Ernest Kurtz, Ph.D., received his doctorate in the history of American civilization from Harvard University in 1978. He taught American history and the history of religion in America at the University of Georgia and Loyola University of Chicago before retiring to Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Katherine Ketcham has been writing nonfiction books for forty years. Her work has been published in sixteen foreign languages and has sold nearly one million copies. She founded and serves on the board of a grassroots nonprofit organization called Trilogy Recovery Community, which helps youth and their family members dealing with alcohol and other drug problems. Ketcham lives in Walla Walla, Washington.