As a staff writer at The New Yorker, Casey Cep combines literary journalism with rigorous historical research. After graduating from Harvard University with a degree in English, Cep earned an M. Phil in theology at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Her first book, Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee (2019), became a New York Times bestseller and was selected by President Barack Obama as one of his favorite books of 2019. Cep grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she now lives with her wife, fellow New Yorker staff writer Kathryn Schulz. Her work frequently explores the intersections of literature, law, religion, and US history.

Author, publisher, and philanthropist Dave Eggers founded the independent publishing house McSweeney’s in 1998. Born in Boston and raised in Illinois, Eggers gained prominence with his memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (2000), a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His subsequent works include the novels What Is the What, The Circle, and The Every, along with numerous works of nonfiction and books for young readers. Beyond his writing, Eggers established several nonprofit organizations, including 826 National (a network of youth writing and tutoring centers), Voice of Witness (which uses oral history to document human rights crises), and ScholarMatch (which connects students with resources for college). His commitment to youth education and social causes complements his literary career.

British journalist and novelist John Lanchester was born in Hamburg and raised in Hong Kong. He is a contributing editor at the London Review of Books and writes regularly for The New Yorker and other publications. His novels include The Debt to Pleasure (1996), which won the Whitbread First Novel Prize, Capital (2012), a satirical novel about London during the 2007-2008 financial crisis, and The Wall (2019), a dystopian story exploring climate change consequences. Lanchester’s nonfiction works such as Whoops!: Why Everyone Owes Everyone and No One Can Pay and How to Speak Money demonstrate his talent for making complex economic concepts accessible. His work often examines the intersection of economics, politics, and everyday life.

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and former war correspondent Geraldine Brooks was born in Australia. She began her career as a journalist, reporting from crisis zones in the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans for The Wall Street Journal. She transitioned to fiction with her first novel Year of Wonders (2001), and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2006 for March. Her novels, which include People of the Book and Caleb’s Crossing, often explore historical periods through meticulously researched narratives. Brooks brings her journalistic background and storytelling prowess to her examination of government service in Who Is Government?.

Author, journalist, essayist, and social commentator Sarah Vowell is known for her humorous and insightful explorations of US history and culture. A longtime contributor to public radio’s This American Life, Vowell has authored several bestselling books, including Assassination Vacation, The Wordy Shipmates (an exploration of the Puritans and their journey to America) and Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. The Wordy Shipmates (2008) demonstrates her ability to make historical subjects engaging through a blend of research, personal reflection, and humor. Her approach combines critical intelligence with genuine curiosity, making complex historical subjects accessible and entertaining to general audiences.