Greg Grandin is the author of "The Empire of Necessity";" Fordlandia", which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award; as well as "Empire s Workshop" and "The Blood of Guatemala". A professor of history at New York University and a recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the New York Public Library, Grandin has served on the UN Truth Commission investigating the Guatemalan Civil War and has written for the "Los Angeles Times", "The Nation", &" The New York Times".