Cohen, Joshua: - Joshua Cohen is a faculty member at Apple University, and has taught at MIT (1977-2006) and Stanford (2006-2014). He is the author, co-author, or editor of more than 25 books. His most recent books are Philosophy, Politics, Democracy (2009); The Arc of the Moral Universe (2011); and Rousseau: A Free Community of Equals (2012). Since 1991, Cohen has been editor of Boston Review.

Newman, Charles: - Charles Newman (1938-2006) was born in St. Louis and grew up in the Chicago area. In 1964 he became editor of "TriQuarterly", which he nurtured into a journal with an international reputation. Newman's own novels have been compared to the work of both Thomas Pynchon and J. D. Salinger, and his two works of nonfiction are both classics of the form. Newman was a Professor at Washington University in St. Louis from 1985 until his death.

Howe, Ben Ryder: - Ben Ryder Howe has written for "The New Yorker", "The Atlantic Monthly", and "Outside", and his work has been selected for "Best American Travel Writing". He is a former senior editor of "The Paris Review". He, his wife, and their two children live on Staten Island. He is the author of "My Korean Deli: Risking It All for a Convenience Store."