Peter Matthiessen is one of the most prolific American writers since World War II, who has excelled in fiction, travel writing, and reportage alike. He is co-founder of The Paris Review, and received a National Book Award for The Snow Leopard (1978). Matthiessen’s most recent works include Baikal: Sacred Sea of Siberia (1992) where he recounts his visit to Siberia and Lake Baikal, the oldest and deepest lake on the planet; Shadows of Africa (1992), which includes his essays on Africa from South Sudan to Zaire; and East of Lo Monthang: In the Land of Mustang (1995).