This book was published by Ballantine Books .

Jared Diamond is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Guns, Germs, and Steel. He is Professor of Geography at UCLA and has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. Rebecca Stefoff is the author of numerous books for young readers on subjects including animals, exploration, famous people, geography, history, science and inventions.