The Wild Trees. This climbing experience helped him write about the largest known redwoods like Lost Monarch in the Grove of Titans, or Iluvatar, described in that book along with delicate forest canopy ecosystems.