Dan Egan is the author of The Death and the Life of the Great Lakes, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Egan is also a news reporter who has covered the Great Lakes for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel since 2003. He has degrees from the University of Michigan and the Columbia School of Journalism; Egan is also the recipient of the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award, John B. Oakes Award, AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award, and J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award.

Prior to reporting for the Sentinel, Egan covered environmental issues for publications in the western U.S., including efforts to restore endangered species. Egan grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin and spent many summer weekends on Lake Michigan. Egan’s childhood memories likely spur his coverage of the Great Lakes, much as the subjects that he interviews also have fond memories of the lakes. Egan concludes his book with a passage about his son fishing in the lake, suggesting that he hopes future generations will also be inspired to enjoy and protect this natural resource. 

Clinton was the mayor of New York, but in the context of this book, he was better known for having jumpstarted construction of the