Terry Tempest Williams is an American author, naturalist, and environmental activist. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, the desert landscape she was raised in has significantly influenced her writing, much of which concerns or is set in the deserts of the American West. Her works touch on many sorts of issues, including issues of ecology and natural presevation, feminism, health/cancer issues, and the Mormon culture. As an activist, she has done everything from serving time in jail for civil disobedience to testifying before Congress on women’s health issues. She is currently the Annie Clark Tanner Scholar in Environmental Humanities at the University of Utah. She divides her time between Castle Valley, Utah, with her husband, Brooke, who also serves as executivedirector of the Murie Center in Moose, WY. Williams also serves on the board of Round River Conservation Studies, an international wildlife conservation organization based in Salt Lake City, Utah.