Mark Pendergrast is the author of Victims of Memory; For God, Country and Coca-Cola; Uncommon Grounds; Mirror Mirror; Inside the Outbreaks; Japan’s Tipping Point; Beyond Fair Trade; City on the Verge; and three children’s books.  See www.markpendergrast.com for reviews.  One critic called Pendergrast “the ultimate free-lance journalist with an eclectic mind.” He calls himself an independent scholar, although he has worked on five college campuses. Pendergrast was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, the fourth of seven children in a family that valued civil rights, the environment, sailing, reading, and games of chase and charades. He earned a B.A. in English literature from Harvard, taught high school and elementary school, then went back to Simmons College for a masters in library science and worked as an academic librarian—all the while writing freelance articles for newspapers and magazines. In 1991, he began writing books full time. Pendergrast’s books have been published in 15 languages. For God, Country & Coca-Cola was named a notable book of the year by the New York Times, and Discover Magazine chose Mirror Mirror as one of the top science books of the year. Pendergrast has given speeches to professional groups, business associations, and college audiences in the United States, Canada, the U.K., and Germany. He has appeared on dozens of television shows, including the Today Show, CBS This Morning, and CNN, and has been interviewed on over 100 radio programs, including All Things Considered, Marketplace, and many other public radio shows. He lives in Colchester, Vermont.