About Dan
I’ve been a writer and journalist for over twenty years, publishing stories on nature, sports, the outdoors, and technology in national magazines. I’m a contributing editor at National Geographic Adventure, and am featured regularly in Popular Science, Bicycling, Mountain Bike, Backpacker, Runner’s World, and Popular Mechanics magazines. I’ve written for the New York Times Magazine, Wired, Outside, Elle, Martha Stewart Living, and Audubon magazines, as well.
My first book was ”To See Every Bird on Earth,” which was published in 2005 by Hudson Street Press. Penguin UK published it in 2006, and the Plume paperback edition was also published in 2006. The book is about my father’s quest to see each of the 9,000+ species of bird on the planet, and how that effort affected his life and the lives of those he loved.
Simon Winchester, author of “The Professor and the Madman” and “Krakatoa”, described “To See Every Bird on Earth” this way: ”Marvelous. I loved just about everything about this book.” The Independent (London) described it as “tender, beautifully written account by an outstanding nature writer. . .”
My latest book, “Banana,” is about the troubled fate of the most important fruit in the world. Millions of people depend on bananas, not just as lunchbox treats, but for their basic nutritional needs. But now, disease is ravaging this ubiquitous – but strangely vulnerable – crop. “Banana” chronicles this history of the fruit, explaining why it has been so important, why the business of bananas has been so checkered (and sometimes even deadly), and most importantly, what makes the fruit weak – and what might make it strong again.
My obsession is walking in Los Angeles, and “route geeking” – DIY events, trips, and contests that take advantage of the urban landscape. In 2009, I organized “The Big Parade,” a two-day, 42-mile community walk that included 111 public stairways.
I’ve also written for television and film, including an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” called “Inheritance.” My favorite non-writing activity is mountain biking; I was inducted to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 2003.
To reach me, convert this into a standard email address: info at bananabook dot org
And about the headphones: A sure sign of a wannabe disco roller skater.