Barry Lopez was an essayist, author, and short story writer, and has traveled extensively in both remote and populated parts of the world. He was the author of Arctic Dreams, winner of the National Book Award; Of Wolves and Men, a National Book Award finalist, and numerous other works of fiction and nonfiction.

Galsan Tschinag, whose name in his native Tuvan language is Irgit Schynykbajoglu Dsurukuwaa, was born in the early thirties in Mongolia. He is the author of more than thirty books, and his work has been translated into many languages. Tschinag divides his time between Ulaanbataar, the High Altai, and Germany.