John Christopher was the pseudonym of Samuel Youd, who was born in Lancashire, England, in 1922. He was the author of more than fifty novels and novellas, as well as numerous short stories. His most famous books include The Death of Grass, the Tripods trilogy, The Lotus Caves, and The Guardians.
Brian Jones is Professor of Sociology at Villanova University. He has written extensively on issues in public policy and social networks, and his previous books include Social Problems: Issues, Opinions, and Solutions (McGraw-Hill, 1988) and Sociology: Micro, Macro, and Megastructures (Harcourt Brace: 1995).