Laurence Bergreen is an award-winning biographer and historian. His books have been translated into 25 languages worldwide. A prolific author, his previous books include Columbus: The Four Voyages, Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu, Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life, Capone: The Man and the Era and Over the Edge of the World: Magellan’s Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe.

Mr. Bergreen has been a generous friend to the Council. He has three times been an honored author at a Literary Feast, in 2003, 2007 and 2011.