Denis D. Gray was born Zdenek Mecir in war-torn Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, and fled with his family after the communist takeover. He later studied at Yale and served as a U.S. Army officer in Japan and Vietnam?experiences that sparked his lifelong bond with Asia. In 1972 he joined the Associated Press, beginning a 40-year career reporting from Asia, the Middle East and Africa on wars, political upheavals and environmental disasters. From the battlefields of Cambodia to the streets of Baghdad, his works have appeared in leading newspapers and magazines worldwide. He now lives in northern Thailand.