ALBERT PODELL has been an editor at Playboy and several outdoor magazines, reviewed books for the Chicago Sun-Times, managed the literary quarterly that introduced the Beat Generation writers to American readers, and has published more than 250 magazine articles. His first book is a classic that stayed in print for more than fifty years and his last book was a New York Times bestseller.

Al holds a degree in government from Cornell, with emphasis on foreign affairs, was the Graduate Fellow of the Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago, and received a law degree from NYU.

He has had successful careers as an editor, director of photography, freelance writer, advertising creative director, ad agency VP, good-government